THE YANKEES ARE FIGHTING BATTLES

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The Yankees are battling to hold onto first place in the AL East and they are battling to get healthy with three of their players still suffering from injuries that have kept them out of the lineup and the bullpen for weeks.  Before Tuesday's game, Joe Girardi spoke to the media about Aroldis Chapman, Jacoby Ellsbury and Greg Bird and the news was only promising for one of the three.

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Aroldis Chapman may find his way back into the bullpen in time for the Oakland series next week. "I don't know if I'll be having another bullpen here in New York, but I do know that I'm heading to Tampa on Friday for a simulated game," Chapman said in the Yankees clubhouse, through an interpreter. "Most likely, I'll then go to the minors for a rehab assignment. It's going to be Double-A (Trenton)," reported NJ.com.  So, that's the promising story for one.

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Jacoby Ellsbury is still having concussion symptoms and he will be a wait and see.  According to CBS Sports, "Recover timetables for concussion can often vary wildly in length, so until Ellsbury is able to resume working out, it will be tough to pinpoint when exactly he'll be able to return from the disabled list."  He's been there since his crash into centerfield on May 24th. "He did have an MRI on his neck, and that all came back normal," Girardi said. "So that's--there's no structural damage there. But he's still suffering from some of the symptoms." Although not an optimistic report, when one door closes, another opens with Aaron Hicks in the door frame. Honestly, Hicks is settling into centerfield just fine.  Take your time, Jacoby.

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Probably the most vague injury report from the Yankee skipper was regarding Greg Bird.  "He's still in Tampa, as far as I know," Girardi said. "I was just asked about when might he be here. For me, it's difficult because I'm not seeing him play everyday. Our eyes are on him. He's obviously getting closer. He's not played nine innings--not the biggest deal to me. He's not played back-to-back days in the field yet. It's been field-DH-field-DH. But he's progressing," reported NJ.com.  Before the game on Tuesday the YES network caught up with Brian Cashman and he weighed in on Bird's fill-in guy, Chris Carter.  The GM said very bluntly that "he needs to perform just like the rest of the team and he knows that."  The Bird situation makes me very uneasy.  We need a first baseman and it's not Carter and it does not appear to be Bird anytime soon.

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So the Yankees are fighting battles on and off the field.  It's a long season folks.  We need grit, we need longevity and we need to stay healthy.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof