Earlier this offseason the Yankees were said to be talking to the Astros about trading for Jeff Keppinger, but those talks apparently fizzled and now the veteran infielder is expected to miss the beginning of the season following foot surgery.
General manager Ed Wade told Brian McTaggart of MLB.com that Keppinger’s recovery time is expected to be 3-4 months, which likely means he’ll be sidelined well into April and could be a question mark for much of the first half.
Keppinger hit .288/.351/.393 with six homers and more walks (51) than strikeouts (36) in 575 plate appearances as the Astros’ primary second baseman last season, but with the trade for Clint Barmes and the signing of Bill Hall he was slated for a part-time role in 2011 even before the injury (which likely explains why the Astros were open to trading him).
