Another Jacoby Ellsbury injury delays his start to Yankees spring training
Jacoby Ellsbury of the Yankees looks on during batting practice prior to the American League Wild Card game against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 3, 2017 in New York City. Credit: Jim McIsaac
TAMPA, Fla. – Jacoby Ellsbury didn’t suit up for a game last season for the Yankees because of a variety of injuries, one of which eventually led to hip surgery.
This year the outfielder, who has two years left on his seven-year, $153-million contract, won’t even make it to spring training on time.
Aaron Boone disclosed toward the end of his spring kickoff news conference Wednesday that the 35-year-old Ellsbury, who had a string of injuries early in the spring last year, wouldn’t arrive here until “sometime in March."
"We expected him to be here as an active player from the start,” Boone said. “But just some issues he had with his plantar fasciitis that kind of crept up as he was going through his rehab this winter slowed him a little bit. We feel he’s making really good progress but he’ll stay in Arizona [where Ellsbury lives] for at least the next couple of weeks.”
In disclosing the Ellsbury news, Boone also said righthanded pitching prospect Michael King, whose standout 2018 earned him a camp invite this year, will be shut down for at least the next three weeks.
“He had a stress reaction in his elbow,” Boone said. “Feel like he’s probably going to be OK, but it’s something we need to shut him down for a few weeks.”
King experienced discomfort in the elbow after throwing a bullpen session last week and underwent an MRI.
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
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