TAMPA, Fla. -- Bobby Abreu will miss about two weeks with a strained right oblique muscle, Yankees manager Joe Torre said on Monday. Abreu, 32, suffered the injury while taking batting practice at Legends Field, Torre said. The outfielder felt a twinge after one swing and then continued to hit, which further aggravated the injury.
"It's just one of those things," Torre said. "I guess the good news is that it's early and you can afford a couple of weeks right now."
Abreu left the Yankees' Spring Training complex without speaking to reporters and was sent for further examinations.
Torre said that Opening Day is not considered to be in jeopardy for Abreu, who batted .330 with seven home runs and 42 RBIs in 58 games for New York last season after being acquired from the Phillies on July 30.
"You're happy that it happened at this juncture because you do have time," Torre said. "The only thing he's going to have to do is basically keep his sanity and keep in shape. He's going to be limited on what he can do, conditioning-wise."
With Abreu unable to throw or swing -- Torre said he would be limited mostly to cardiovascular exercises such as a stationary bike -- the Yankees figure to offer more Grapefruit League at-bats to reserve outfielder Melky Cabrera, as well as other outfielders on the roster.
"The only bad part about this is that you basically shut down," Torre said. "There's nothing [Abreu] can do other than condition."
Torre noted that Abreu's injury would not figure into an opportunity for a longterm fill-in, shooting down a suggestion that it could open a chance for free-agent outfielder Bernie Williams. Torre has not spoken to the 38-year-old outfielder, who has apparently decided not to accept a non-roster invitation to camp.
"Two weeks into Spring Training, we're certainly not going to throw up any flags," Torre said
