Mark Teixeira Likely Done for the Season
By Bill Pivetz
After my article criticizing the New York Yankees offense, the bats woke up. They scored at least 13 runs three times in their last six games (three runs in each of the other three). However, the offense is scoring all of these runs without their best hitter this season, Mark Teixeira. If you own him, things don’t look good for the rest of the season. You may want to look elsewhere for power the rest of the season.
Mark Teixeira was having an excellent 2015. It was arguably his best season since 2011. After 111 games, he hit 31 home runs, 79 RBI with a .255/.357/.548 slash line. In 2011, he played 156 games and hit 39 homers, 111 RBI and a .248/.341/.494 line.
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He hit eight home runs and 18 RBI in April, six and 17 in May, five and 19 in June, nine and 19 in July, and just three and six in August. As you can tell by the numbers, he was getting better as the season went on. The Yankees had a six-game lead in the AL East at the end of July. As of this writing, they are 1.5 games back of the Toronto Blue Jays, August’s run-scoring monster.
Mark Teixeira left the August 17 game with a bruised lower right leg. The X-Rays were negative at the time, so a DL stint wasn’t likely. He then missed seven games before starting on August 25 and entering as a pinch hitter the next day.
It is now 17 days since the initial injury, and he hasn’t played since. He has been seen walking around on crutches, and getting the injury re-tested. With the a wild card spot theirs to lose and depth with Greg Bird, the Yankees have little need to place Tex on the DL.
After re-testing, it was confirmed that it is just a bone bruise and there is no fracture in the leg. The Yankees want him to remain off the leg for a few more days, so a return by the weekend is unlikely. Though, things are looking up.
Then, General Manager Brian Cashman made the announcement that sank the hearts of Yankees fans and Mark Teixeira’s owners. He said that it will be “weeks” before Teixeira is able to play again. The use of weeks means that the postseason is the likely target date for a return. As a result, he has little value in fantasy leagues for the rest of the season.
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Mark Teixeira has been dropped in 10.6 percent of ESPN leagues over the last week. He was one of the best first basemen in the league this season, despite being drafted as the No. 23 first baseman. Now, fantasy owners will have to look elsewhere for corner infield power.
Bird is owned in just 7.3 percent of ESPN leagues. He has the starting job without threat of being replaced. Other first basemen to look at are Travis Shaw (31.6 percent) and Justin Bour (5.2 percent). Bour has shown his power potential over the last week.
Back to Mark Teixeira, he is now droppable in all redraft leagues. He hasn’t been placed on the DL, so if you keep him, he is holding a roster spot that could be used on a player that can help in the playoffs. It’s been a good run, but time to move on from Tex.