Robinson Cano leaves All-Star game after getting hit on knee by Matt Harvey pitch
NEW YORK — Oh, no. Another New York Yankees star injured? Exactly what they don't need.
He tried to stay on the field, but slugger Robinson Cano left the All-Star game in the first inning Tuesday after getting hit with a pitch on the side of the right knee. X-rays showed no break, but an injured right quad was reported by Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal.
Matt Harvey of the New York Mets, the starting pitcher for the National League in his home ballpark of Citi Field, drilled Cano with a fastball after Mike Trout led off the game with a double to right field. The crowd gasped, groaned and seemed to tense up.
Cano seemed to be in obvious discomfort as the trainer looked him over, but he decided to take his base as Miguel Cabrera came to the plate. After Harvey struck out Cabrera, Cano came off the field, through the dugout and into the trainer's room. There's no free substitution in MLB's All-Star game, so Cano was finished for the evening.
Update: Outside of the American League clubhouse, Cano told reporters, "I'll be good for Friday."
Dustin Pedroia of the Red Sox replaced Cano on the bases, and Harvey continued to settle down, retiring Chris Davis on a short fly to center and striking out Jose Bautista to end the first inning.
Matt Harvey told Erin Andrews of Fox Sports that the pitch was an accident.
"I tried to go in, that sometimes happens. I didn't mean to, obviously … my apologies go out to him."
The Yankees appear to have dodged a serious problem. They have been without Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Curtis Granderson and Kevin Youkilis for most of the season. If the Yankees were to lose Cano for an extended period, they probably could count on falling way behind in the AL East. As of Tuesday, they're 51-44 and six games behind the Red Sox.
Congratulations to Vernon Wells, who is believed to be the only healthy Yankee! An exaggeration, but only slightly.
Updates to come.
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