Tex OK; Joba back; Yanks get McGehee

For a change, the Yankees received good news on the health front. First baseman Mark Teixeira, who was forced out of Monday night’s game because of a sore left wrist, underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam Tuesday at New York Presbyterian Hospital that revealed no structural damage.

Yankees team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad and Dr. Melvin Rosenwasser diagnosed the condition as inflammation in the left wrist. Tex was treated with a cortisone injection and will be reevaluated in three days.

“Huge relief” was manager Joe Girardi’s reaction to Teixeira’s situation. “I was preparing for the worst. For Tex to come out of a game you know it had to be painful. We’ll know a lot more about when he can play again Friday.”

The Yankees were concerned enough about Teixeira’s condition that they traded for a corner infielder, Casey McGehee. The Yankees acquired McGehee, 29, from the Pirates in exchange for relief pitcher Chad Qualls. McGehee was in Chicago Tuesday and not expected to arrive in New York in time for the Yankees’ game against the Orioles Tuesday night.

The Yankees were also hoping Joba Chamberlain would get to Yankee Stadium in time for the game. The reliever was supposed to pitch on injury rehabilitation at Double A Trenton but was notified en route to head back to the Bronx. He will replace Qualls in the bullpen.

“McGehee can play some first base for Tex who will be lost for a few days and some third base for Alex [Rodriguez] who will be lost for a few weeks,” Girardi said. “Having him here will help us have more flexibility at DH.”

Derek Jeter was in the designated hitter role with Ramiro Pena getting a start at shortstop. Nick Swisher took over for Teixeira at first base with Eric Chavez playing third. Ichiro Suzuki, who will eventually move to left field, remained in right field for Swisher, who was in the field for the first time in a week after recovering from a strained left hip flexor.

McGehee (pronounced ma-gee) was batting .230 with 13 doubles, one triple, eight home runs and 35 RBI in 265 at-bats for the Pirates. He played in 77 games at first base and nine at third. A right-handed batter and thrower, McGehee finished fifth in the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the year voting 2009 when he hit .301 with 16 home runs and 66 RBI for the Brewers. He drove in 104 runs the next year and hit .285 with 23 home runs but slumped to .223 with 13 homers and 67 RBI last year. Pittsburgh acquired him from Milwaukee Dec. 12, 2001 for pitcher Jose Veras, who pitched in 106 games for the Yankees from 2006-09 and compiled an 8-4 record with a 4.43 ERA in 103 2/3 innings.

Qualls, 33, is 2-1 with a 4.89 ERA in 43 relief appearances combined with the Phillies and the Yankees. The righthander came to the Yankees July 1 in a trade for a player to be named and cash considerations and was 1-0 with a 6.14 ERA in 7 1/3 innings.