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New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger will be sidelined for four to six weeks with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain.
Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list on Sunday, a day after he got hurt running the bases during a 3-1 win at Philadelphia. He had more tests on Monday in New York that revealed the extent of the injury.
“So the good thing is he’s obviously able to move around right now,” manager Aaron Boone said before the opener of a four-game series at the Chicago White Sox. “So we’ll continue to do that and just allow this thing to heal and get him right.”
The loss of Bellinger is another major injury for a New York team already playing without reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge, who has been out since May 31 because of a fractured rib. Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton has been sidelined since April 24 because of a strained right calf.
The Yankees trailed AL East-leading Tampa Bay by three games going into Monday’s action.
“We’ve had some tough injuries to some really important people,” Boone said. “But again, that is part of it. As I say, the season waits for no one.”
Max Schuemann got the start in left field for the series opener against the White Sox. Spencer Jones, who was brought up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre when Bellinger was placed on the IL, was in center, and Jasson Dominguez was in right.
The MLB trade deadline is next week, but Boone downplayed the effect of Bellinger’s injury on the strategy for general manager Brian Cashman and the team’s front office.
“I get the sense that they have been working on this in different ways, shape and form for the last several weeks, getting ready for trade deadline stuff,” Boone said. “I expect them to try and do all they can to improve our team, but again, you never know how that’s going to shake out.”
Bellinger, 31, felt tightness in his hamstring while rounding first on a double in the eighth inning on Saturday night. He is batting .259 with 11 homers and 53 RBIs in 102 games this season.
Bellinger re-signed with the Yankees last winter for $162.5 million over five years. He was the MVP of the All-Star Game on July 14 in Philadelphia.
Judge and Stanton are with the team in Chicago, and Boone said Stanton is continuing with his running progression.
“The strength stuff, explosive stuff he’s doing in the weight room has been very good,” Boone said. “So we just got to get him up to a level obviously on the running side of things to be able to go out there.”
Left-hander Carlos Rodon and right-hander Clarke Schmidt are both expected to throw again this week, Boone said. Rodón is coming back from elbow inflammation, and Schmidt had Tommy John surgery a year ago.
Reporting by the Associated Press.
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