David Robertson has pulled a Joel Zumaya. For the Yankees’ sake, let’s hope it’s not as bad.
Robertson, who will set-up closer Mariano Rivera this season after an All-Star appearance in 2011, reportedly fell down the stairs while moving boxes at his Tampa-area home Wednesday night, injuring his foot. The Yankees are saying the injury is a sprained right foot. Zumaya, a reliever for the Tigers, injured his shoulder moving boxes at his home in 2008 and hasn’t been the same since.
X-rays on Robertson’s foot were negative, but he underwent an MRI Thursday morning and manager Joe Girardi said the results were a “cause for concern.” The team will send Robertson for more tests, including a CAT scan, Friday morning.
“You have to be concerned,” Girardi said Thursday morning even before the MRI results were known. “He is in a walking boot right now. I am concerned. The way I saw him walk in here today … it hurt to walk, so I assume he is down a little bit of time.”
The exact length of time will depend on the MRI, but it could take him out of service for much of the rest of spring training.
Robertson, 26, had a 1.08 ERA and 1.13 WHIP last season, with 100 strikeouts in just 66 2/3 innings. He made his first career All-Star Game and finished 11th in AL Cy Young voting.
He made his first and only appearance of spring on March 5, pitching one inning and allowing one run.
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