New York Yankees left fielder Johnny Damon fouled a pitch off of his right knee in the first inning of Friday night's game against the Red Sox. Damon left the game and is listed as day-to-day, but it could have been much worse.Just how close were the Yankees to potentially losing Johnny Damon for an extended period of time? "A matter of a half-an-inch," Damon said, pointing to a spot on his leg, just to the inside of his kneecap.
Had the ball hit Damon's kneecap, the story may have been different.Damon's knee was swollen and bruised almost immediately, but did not require x-rays. When he can return will depend on how quickly the swelling goes down.
Damon is batting .284 this year and has had a power resurgence with 22 home runs. Since he's listed as day-to-day you have to keep him on your roster and wait it out. If you have an empty spot on your roster already, or more likely, a player you can drop to go find a temporary outfield fill-in, here are a few waiver wire options.
• Marlon Byrd has hit six home runs and stolen four bases over the last month. That kind of hot hitting could be exactly what you need to help out while Damon heals. Byrd is also batting .306 over the last month with 22 RBI. He's only owned in 14% of fantasy leagues.
• Kyle Blanks is absolutely murdering the ball over the past month. He's blasted eight dingers and is hitting .295. He's only owned in 6% of fantasy baseball leagues.
• The hottest hitter on the planet is also available in 82% of fantasy leagues. Carlos Gonzalez is batting .373 with a 1.235 OPS over the last month and has seven home runs.
