Despite missing several key players due to injury, the Yankees, after beating the Houston Astros (8-19) 7-4 at home Tuesday night, finished April with a 16-10 record, the best mark of any American League team not leading its division at this moment.
The Yankees came into the season without third baseman Alex Rodriguez (left hip), center fielder Curtis Granderson (fractured right forearm), first baseman Mark Teixeira (torn tendon sheath in right wrist), right-handed pitcher Michael Pineda (right shoulder) and their captain, shortstop Derek Jeter, who underwent left ankle surgery last October and was placed on the 60-day disabled list last Saturday after a CT scan revealed a small fracture in his left ankle. Granderson and Teixeira could possibly return by the middle of May; Rodriguez, Jeter and Pineda aren’t expected to be ready any earlier than July.
Making matters worse for the Yankees, third baseman Kevin Youkilis (back tightness), right-hander Ivan Nova (right triceps inflammation) and catcher Francisco Cervelli (fractured right hand) landed on the 15-day DL within the past few days. But what has kept the division champs from an early-season, downward spiral in the standings is the production they’re getting out of second baseman Robinson Cano (.327 BA, 7 HR, 17 RBI), designated hitter Travis Hafner (.318 BA, 6 HR, 17 RBI), left fielder Vernon Wells (.300 BA, 6 HR, 13 RBI), and pitchers CC Sabathia (4-2, 3.35 ERA), Andy Pettitte (3-2, 3.86 ERA), Hiroki Kuroda (4-1, 2.25 ERA) and Mariano Rivera (10 saves, 1.74 ERA).
The starting pitching and offense have held up for the Yankees thus far, and Rivera, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in May of 2012, has been as dominant as ever, recording 10 saves in as many opportunities.
Doom-and-gloom 2013 forecast notwithstanding, the Yankees, through 26 games, are doing quite well.
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