Yankees’ female minor league manager hit in face by ball

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Rachel Balkovec, hired by the New York Yankees as the first woman to manage a minor league affiliate of a Major League Baseball team, was hit in the face by a batted ball during a drill and will be sidelined for up to a week. Balkovec was struck Tuesday. She will not be available for her first scheduled spring training game Thursday with Class A Tampa. The 34-year-old Balkovec didn’t sustain a concussion but has facial swelling, the Yankees said Wednesday. Balkovec has been instructed by team doctors to rest for the next five to seven days. She will be re-examined after the swelling goes down. Balkovec is scheduled to manage her first regular-season game on April 8 at Lakeland.