Injuries are a part of the game. Find the team that survives a season with no player getting hurt and you’ll be told to turn off the computer game.
The Yankees have had their share of injuries and were walking on eggshells with fingers crossed after catcher Austin Romine was hit by a foul ball that knocked off his face mask. The initial response was optimistic.
“Ro’s good. Obviously, anytime you see what he went through [you worry],” said manager Aaron Boone, after the Yankees completed an 11-6 beatdown of the Blue Jays. “The testing in the field and it was deemed he was OK. Took him down in the tunnel in between innings. Felt like he was OK, but just seeing the video and seeing him kind of stumble like that we just wanted to be careful, and then we got him with the doctor.”
Romine eventually came out of the game and the Yankees said he was undergoing “further examination and evaluation.” by the team’s athletic trainers. The Yankees already have catcher Gary Sanchez on the disabled list with a groin strain. Sanchez missed a 25th straight game Saturday on his second stay on the disabled list this season.
With one out and one on in the fifth, Toronto shortstop Richard Urena fouled an 0-1 Luis Severino fastball straight back. It caught Romine and sent his mask flying.
Romine staggered to an upright position and began backpedaling off balance, but was caught by home plate ump David Rackley. Trainer Steve Donohue immediately rushed to Romine, who remained in the game — at least for the rest of that inning. To start the sixth inning, the Yankees inserted Kyle Higashioka, who will catch Sunday, according to Boone.
Romine passed his initial tests and “seems to be pretty good right now,” Boone said. “We’ll continue to monitor him.”
Again, the Yankees sounded hopeful. But anything involving a possible concussion cannot be taken lightly. If the Yankees must make a move, Triple-A candidates are Wilkin Castillo and Francisco Diaz.
“[Romine is] huge for us obviously right now,” Boone said. “Even if he comes in and is good to go, Higgy will catch tomorrow. Hopefully he remains symptom free and it’s not a big issue.But we’ll continue to monitor him. Right now he seems fine.”
Sanchez is still not ready to return, though there was good news Friday when he threw to bases out of a crouch and an MRI exam showed proper healing. Earlier this season, he missed 20 games with a groin injury and has played just 66 games overall.
Sanchez is due to report to Tampa this week to continue his work before an eventual rehab assignment. He went on the disabled list for the second time on July 24 — three days before Aaron Judge went on the DL with a fractured right wrist.