A flurry of injuries and an embarrassing three-game sweep at the hands of the rival Red Sox derailed the club just when it thought it was starting to straighten itself out. The Yankees took a 6-2 streak into Fenway Park the last weekend of April and left with three players added to the disabled list along with a string of demoralizing losses in which the bullpen blew leads. Of the players to be placed on the DL (Chien-Ming Wang, Brian Bruney and Cody Ransom), only Bruney will be missed as far as performance. The Yankees now have to hope rookie RHP Mark Melancon can show a flash of the talent after getting called up to help out in the bullpen and 3B Alex Rodriguez continues to progress in his rehab to give the offense a needed boost soon.
PLAYER NEWS: --RHP Mark Melancon had a solid major-league debut Sunday night, pitching two scoreless innings and striking out one in the Yankees' 4-1 loss to Boston. The Yankees are hoping Melancon -- who was called up from AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) on Saturday -- can inject their hurting bullpen with a jolt thanks to his young, live arm. The 24-year-old has been touted since last spring training and competed for a job this spring after dominating minor-league hitters in 2008, but fared less well in spring training with a 7.94 ERA. But with the injury to Brian Bruney -- and the overall struggles in the bullpen -- the Yankees called up Melancon, who had struck out 17 in 10 1/3 scoreless innings for Scranton.
--3B Angel Berroa, who had played only 1/3 of an inning at third base in the majors before this weekend, made two errors in the third inning Sunday night against Boston, leading to a run for the Red Sox. Berroa was pressed into starting duty at third after Cody Ransom (who had been filling in for the injured Alex Rodriguez) was placed on the disabled list. Manager Joe Girardi opted for Berroa instead of rookie Ramiro Pena, whose defense has been widely praised due to Berroa's experience and potential at the plate.
MEDICAL WATCH:
RHP Brian Bruney (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 22.
RHP Chien-Ming Wang (hip weakness) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 19 with an ailment connected to the season-ending Lisfranc foot injury he suffered last year. GM Brian Cashman said Wang would spend two weeks in physical therapy.
3B Cody Ransom (right quadriceps strain) went on the 60-day disabled list April 26.
OF Xavier Nady (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 15. He will try to rehab the injury without surgery.
DH Hideki Matsui (left knee surgery in September 2008) won't play in the field before June.
3B Alex Rodriguez (arthroscopic right hip surgery in March 2009) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He resumed baseball activities April 13, and he could be back as soon as May 8.
ROTATION:
LHP CC Sabathia
RHP A.J. Burnett
LHP Andy Pettitte
RHP Joba Chamberlain
BULLPEN:
RHP Mariano Rivera (closer)
LHP Damaso Marte
LHP Phil Coke
RHP Edwar Ramirez
RHP Jose Veras
RHP Jonathan Albaladejo
RHP Steven Jackson
RHP David Robertson
RHP Mark Melancon
CATCHERS:
Jorge Posada
Jose Molina
INFIELDERS:
1B Mark Teixeira
2B Robinson Cano
SS Derek Jeter
3B Angel Berroa
INF Ramiro Pena
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Johnny Damon
CF Brett Gardner
RF Nick Swisher
DH Hideki Matsui
OF Melky Cabrera
