Two star shortstops are ailing as spring training winds down.
The Los Angeles Dodgers were awaiting word on the severity of Hanley Ramirez’s right thumb injury, while the New York Yankees were hoping Derek Jeter’s latest left ankle problem is only a minor setback.
Ramirez jammed his right thumb Tuesday while playing for the Dominican Republic in the final of the World Baseball Classic. He was due to undergo an MRI exam in Arizona on Wednesday.
According to Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, Ramirez might be back after as little time as two weeks (which would be just after Opening Day), or he could be sidelined for two-plus months.
“They’ve painted both pictures, and it’s a pretty big window,” Mattingly told reporters.
Should Ramirez be unavailable, Luis Cruz likely would move to shortstop. Cruz was penciled in to be the Dodgers’ third baseman, but he saw action at both positions last year.
As for Jeter, he sat out a second straight spring training game Wednesday after receiving a cortisone shot in his left ankle, raising some doubts about his readiness for the start of the season.
Jeter also was scratched from the lineup on Tuesday and he had tests on the ankle he broke in the playoffs last October. The 38-year-old veteran complained to trainers of stiffness in the front of the surgically repaired ankle, according to ESPN.com. Test results indicated some swelling and mild inflammation that resulted in the cortisone shot, CBSSports.com reported.
If Jeter starts the season on the disabled list, his likely replacement at shortstop would be Eduardo Nunez.
–Bud Norris will get the ball on Opening Day when the Houston Astros make their debut in the American League against the Texas Rangers.
The Astros named Norris as their starter for the March 31 season opener. For the right-hander, it will be his first Opening Day assignment. As a four-year veteran in the Houston rotation, Norris got the nod over Lucas Harrell.
Last season, Norris finished 7-13 with a 4.65 ERA in 29 starts. Meanwhile, Harrell was 11-11 with a 3.76 ERA in 32 starts last year.
The Astros also announced that pitcher Jordan Lyles will start the season in Triple-A.
–The Yankees and Boston Red Sox will honor Newtown, Conn., on Opening Day in Yankee Stadium.
The two teams will dedicate the game to the 26 victims, families and the community that suffered losses in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December.