NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees star Derek Jeter limped out of Monday night’s game with a sore right calf in the fifth inning, stalling his pursuit of 3,000 career hits.
“I’m worried about him,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “Just keep our fingers crossed and hopefully it’s not too serious.”
Jeter went to the hospital for an MRI exam.
Jeter singled his first time up against Cleveland for his 2,994th hit. He looked fine when he grounded out the next time up and seemed to be having no problems at shortstop.
But the New York captain looked to be having trouble as soon as he hit a fly to right field in the fifth. He was limping with his first step out of the batter’s box — he wasn’t totally hobbled, though it was noticeable — and jogged down the line. He touched first base after the ball was caught, returned to the dugout and left the game.
Eduardo Nunez replaced Jeter to start the top of the sixth. There was a slight murmur in the crowd at Yankee Stadium when the public-address announcer told fans that Nunez was the new shortstop.
Jeter is trying to become the 28th player in major league history to reach 3,000 career hits, and the first to do it while playing for the Yankees. Teammates and fans and even Jeter himself had said it would be nice to achieve the milestone at home.
The Yankees have three games against Texas remaining on the current homestand. Then they go on a six-game road trip to Wrigley Field in Chicago, and Cincinnati.
The 36-year-old Jeter had been in a pronounced slump to start the season but had been showing more flashes of his All-Star form in recent weeks.