Curtis Granderson injury: Yankees OF fractures pinky finger

New York Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson fractured the knuckle on his left pinky finger Friday after being hit by a pitch from Tampa Bay Rays reliever Cesar Ramos.

Granderson suffered the injury in the top half of the fifth inning, but stayed in the game to run the bases. Granderson ended up scoring in the inning when Jayson Nix drew a bases loaded walk, but Ichiro Suzuki came out of the dugout to play right field when the Rays came to the plate.

Granderson underwent X-rays after being removed from the game. Given the nature of the injury, a second stint on the disabled list appears likely.

The outfielder suffered a broken forearm early in spring training after being hit by a pitch. The injury caused Granderson to start the season on the DL. Granderson returned to the Yankees lineup on May 14 and had hit .250/.323/.390 in his first 31 plate appearances of the season.

Granderson gives the Yankees flexibility of the outfield, as he started multiple games at all three outfield positions since his return. If Granderson is forced to miss more playing time, Vernon Wells will start most of the games in left, Brett Gardner will start in center field and Suzuki will start in right.

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