Yankees' slugger Edwin Encarnacion's return from the injured list didn't last long.
Encarnacion left Thursday's game against the Detroit Tigers with a left oblique strain. He will return to New York for further tests, according to the club, and would not be available for the second game of the Yankees' doubleheader in Detroit.
The 36-year-old returned from the team's IL on Sept. 3 as he's been recovering from a fractured right wrist. The veteran missed about a month with the Yankees as he spent time rehabbing the injury and working his way back. He's recorded ten RBI and four home runs since returning to action, including his third-inning home run off Tigers' pitcher Matthew Boyd.
Detroit Ed Wings -- pic.twitter.com/deB8o6YZsL
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 12, 2019There is little indication on what caused the injury. Encarnacion walked in the at-bat following his home run, but was ultimately replaced by Mike Ford, who was brought in to pinch hit for Encarnacion in the seventh inning. Encarnacion had no trouble finding success in New York since the Yankees acquired him in June. He's batting .246 with the club with 44 hits through 44 games. But as the Yankees await the results from Encarnacion's tests, they hope for positive sign regarding pitcher JA Happ.
Happ will also make his way back to New York following his 4.2 inning, six strikeout performance against the Tigers, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. Yankees manager Aaron Boone is optimistic that his pitcher is fine saying "we feel he's gonna be fine moving forward," per The Athletic's Lindsey Adler. It's no secret that the Yankes have had an intense battle with the injury bug this season.
On Sept. 9, outfielder Mike Tauchman's season likely came to an end when he was placed on the team's 10-day IL with a Grade 2 left calf strain. He will be out for the next 6 to 8 weeks.
