Yankees set MLB record with 29th player sent to IL
The New York Yankees set a painful record on Friday.
Infielder Gio Urshela became the 29th Yankees player placed on the injured list in 2019 after being diagnosed with a strained groin. No team has sent that many players to the IL in a single season.
"It’s been one of the storylines of our season," manager Aaron Boone said, according to Jake Seiner of The Associated Press. "Losing guys and getting guys back."
The previous record belonged to the Los Angeles Dodgers after they lost 28 players to the IL in 2016.
Urshela became a full-time Yankees player largely due to injuries plaguing the team's infielders, with Miguel Andujar, Troy Tulowitzki, and Didi Gregorius among those on the shelf early in the campaign. Of them, only Gregorius is healthy now.
Urshela has made the most of his opportunity by batting .331/.370/.555 with 18 home runs and 32 doubles in 114 games.
It wasn't all bad news for New York on Friday. First baseman Luke Voit was activated from the 10-day IL in a corresponding move and promptly slotted back into the Yankees' lineup against the Oakland Athletics.
Injuries haven't slowed the Yankees down. Entering Friday, the Bronx Bombers held a commanding 11-game lead in the American League East with an MLB-best 88-47 record.