Heel pain latest setback for Yankees OF Ellsbury

Another week, another setback for injured New York Yankees outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters Monday the 34-year-old hasn't been able to fully resume baseball activities due to a bout with plantar fasciitis. Ellsbury began the season on the disabled list after being sidelined with an oblique injury for much of spring training and later suffered a hip injury during his rehabilitation.

Ellsbury received a cortisone shot in his hip last Tuesday and was expected to resume baseball activities last Friday.

"It came up sometime last week," Boone said of the ailing heel. "I think he's had it at times in the past. I don't think it's a serious thing or serious issue, but it is something that's popped up along the way with his hip stuff."

Boone said that Ellsbury's oblique injury has "passed." The outfielder is recovering at the Yankees' facility in Tampa, Fla.

"He's just got to get right to be able to start back on baseball activities, and then getting into and playing in games and coming out and getting through that," Boone said. "When that is, I'd be guessing right now."

Last year, Ellsbury hit .264 with seven home runs, 39 RBIs and 22 steals in 112 games. In four inconsistent seasons with New York, he is batting .264 with 39 homers, 198 RBIs and 102 steals.

Including this season, Ellsbury has three years remaining on the seven-year, $153 million contract he signed with New York that pays him approximately $21 million annually. A $21 million option for 2021 can be bought out for $5 million.

In other injury news, Boone said first baseman Greg Bird is progressing "in the right direction" after undergoing ankle surgery last month. Bird was projected to miss six to eight weeks in the wake of the injury.

"We're optimistic that it's going to be maybe on the shorter side of things," Boone said. "It looks like he's kind of passed every test so far."

--Field Level Media