Alex Rodriguez will miss first half of 2013 season with hip injury – MLB News York Yankees News
New York Yankees’ third baseman Alex Rodriguez is expected to undergo surgery on his left hip in January, reports nydailynews.com. The operation can keep the All Star slugger out of the game for nearly six months, the source further claimed.
The 37-year-old informed the Yankees after Game 3 of the American League Division Series. Manager Joe Girardi made the right move as he benched Rodriguez for the rest of the post season.
Yankees’ fans had a lot of expectations from Rodriguez the past season. When he failed to meet those expectations, many of them demanded his retirement. In a news press conference after Yankees painful loss to the Detroit Tigers in the American League Championship
Series, Rodriguez said he wants to stay in the Bronx as he has developed deep love for the city and its people. Rodriguez also has a no trade clause on his contract, which allows him to decide his future with the Yankees.
For now, it looks as if Rodriguez will not playing the Designated Hitting position until the summer of next season. Doctors have advised him to strengthen up his hip for 4-6 weeks before undergoing an injury to repair a torn labrum and correct a cyst.
“The struggles we saw in September and in October are more likely than not related to this issue,” Cashman said, referring to a dreadful postseason in which Rodriguez hit .120 and was ultimately benched.
He added, “Clearly Alex was dealing with an issue that, although he might be asymptomatic, the lower half and the way the mechanisms work, he wasn't firing on all cylinders.”
Rodriguez suffered a similar injury in 2009 as well when he injured his right hip. It will be interesting to see if the surgery goes well for him so he could make a comeback before it is too late for the Yankees.
Rodriguez had MRI scans performed on his left knee at the end of the season. However, since the scans did not reveal any injuries, he continued to take part in workout sessions. General Manager Brian Cashman said the Yankees will wait for him and they will
cushion the blow.
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