DETROIT -- This just in a few hours before Game Four of the ALCS: The Yankees have announced Derek Jeter is going to have surgery on his injured ankle Saturday in Charlotte, N.C.
The kicker here is the recovery time is listed as 4-5 months. That could put Jeter well into March, certainly meaning he won't be ready for spring training and won't play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. It could even put Opening Day of 2013 in doubt.
The Yankees, remember, were hoping Jeter would avoid surgery and listed a three-month timetable when the injury happened Saturday night in Game One.
7 p.m. update: Yankees GM Brian Cashman said this is a more conservative timeline but that the 4-5 months is when Jeter would be ready to play in games.
"There is no new information," Cashman said. "... Nothing seen worse than what our team doctor saw. But in terms of the timeframe, I just think wanted to be more conservative with it. So that's what we're going to go with. My understanding is that it's possible he will be ready earlier than that timeframe, but it is best to at least put out there four, five months as a safer bet."
---Mike Harrington
Twitter: @BNHarrington
