Bad Break For Yankees: Eric Chavez Fractures Bone In Foot
NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) -- Joe Girardi's plan was to rest Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, giving both a day off amid a grueling stretch of the schedule.
Then A-Rod's replacement hurt his foot, forcing the third baseman back on the field.
Eric Chavez started in his place at third base, but fractured the fifth metatarsal in his left foot while running out a fourth-inning triple and had to come out of the game. He is scheduled to visit team doctors in New York on Friday.
"I felt bad for him," said Girardi. "He's been through these injuries. As well as he's been playing, it's frustrating."
The Yankees didn't immediately announce a roster move after Chavez's injury. The backup first and third baseman, hampered by injuries since 2007, contemplated retirement before signing with the Yankees.
"It's obviously a problem for us," said Rodriguez. "He has been swinging the bat extremely well since coming to camp."
Rodriguez made a rare pinch-running appearance, then stayed in the game. According to STATS LLC, Rodriguez last pinch-ran in 1995 for Seattle in the decisive fifth game of the American League Division Series against the Yankees. He scored the tying run in the eighth inning of that game, which the Mariners went on to win in 11.
After Chavez's RBI triple, Rodriguez came in and scored on Nunez's single that put the Yankees ahead 2-1. The lead didn't last, though, and the Tigers ended up taking the last three games of the four-game series.
Chavez is batting .303 over 17 games.
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