Well, that was quick. Derek Jeter's 2013 season appears to be over after just 17 games. The Yankees placed their shortstop on the DL on Wednesday due to soreness in his left ankle, which he broke during the ALCS against the Tigers and also during Spring Training.
It's truly been a lost year for New York's captain. In those 17 games, Jeter hit .190/.288/.254, homering just once after his second DL stint of the season. This current stint on the DL marks the fourth time he's spent time on the injured list this season, though two of those stints were due to a strained right quad and right calf, respectively.
The Yankees acquired Brendan Ryan and his elite glove on Tuesday night to play short for the remainder of the year, but he won't be eligible for the postseason if the Yankees get there. Ryan is a free agent after the season.
Jeter also could become a free agent after the season. He has a player option for next season that is worth $9.5 million (after escalators are taken into account), and it's still unsure if he'll exercise the option, attempt to re-work it in order to help the Yankees' payroll out, or simply retire. Jeter will be 40 next June, and the only offensive player that contributed a lower fWAR to the team this year was Eduardo Nunez (who ironically has gotten most of the playing time at shortstop this year with Jeter injured).
If this is the end for Jeter, it was a hell of a run. And I'm not sure if Jeter will try to come back from this. He's had such an exceptional career and has nothing left to prove, and I'm not sure if another offseason of rehab is really worth it at his age and with his production this past season. it might be the best for both parties to simply agree for Jeter to hang it up.
