New York Yankees first baseman Greg Bird to undergo ankle surgery

New York Yankees first baseman Greg Bird will need surgery to remove a bone in his ankle, putting his season in jeopardy.

Bird is batting just .100 while playing in 19 games this season after missing all of the 2016 campaign following shoulder surgery.

"It's really tough to get on track when you missed two really whole years," manager Joe Girardi said of Bird, who is expected to resume baseball activities in September.

Bird's season took a turn for the worse before it began as he fouled a ball of his right ankle in the final days of spring training. The 24-year-old attempted to play through the pain before heading to the disabled list with what the team described as a bone bruise in his ankle.

Garrett Cooper and Ji-Man Choi are platooning at first base for the Yankees, who have started eight players there.