Yelich not expected on DL
Outfielder’s hip feeling much better
OAKLAND — Christian Yelich and the Miami Marlins do not expect the star center fielder’s hip issue to force him onto the disabled list.
About 12 hours after leaving Tuesday’s game with a tight right hip flexor, Yelich was feeling better — improved mobility, a seemingly more upbeat attitude — Wednesdaymorning.
President of baseball operations Michael Hill joked that Yelich’s injury might have stemmed fromhis proclivity for body-risking catches.
“He’s seemed to find a wall pretty much every series. Itmight be an accumulation of that,” Hill said. “But just going to make sure we get it under control, don’t let it get any worse and have him avoid the disabled list.
“I think it was more weakness. I don’t think there were any pulls or anything. You treat it, and when he’s good to go — he’s already moving around 10-times better than he was [Tuesday].”
Yelich said it was “safe to assume” he won’t be out for an extended period.
“I don’t want to give you an exact date I’ll come back, but I don’t think it’s going to be a DL stint,” said Yelich, whose clear limp Tuesday night wasn’t as obvious Wednesday. “So that’s good news.”
Yelich left Tuesday’s game after batting in the top of the eighth inning. He said the tightness progressed throughout the night, triggered by no specific event, but “got to the point where running justwasn’t happening.”
At last, theMarlinscaught a break on the injury front. After losing the entire left side of their infield (Martin Prado, Adeiny Hechavarria, Miguel Rojas) and threefifths of their starting rotation (since-returned Edinson Volquez, Wei-Yin Chen, Tom Koehler), losing one of their key lineup cogs would have been perhaps the biggest blow.
But with a day off Thursday before a 10-game homestand, that appears to not be the case.
“Injuries are something you can’t control,” Hill said, “but you have to deal with it.” after receiving a plateletrich plasma injection this week, as he did last summer.
“Like with anything, there’s an injury, you try to maintenance it and give it the rest it needs to come back and be effective,” Hill said. “A 31-year-old left-handed pitcher who has thrown a lot of innings between Asia and theUnited States. I hate to say it, but you look atmost of these guys’ arms and there’swear.” me,” Straily said. “It’s definitely not the showiest of ballparks.
“It’s not the most ideal setup for a baseball field, but at the end of the day when you’re here, especially as a brand-new big leaguer, I didn’t really care where it was.”
Derek