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: --C Jorge Posada returned to the lineup and was back behind the plate after missing the first two games of the series against the Tigers because of a sore right hamstring.
--3B Cody Ransom has a Grade 2 tear in his right quadriceps. Ransom, who was the Yankees' Opening Day starter at third base with Alex Rodriguez recovering from hip surgery, suffered the injury sliding into second base Friday in Boston and was placed on the 60-day disabled list the next day.
--LHP Phil Coke threw a perfect eighth inning and has thrown six straight scoreless innings over his last six appearances dating to April 16. Coke has allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out two over that span.
--RHP Joba Chamberlain lasted seven innings for the second time in 16 major league starts. He also threw seven innings in earning the win over the Red Sox in Boston last July 25.
MEDICAL WATCH:
C Jorge Posada (right hamstring) did not play April 27-28 but was back in the lineup and behind the plate April 29.
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. He might pitch in an extended spring training game in late April or early May.
3B Cody Ransom (right quadriceps tear) 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 might play an extended spring training game in late April or early May. He is expected to return to the Yankees by mid-May.
ROTATION:
LHP CC Sabathia
RHP A.J. Burnett
LHP Andy Pettitte
RHP Joba Chamberlain
RHP Phil Hughes
BULLPEN:
RHP Mariano Rivera (closer)
LHP Damaso Marte
LHP Phil Coke
RHP Edwar Ramirez
RHP Jose Veras
RHP Jonathan Albaladejo
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
