Jeter still has fracture in ankle, out until after All-Star break

The New York Yankees got some bad news Thursday when they learned that a CAT scan on Derek Jeter's rehabbing left ankle revealed a small crack still exists in the area where the previous fracture was.

Brian Cashman announced that the Yankees star shortstop won't be back on the team until "sometime after the All-Star break" to give the bone more time to heal.

The unwelcome news came after Jeter made an unscheduled visit to his physician, Dr. Robert Anderson, on Wednesday — when the small crack was discovered.

"Derek Jeter has been having issues with the ankle. He saw Dr.Anderson today back in Charlotte ... who is the operating physician and the lead physician on this," Cashman said. "They did a new CT scan, which revealed a small crack in the area of the previous injury. We have to back off and let that heal. This is obviously a setback."

The Yankees captain broke the ankle diving for a ball in Game 1 of the ALCS against the Tigers in October. He is not expected to require further surgery, just rest.

"No surgery," said Cashman. "(Dr. Anderson) told me 95% of the people come back from this finer; you just have to back off.

"He hasn’t done anything wrong. He was cleared to play. This is the third CT scan, and the other two showed 100-percent healing, This a new fracture but a small one, that’s the only good part…but it’s a setback, so its not a good situation."

It’s not the first delay for Jeter's comeback. The shortstop had originally planned to return for Opening Day, but then had to be shut down after a couple of spring training games. He had been rehabbing in Tampa, and May 1 was a tentative return date, but now that has been pushed back till at least July 19 – when the Yankees open their second half in Boston.

Eduardo Nunez has filled in for Jeter at short and has missed three of 13 games because of minor injuries. Nunez will now continue to fill that role for the foreseeable future.

Manager Joe Girardi was asked before Thursday’s game with the Diamondbacks if anything could be made of Jeter visiting Dr. Anderson in Charlotte.

"Put two and two together," he said.

The 38-year-old Jeter has not played in a game since March 23 and has been mostly limited to taking ground balls and batting practice at the club's Tampa, Fla., complex.

Girardi said he would have further details later on Thursday.