Through the first six weeks of the regular season, the Yankees have—in large part—avoided the injury bug.
Outfielder Tim Locastro landed on the 10-day injured list recently while catcher Ben Rortvedt has been sidelined since he was acquired from the Twins earlier this spring.
New York's pitching staff is managing a few preexisting injuries—Zack Britton, Domingo Germán and Stephen Ridings are on the 60-day injured list—but everyone else is healthy and producing.
That changed on Thursday in Baltimore.
After throwing over to first base with two outs and two strikes in the sixth inning of a loss to the Orioles, right-hander Chad Green gestured to catcher Kyle Higashioka. Seconds later, Higashioka waved toward the visitor's dugout, bringing manager Aaron Boone and a trainer out to the mound.
It didn't take long before Green was walking off the field, coming out of the game with what the Yankees later defined as right forearm discomfort.
"I'd say it was building up, a gradual discomfort. An uneasy feeling," Green told reporters in the clubhouse after New York's 6-9 loss. "Any time you're out there trying to compete in a high-leverage situation and you're not focused on executing pitches and you're worried about other stuff, I think it's a time that you probably shouldn't be out there."
Green added that there were no red flags for the 30-year-old entering his appearance in Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Every pitcher manages general soreness, he said.
"It was the pickoff throw, honestly," Green explained. "I was like, 'that didn't feel great.' So I had a self talk with myself and decided it was best not to move forward."
Green will be reevaluated in New York on Friday.
It's been a long time since Green's last stint on the injured list. In 2016, Green was placed on the 60-day with a right forearm tendon injury.
Factoring in Green's shortened outing on Thursday, the right-hander has posted a 3.00 ERA in 14 appearances this season. With Clay Holmes and Michael King shining in 2022, Green isn't as vital to the 'pen as he has been in years past. Nonetheless, with his experience in high-leverage spots, losing the right-hander for an extended period would still be a significant blow.
All parties involved will have more clarity on the situation on Friday after a visit with the team's doctor. Until then, New York can only hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
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