Yankees' Bailey stumbles in 1st MLB appearance since 2013

Standing on the mound at Fenway Park on Wednesday afternoon, Andrew Bailey turned two uninterrupted years of injuries and surgeries and setbacks and frustration into the footnotes of an inspiring comeback story.

Even though his performance left something to be desired.

Bailey, bedecked in a New York Yankees uniform, made his first MLB appearance since July 2013 on Wednesday. The 31-year-old retired just one of the four batters he faced, though, while yielding two runs - one of them charged to Masahiro Tanaka - on two walks and one hit in an eventual 13-8 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Bailey's suspect command was understandable, if not expected. A two-time All-Star who logged 89 saves before injuries derailed his career, Bailey underwent surgeries on his labrum and right shoulder capsule that sidelined him for all of last summer and limited him to 35 minor-league innings in 2015.

"He's been through a lot," Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters. "A couple years of rehab, he's had setbacks, has had surgeries. I'm sure he's been looking forward to this day. You tip your cap to a guy that perseveres like he has.

"This was a guy that was a closer, was pitching extremely well and went through a bunch of injuries. He was never sure if he was going to make it back, but he's back and that's pretty cool."

Bailey, the American League's Rookie of the Year in 2009, crafted a 2.19 ERA with a 26 percent strikeout rate in nine appearances for Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes-Barre before being recalled by the Yankees when rosters expanded Tuesday.

"You just have to keep grinding, keep persevering through that," Bailey said. "I'm blessed with a great wife who keeps things pretty straight at home and go home to two kids, so it's been a blessing and a long road for sure."