The Venezuelan receiver of the New York Yankees, Robinson Chirinos, Was diagnosed with a fractured right wrist, the club announced. “Wrist and hand specialists will be consulted in the coming days to determine the best steps to follow,” according to the team’s official statement. Chirinos suffered the injury after being hit by a pitch during Wednesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Chirinos, 36, was at the camp with a minor league contract signed to provide some depth of reception and perhaps give Kyle Higashioka some competition for the job of receiver for service.
Since Chirinos has been more or less an average league hitter during his nine seasons at MLB, this record made him perhaps an overqualified touch for the role of “spring training depth receiver,” the which could have been indicative of how the Yankees were approaching the receiver position given Gary Sanchez’s difficulties in 2020.
However, Chirinos ’chances of reaching the Inaugural Day roster are now over, and he could possibly face a long break depending on the severity of his fracture.
Annoyed by an ankle injury for much of 2020, Chirinos struggled during an ugly season in which he only beat 162/232/243 in 82 combined appearances on the plate with the Texas Rangers and New York Mets.
It was a big step back for a receiver who had been a productive batsman for much of his career, hitting .234 / 329/439 with 85 homers in 2000 43 innings on the bat with the Tampa Bay Rays, Rangers and 2011-19 Houston Stars.