‘Two Mack Trucks collided’
Brett Gardner didn’t stay down. After a few minutes, he rallied, making his way back to the dugout, a sign the Yankees hope means he can avoid the disabled list.
The veteran outf ielder suffered a bruised jaw and strained neck after an ugly collision with Rays f i rst baseman Rickie Weeks Jr. in the Yankees’ 8-4 victory at the Stadium on Wednesday.
“As of right now, they don’t believe he has a concussion,” Joe Girardi said.
Weeks suffered neck and shoulder soreness, and Rays manager Kevin Cash tol d re porte rs t he team believes he will be fine in a few days.
Genera l manager Br i - an Cashman and Girardi expressed hope Gardner wouldn’t go on the disabled list, but his status is uncertain. Girardi doesn’t expect him to play Thursday, and listed him as day to day. Gardner did pass the concussion protocol, but now the Yankees have to see if he will have any symptoms of a concussion.
“Two Mack Trucks collided,” Cashman said. “He’s gonna be sore even more so [on Thursday]. He got banged up pretty good.”
Chase Headley said Gardner appeared f i ne afterwards, aside from a bruise under his chin.
“Talking to him, he seems pretty good considering,” Headley said. “He seems like he’s all there.”
Gardner was pinch hitting for Pete Kozma in the sixth inning of a tie game with runners at the corners, when he hit a come- backer to Xavier Cedeno. The reliever initially looked to second to start a double play, but with the infield in, his middle infield wasn’t in proper position. So Cedeno threw to first, but bounced the throw.
Weeks was unabl e to handle it, and in his haste to retrieve the ball, collided with the sprinting Gardner, sending both players sprawling in the violent collision. Weeks, a football player in high school, delivered a hit like one, his head smashing into Gardner’s chest. Gardner crawled back to the base, but stayed down for a few minutes. Weeks got up first and stayed on the field longer, but he also came out of the game.
Now the question is how many games Gardner will miss.