The tough news keeps coming for the New York Yankees, with Paul Goldschmidt now dealing with a knee injury.
It’s a terrible situation for the Yankees, as he suffered a low-grade right knee sprain. Goldschmidt has struggled against right-handed pitching this season but has crushed left-handers, hitting .404 with seven home runs in 124 plate appearances.
As the Yankees look to figure out what to do with Goldschmidt out now, even if it’s just for a few days, The Athletics’ Brendan Kuty reported that the expectation is for either Cody Bellinger or Ben Rice to start at first base. He also noted that the Yankees could call up lefty-hitting infielder Jorbit Vivas, which might not excite many fans.
“New York will likely turn to either Ben Rice or Cody Bellinger — both left-handed hitters — at first base with Goldschmidt sidelined…
“If Goldschmidt must go on the IL, it would seem likely the Yankees would promote lefty-hitting infielder Jorbit Vivas. The Yankees hope to get Amed Rosario (left AC joint sprain), a righty hitter, back from the IL soon,” he wrote.
What’s the latest on the Yankees’ Paul Goldschmidt?
Aaron Boone commented on Goldschmidt’s injury after the New York Yankees lost on Wednesday night against the Minnesota Twins. However, he said he was just sore and believes he’s doing better. That’s somewhat promising as the Yankees head into the back end of the campaign.
“He’s dealing with something, so we’ll see if it’s an IL situation,” manager Aaron Boone said after Wednesday. “He was pretty sore last night and this morning. Feels like he’s doing quite a bit better right now, so we’ll see.”
When asked if he plans to go on the IL, Goldschmidt said there was a chance, but he doesn’t believe it’ll be a long-term issue.
“There’s a chance, but I don’t think it’s anything long term,” he said on Wednesday night.
Has Paul Goldschmidt Disappointed in New York?
The New York Yankees gave Goldschmidt a shot this past offseason, signing him to a one-year deal. The idea of doing so made sense, as Goldschmidt was an MVP just a few years ago. However, his inability to hit right-handed pitching has been somewhat concerning and is likely part of why the Yankees have struggled for parts of the year.
A player with as many years of service and All-Star nods as the right-handed hitting first baseman still commands respect. Players like Bellinger respect what Goldschmidt does on and off the field, noting that it’d be a tough loss for the Yankees if he has to be out for a significant time.
“He’s been a huge part of this team,” Bellinger said. “He’s a vacuum over there at first base, as well. I’ve played first before and I really appreciate what he does on the defensive side, and you know, for me, it’s just the quality ABs. He’s just a true professional in every single at-bat. We’ll see. I haven’t heard anything, but it’ll be tough, for sure.”
Insider Reveals Important Yankees Plan After Paul Goldschmidt News