Sheffield Will Have Surgery

New York Yankees right fielder Gary Sheffield will undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist but is not expected to sit out the rest of the season, General Manager Brian Cashman said Thursday.

The surgery will be performed Tuesday by Dr. Charles Malone and will sideline Sheffield until at least September.

Sheffield originally hurt the wrist when he collided at first base with Shea Hillenbrand of the Toronto Blue Jays on April 29. He sat out three games, returned for two games and then went on the disabled list May 9 because of a bruise and wrist sprain and missed 16 games.

He returned May 23, made five starts as a designated hitter and then returned to right field on May 29. Two days later, he went back on the DL because of the ligament tear.

“I am told it’s not a season-ending injury,” Cashman said before the Yankees played Boston. “He experienced worse pain after he tried to come back. Surgery is being recommended. It wasn’t an option earlier.”

The Yankees are already without left fielder Hideki Matsui, who had surgery on a broken left wrist after injuring himself diving for a ball hit by Boston’s Mark Loretta on May 11.

Manager Joe Torre learned about Sheffield’s surgery two hours before Thursday night’s game against Boston.

“Sheff’s in great shape,” he said. “It’s all about how quickly he can heal. I knew the possibility of surgery existed, so it doesn’t surprise me. What I get from this, there doesn’t seem to be any doubt that he’ll be fine.”

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Just as the Oakland Athletics welcomed back Esteban Loaiza from the 15-day disabled list to make a start in Cleveland on Thursday, Rich Harden returned to the DL because of a strained ligament in his right elbow.

Harden had just come back from the DL because of a torn abdominal muscle and made only one start, pitching four innings on Sunday against Minnesota. But in the third inning, his sore elbow became worse.

He underwent an MRI exam at the Cleveland Clinic on Wednesday, which revealed the strain.

Oakland trainer Larry Davis said Harden, who is 3-0 with a 3.86 earned-run average, will not need surgery.

“He probably tried too hard,” Davis said of Harden, who was on a pitch count against the Twins. “Rich is an intense competitor, and he probably tried to do too much.”