BOSTON – To start the second half, the New York Yankees added yet another injury as rookie starting left fielder Zoilo Almonte sprained his left ankle in the Yankees’ 4-2 loss to the Red Sox.
Almonte becomes the 16th different Yankee to spend time on the disabled list. Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Kevin Youkilis and Curtis Granderson have gone on the list twice.
Jeter was put on the DL again before Friday night’s game against Boston with a quad injury.
Almonte hurt the ankle trying to beat out a double play in the second inning. He remained in the game until the middle of the fifth. With it bothering him too much, the Yankees took him out and sent him for X-rays. The X-rays were negative.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman said Almonte would go for further tests with Yankees doctors.
Cashman said they would not rush back Alex Rodriguez to the majors for Saturday’s game. The two most likely candidates are Melky Mesa and Thomas Neal. They are both on the 40-man roster.
The Yankees could bring up both of the outfielders and let go of Alberto Gonzalez, whom they don't really need with utility man Brent Lillibridge now on the roster.
