Injury bug has stung Yankees hard

The Yankees’ injury list gets longer by the day. Derek Jeter went down with a Grade I calf strain yesterday that might put him on the disabled list, Bartolo Colon and Amaury Sanit landed on the DL on Sunday, Russell Martin is battling a tight back, and Joba Chamberlain is headed for Tommy John surgery. This list doesn’t even include important names like Rafael Soriano, Damaso Marte and Pedro Feliciano, relievers who aren’t expected back anytime soon, Eric Chavez and Phil Hughes.

This season is beginning to remind me of the Red Sox’ 2010 campaign. Speaking of the Sox, they are in the middle of a nine-game winning streak and hold a comfortable two and a half game lead over the Yankees in the AL East.

Yankees end skid at 6, A-Rod homers twice

Alex Rodriguez connected for his seventh and eighth homers of the year, and Ivan Nova pitched the Yankees to a 6-2 victory, ending the team’s six-game losing streak.

Scoreboard Says: 
Yankees 6, Rays 2
Win: Ivan Nova
Loss: James Shields

A-Rod’s Knocks: 
A-Rod tied the game at 1 in the fourth with his seventh homer, and then broke that tie in the sixth for his second homer off Shields.

Rafael Soriano hits DL, Yankees recall Chris Dickerson

After visiting team doctor Chris Ahmad today, the Yankees placed Rafael Soriano on the 15-day disabled list with elbow stiffness. They recalled speedy outfielder Chris Dickerson to take Soriano’s roster spot.

Soriano hasn’t pitched since Friday, so the Yankees have already refigured their bullpen. Here’s what it looks like: