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: --OF Nick Swisher left the game Friday after he was hit on his right elbow by a pitch from Jered Weaver in the first inning. X-rays on the elbow were negative but Joe Girardi told reporters he would be surprised if Swisher played Saturday.
--2B Robinson Cano extended his hitting streak to 18 games by going 3-for-5 in the Yankees' 10-9 win over the Angels Friday. Cano, whose streak is the longest one in the major leagues this season, is hitting .363 (29-for-80) and has enjoyed eight multi-hit games during the streak.
--DH Hideki Matsui extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a ninth-inning single in the Yankees' 10-9 win over the Angels Friday. Matsui is hitting .381 (16-for-42) over that span, during which he has raised his average from .148 to .290.
--RHP Mark Melancon surrendered the first run of his big league career Friday, when he gave up one run in one-third of an inning against the Angels. It was the third appearance for Melancon, who made his debut Sunday against the Red Sox.
--RHP Chien-Ming Wang is scheduled to throw 65 pitches during an extended spring training game Saturday at the Yankees' minor league complex in Tampa. Wang, who is 0-3 with a 34.50 ERA, is on the disabled list with what the Yankees have termed hip weakness.
MEDICAL WATCH:
OF Nick Swisher (sore right elbow) left the May 1 game after being hit by a pitch. X-rays showed no damage, but Swisher will probably miss the game on May 2.
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 will pitch in extended spring training game on May 2.
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 began playing in extended spring training in late April. 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
