The Venezuelan recipient of the New York Yankees, Robinson Chirinos, was diagnosed with a right wrist fracture, the club announced. “Specialists in wrists and hands will be consulted in the coming days to determine the best steps,” the official team statement said. Chirinos was injured after being hit by a pitch during the game against Los yesterday Pittsburgh Pirates
The 36-year old Chirinos was in camp on a minor league contract, signed to provide some depth of catch and perhaps give Kyle Higashioka some competition for the backup catcher job.
Considering that Chirinos was virtually an average hitter during his nine MLB seasons, this track record perhaps made him an overqualified bunt for the role of spring training depth receiver, which could be an indication of how the Yankees were approaching the catcher. position given Gary Sanchez’s fight in 2020.
However, Chirinos’s chances of making the selection for opening day are now over, and he could face a lengthy layoff, depending on the severity of his breakup.
Chirinos was upset with an ankle injury for much of 2020 and struggled through an ugly season hitting just .162 / .232 / .243 in 82 combined at bats with the Texas Rangers and New York Mets.
It was a big step back for a catcher who had been a prolific bat for much of his career, hitting .234 / .329 / .439 with 85 home runs in two thousand 43 at-bats with the Tampa Bay Rays, Rangers and Astros Houston from 2011-19.