It didn't take long for the Yankees' depth to be tested this season. Outfielder Curtis Granderson, who has hit 84 home runs the past two seasons, will miss at least five weeks of the regular season after being hit by a pitch in a spring training game Sunday and suffering a broken right forearm.
This is a team that won the American League East, as usual, last season but also lost right fielder Nick Swisher to free agency. Granderson was set to move to left field with Brett Gardner, who missed most of 2012 with an elbow injury, taking over in center. Ichiro Suzuki, now 39, is the right fielder. Matt Diaz and Juan Rivera were signed to be complementary players off the bench, but one of them now might have to contribute in a starting role for 30 games or so.
All of this while New York waits to see how Derek Jeter's broken ankle, sustained in the playoffs in October, has healed. He will make his exhibition season debut March 10, according to the club.
- Brian McNally
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