BOSTON — Another day, another injury.
The Yankees suffered another health setback when reliever Alfredo Aceves had to leave the game in the sixth inning with a stiff lower back. The right-hander is expected to miss 2-3 days.
Aceves has had back problems before and felt the back tighten up when he sprinted to cover first base on a grounder by Adrian Beltre. Aceves threw one more pitch before coming out of the game.
“This is something being a back patient he’s going to battle it from time to time,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow and go from there.”
The loss of Aceves, along with CC Sabathia exiting early after a rain delay, leaves Girardi with a thin bullpen tonight.
Girardi said his initial inclination was the Yankees would not make a roster move, but they likely will be without Aceves and possibly Joba Chamberlain, who threw 21 pitches.
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The MRI exam on Nick Johnson showed an inflamed tendon in his right wrist. Johnson, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list even before the results of the MRI exam were known, received a cortisone shot.
The delicate designated hitter hurt the wrist on a foul ball Friday night. The Yankees said he is expected to miss “several” weeks. He will remain in New York to get treatment.
“We know it’s at least going to be 15 days,” Girardi said. “It’s probably going to be a little bit more than that.”
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Jorge Posada was held out another day by Girardi. Posada said his strained right calf is fine and he can play but Girardi is being extra-cautious. Posada is expected to be the DH tonight, and then catch tomorrow in Detroit.
“He had a Grade 1 strain,” Girardi said. “Most guys don’t come back before a week. That’s just the bottom line. He plays a demanding position and I know he says he feels good, but in talking to [trainer] Steve Donohue and our medical staff they just think you put him out there today we’re kind of rushing it.”
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Kevin Russo made his major league debut as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning at second base, and flew out to center in the ninth in his first big league at-bat. Russo was called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take Johnson’s roster spot.
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Brett Gardner has hit safely in 10 straight games, but struck out in the ninth against Jonathan Van Every, who is normally an outfielder.
“He’s never going to live that down,” Mark Teixeira said. “I’m going to see him at Old Timers’ Day in 40 years and we’re going to be talking about that at-bat.”