Mark Teixeira strains hamstring
— -- TORONTO -- New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira left Friday night's 7-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays after suffering a strained right hamstring while chasing a foul ball in the second inning.
Teixeira said after the game that he expects to have an MRI when the Yankees return to New York on Monday.
"We'll see how it feels in the morning, but I'm not super optimistic about it," he said.
"I definitely don't want to go on the DL. I'm really hoping that tomorrow morning, I wake up, we go through some stuff with the doctors and it feels good. But we'll see."
Teixeira is not expected to play in either of the two remaining games in Toronto. He will be replaced at first base by Kelly Johnson.
The injury apparently happened when Blue Jays outfielder Melky Cabrera fouled a ball down the first-base line. Teixeira appeared to hobble after chasing it and summoned manager Joe Girardi out of the Yankees' dugout. After a brief conversation with Girardi and trainer Steve Donohue, Teixeira left the game.
"I just took an awkward step, and when I landed, I felt a grab in my hamstring," Teixeira said. "It wasn't one of those excruciating, fall to the ground because of the pain, but it was significant enough that I knew something was wrong."
This is the same hamstring Teixeira tore in the 2010 postseason, causing him to miss the Yankees' final two games of the American League Championship Series against the Texas Rangers. New York lost in six games.
"That one I fell to the ground like getting shot," he said. "This wasn't like getting shot, but it was enough where I definitely felt the pull."
Teixeira's place at first base Friday was taken by Johnson, who moved over from third. Johnson was replaced at third by rookie Yangervis Solarte, who slid over from second, and Brian Roberts, originally given the night off, came in to play second.
"It kind of leaves you scrambling a little bit," Girardi said. "He'll be re-evaluated [Saturday], and we'll go from there."
Teixeira missed all but 15 games last season after suffering a torn tendon sheath in his right wrist that required surgery.
Teixeira had an RBI single in the first inning Friday and left with the Yankees trailing 3-2.
