Yankees 1B Teixeira goes on DL with right knee injury

And if Teixeira needs surgery for his recent injury, it’s possible the Yankees might have nearly seen the last of Teixeira in pinstripes.

After leaving the New York Yankees’ game versus the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning last night, first baseman Mark Teixeira has been diagnosed with an articular cartilage tear in his right knee.

Yankees purchased the contract of 1B/OF Chris Parmelee from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. To make room for Parmelee on the 40-man roster, the Yankees shifted Ackley to the 60-day DL.

After going 0-for-1 on Friday, Teixeira had his average drop to.179 for the season, recording just three hits over his last 43 at-bats.

The Yankees are depending on Teixeira to produce, but he’s yet to be as consistent as he was last season, when he batted.255/.357/.548 to complement 31 home runs and 79 RBIs over 111 contests.

Since 2012, the five-time Gold Glove award victor at first base has not appeared in more than in 123 games as he’s dealt with a myriad of injuries. In addition to stunting the development of Bird, the season-ending injury also left the Yankees very vulnerable if Teixeira was injured.

Cashman said Teixeira has had knee issues since his time in Atlanta, but those problems have always been handled with injections and maintenance procedures. “No matter what you’re dealing with you’ve got to perform, and I’ve just got to do a better job”.

“It’s a different feeling now”, Girardi said.

Predictably, he said the right things when asked if he felt ready to play first base on an everyday basis – “If that’s what Joe needs, that’s what I’ll do” – but acknowledged that his sum total of experience at the position amounted to “a couple of days”.

Now, with Teixeira out indefinitely, the veteran Parmelee will likely get some chances at first base.

“I like the way he’s swinging the bat and let’s find out what he can do”, Girardi said. Those struggles ended in emphatic fashion with a 13-9 victory over Boston on Wednesday before Trumbo hit two of the Orioles’ season-high seven homers in a 12-7 win the next night.

The real question is-based on his history and his dwindling production-what’s next for Teixeira?

NY doesn’t have much depth at first base. Girardi expects Ackley to return for spring training next year.

“There’s just nothing left in the legs”, said one opposing team minor league scout who covers the Yankees’ system.