Yankees first baseman Chris Parmelee exited Thursday’s 6-3 win over the Angels after injuring his right hamstring while stretching for a throw in the seventh inning, making him the fourth Yankees first baseman to go down with an injury this season.
Manager Joe Girardi said after the game that he “would be completely shocked” if Parmelee didn’t join teammates Mark Teixeira, Dustin Ackley and Greg Bird on the disabled list.
With two outs in the seventh, Parmelee did a complete split as he attempted to snag a throw from shortstop Didi Gregorius. He made the catch with his foot on the bag, ending the inning, but immediately reached for his right leg. After writhing in pain for a bit, Parmelee was helped to his feet and carried off the field, unable to walk.
“You don’t see this,” Girardi said postgame. “People ask about depth, you’re usually not five deep at first base. You might have some kids in A-ball, as you go down, but it’s hard. We’ve got to find a way to overcome it.”
The Yankees have run into some bad injury luck in years past, but it’s usually been in the outfield or middle infield, where you can shift players around. First base is a different type of position, and it’s not every day you see a team lose their first four first baseman.
“No, I’ve never seen anything like that,” Starlin Castro said after the game.
What’s next for the Yankees? Well, they’ve got Rob Refsnyder on the roster, but he’s pretty new to the position.
“We’re going to have to find out,” Girardi said of the 25-year-old. “He’s done a good job over there. The plays he’s had to make, he’s made them. I’ll talk to [Brian Cashman] tonight, and we’ll make some decisions.”
After Refsnyder, the backup job will likely go to either Tyler Austin or Nick Swisher. The team could also try to trade for one of these players.
For all the luck the Yankees got in 2015, riding fantastic seasons from Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez to a wild-card berth, they were bound to have some bad luck. No one could have seen this coming, however.
Photo: Adam Hunger / USA Today Sports