Yankees injury update: Spring training edition

One of the many great things about spring training is that Yankees news starts flowing freely again. After months and months of radio silence, we finally get to how all the injured players have progressed over the offseason. Here’s an update on the many Yankees who have been nursing injuries or recovering from surgery.

Didi Gregorius

The offseason got off to an awful start when the Yankees revealed that Gregorius needed Tommy John surgery following an injury suffered in Boston. Fast forward four months, and the shortstop has made decent progress. He has done some one-handed hitting in the batting cage, and he began a throwing program last week. That amounts to some throwing from 60 feet, and light tosses from shortstop. The good news is that he hasn’t experienced any pain after ramping up his activities. He will get checked out by a doctor at the beginning of March, and if cleared should begin a hitting program.

Gary Sanchez

The Yankees catcher underwent surprise surgery on his non-throwing shoulder back in November. The discomfort he was feeling could even be partially to blame for his lackluster season. A few days ago Sanchez was asked about the injury and said, “I feel normal. Almost back to 100 percent.” The Bombers are in no hurry to rush him back, so Sanchez is expected to sit out of the first week or so of spring training games. He is taking batting practice and working on catching drills, though.

CC Sabathia

After symptoms made clear that he was having trouble with his heart, Sabathia had surgery to clear his arteries, and had to have a stent put in. Luckily, they caught the heart problem in time, and he’s been cleared to pitch. The procedure set back his workout routine though. Sabathia has yet to throw his first bullpen session, and Aaron Boone doesn’t expect him to throw one for a few more weeks. They plan to move him along slowly during spring training.

Jacoby Ellsbury

This one is almost unbelievable. Back in October, Brain Cashman said he expected Ellsbury to be healthy at spring training. Considering that he hasn’t played baseball in a year, you’d think his body would have recovered during that time. The final nail in the coffin in 2018—after he suffered a laundry-list of ailments—was hip surgery. As he started to rehab his lower body over the offseason, his plantar fasciitis issue evidently flared up again to the point where Ellsbury still isn’t able to run on flat ground. The Yankees sent a physical therapist to his Arizona home to work with him, but he won’t report to spring training until mid-March and will probably start the season on the injured list.

Jordan Montgomery

Montgomery missed almost the entire 2018 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He has about four months of rehab left, but is hoping he’ll be able to return shortly thereafter. Monty reported just one setback so far. “Just general soreness. I feel like I’m just hypersensitive to everything in my elbow right now. That’s what everyone says who’s ever had Tommy John. You’re so focused on it that you feel anything. But I feel good.” He has thrown from 90 feet over the last three weeks, and is expected to start throwing off the mound in March.