New York Yankees captain and star shortstop Derek Jeter doesn't look any closer to retirement, but after coming up a day short in a minor league game Sunday morning, in the words of GM Brian Cashman, "The reality is beginning to set in."
The Yankees received disappointing news in regards to Jeter's ankle, and according to Cashman, the shortstop will start the season on the DL.
"I don't anticipate him starting the season on the [roster]," Cashman said. "I can read his face, and his face today tells me the reality is starting to sink in that this disabled list situation might be necessary."
According to ESPN, the Yankees have been in preparation for this since Tuesday, when Jeter was removed from the lineup at the last minute after experiencing stiffness and soreness in his left ankle, which is the same ankle that was fractured in a playoff game last October and resulted in it having to be surgically repaired with screws and a metal plate.
Now is appears the earliest date Jeter will be available to play will be April 6, when the Yankees take on the Tigers in Detroit for their fifth regular game of the season.
"This is no surprise," Cashman said. "The only newsworthy event out of it is we were hoping he would be ready by Opening Day and more likely than not he won't be. But in terms of the injury progression and what he's recovering from, there's nothing new here other than the fact that on the back-end of the more workload that he's got, he's experiencing soreness. You have to react to that and back off, give it a little more time."
Cahsman added that he has little concern about Jeter pulling through this and anticipates when he'll be ready to rejoin the Yankees.
"He's a warrior,"Cashman said. "If anybody can do anything, it's Derek. There are some things that just need more time. This season is coming quicker than that leg is going to be ready, in my opinion, so we'll give it the time it needs. That's all we can do."
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