"Potentially Devastating" Injury For Yankees To Deal With

The injuries are piling on for the New York Yankees as they try to hold things together down the stretch. Several players are on the IL, and now, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, "a potentially more devastating injury was revealed before [Saturday's] game when pitcher Frankie Montas put on his civvies for a trip to the MRI tube to scan his right shoulder."

Frankie Montas is going for an MRI on shoulder. Said he’s optimistic that it’s not too bad. Felt something after game .

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) September 17, 2022

It's the same shoulder that put Montas on the shelf in mid-July for more than two weeks, just shortly before the Yankees acquired him in a trade deadline deal. 

been tough to watch pic.twitter.com/3a4Bcrka5D

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) September 17, 2022

Montas hasn't exactly been lock-down since coming to New York, registering a 6.35 ERA in eight starts in Pinstripes, with a 1.54 WHIP and a 33:15 K/BB ratio. The Yankees have only won one of his eight starts. Perhaps his struggles in the past couple of starts are related to the shoulder (for those willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.)

Nevertheless, he is being counted on as a key member of the rotation. Montas had a 3.18 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP with Oakland before coming over. 

Montas told Heyman that he didn't think the shoulder was as bad as when he hurt it back in July.  “I don’t think it’s anything crazy,” he said. 

But if he goes down for another 2+ weeks now, that could call into question his spot on the postseason roster. 

Other wounded Yankees are at varying degrees of recovery: Outfielder Harrison Bader, who has been out since they acquired him at the deadline, could return as soon as Tuesday; Andrew Benintendi might only return if there's a deep playoff run; and reliever Scott Effross is starting a rehab assignment. 

Photos: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports, Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports