TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Yankees minor league infielder Thairo Estrada is increasing his workout program after being shot in the right thigh area during a robbery attempt last month but may not be ready for the start of the season.
The 22-year old Estrada was entering a restaurant with his wife in his hometown of Bejuma, Venezuela, when the incident took place.
”There’s no chance we’re going to push it too much with him,” New York manager Aaron Boone said Saturday. ”But I’m still hopeful that this isn’t something that is going to cost him the bulk of the season by any means. Just see where we are tomorrow, see where we are next week and hopefully he’ll continue to make progress.”
Boone said Estrada has advanced to working out on an elliptical machine.
”They’re adding some things,” Boone said. ”I get the feeling just in talking with him that the last couple days he feels like a little more progress has been made. So, that’s encouraging. But I think with the wound and everything, they’re being really conservative before he gets going.”
The bullet remains lodged in soft tissue There currently are no plans to remove it.
Estrada hit .301 with six homers and 48 RBIs in 122 games last season with Double-A Trenton. He was selected for the Eastern League’s mid-season and postseason All-Star teams.
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