WASHINGTON — The Yankees offense had enough problems, and now it will be without its most consistent weapon for at least a couple of weeks.
Jacoby Ellsbury left Tuesday’s 8-6, 10-inning loss to the Nationals with a right knee sprain and was placed on the 15-day disabled list.
Outfielder Slade Heathcott, who has had a surprising resurgence in the minors this season, was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Because Heathcott was removed from the 40-man roster over the winter, the Yankees will have to make a corresponding move.
Ellsbury initially hurt the knee swinging at a changeup during a fourth-inning at-bat.
“I saw it when he was hitting, so I was just waiting to see what was gonna happen there,” manager Joe Girardi said. “He ran to second kind of gingerly and then we decided to go out [and check on him]. I said, ‘Are you in a lot of pain?’ He said, ‘Not really.’ ”
Ellsbury stayed in the game and scored on Chris Young’s single to center, but did not take the field in the bottom of the inning.
“We said, ‘That’s it,’ ” Girardi said when he saw Ellsbury run.
Young shifted from right to center, while Carlos Beltran entered the game in right.
Ellsbury has been one of the main cogs in an otherwise inconsistent Yankees’ offense, leading the team with 48 hits.
After the game, Beltran stood in the hallway and asked reporters about Ellsbury’s situation.
Girardi said he didn’t know if Brett Gardner would move over from left to center, but admitted it was a possibility.
With the Yankees already having a hard time finding runs, losing their leadoff hitter is especially painful. Ellsbury and Garner have been effective all season hitting atop the order.
“Jacoby is one of our top guys,” Brian McCann said. “He gets on base and kind of gets things started. We’re hoping for the best.”
The 31-year-old Ellsbury has had injury issues in the past, but played in 149 games a year ago in his first season in The Bronx.