The Yankees had reasonable concern that Teixeira might end up following the course of Jose Bautista, who sustained a similar injury last year and, after a six-week rehabilitation, ended up having season-ending surgery.

The Yankees are still holding their breath, but the diagnosis they received Sunday gave them a measure of relief.

Teixeira was found to have inflammation in his wrist and will take a few days off, Manager Joe Girardi said, but there was no structural damage to the wrist’s tendon sheath, which Teixeira tore March 5.

“The sheath is fine,” Girardi said. “That’s good news. It has nothing to do with that.”

Girardi said the Yankees had not placed Teixeira on the 15-day disabled list, but had not ruled out the possibility. Teixeira will be re-evaluated in the next few days to see how he responds to the cortisone shot and rest. If he continues to feel discomfort, the Yankees may have to place him on the D.L. and bring up a replacement.

Teixeira left Saturday’s game in the fourth inning after two at-bats, reporting that he could not generate much strength or whip in his left-handed swing. He originally hurt the wrist swinging at balls on a tee March 5, and it took him nearly three months to recover. Saturday’s game was the 15th he had played in since his return May 31.

Last year, Bautista injured his wrist tendon on July 16, came back on Aug. 24, played two games and then opted for surgery because he said he felt the tendon moving around. The surgery was to stabilize the tendon.

For now, the Yankees are hoping that whatever the source of the inflammation in Teixeira’s wrist, it will not result in a longer absence or, worse, surgery.

“Even though he’s hurt, it’s probably the best scenario we could have,” Girardi said.

On Saturday, the Yankees’ hitting coach, Kevin Long, said that Teixeira was a shell of his normal self and that Teixeira has been struggling with the wrist while batting left-handed almost from the day he returned.

“I don’t know that it’s been right since he’s been here, honestly,” Long said.

Lyle Overbay replaced Teixeira at first base Sunday against the Angels and was expected to remain there for as long as Teixeira is out. He was signed at the end of spring training to replace Teixeira, then was kept on after Teixeira’s return as insurance in case the wrist was not fully healed. That decision was validated within two weeks.

Teixeira’s rehabilitation from the original injury was slow and methodical as the Yankees’ medical staff sought to ensure the wrist was completely healed before Teixeira returned. He even complained that it was difficult to remain patient, but he followed doctors’ instructions.

Still, if the wrist was bothering him from the moment he came back, it is reasonable to wonder if Teixeira came back too early, even given his long layoff.

“I don’t think so,” Girardi said. “He said he was ready to go. When guys say they are ready to go, they have to feel they are ready mentally and physically. He told us he was.”

Teixeira joins Kevin Youkilis, Curtis Granderson and Derek Jeter as key injured players who had setbacks in their recoveries from injury.

Jeter sustained a second fracture in his left ankle during spring training, Granderson broke his left hand just days after coming back from a broken right arm, and Youkilis returned to the D.L. with recurring soreness in his back.

The Yankees also have Alex Rodriguez, Francisco Cervelli and Eduardo Nunez on the D.L.

Despite all the injuries, Girardi said he had faith in his teams as it is currently composed, and took a philosophical approach to their ill health.

“You wake up, it’s Father’s Day, we’re doing what we love to do, we have a chance to go out and compete every day, and we like the guys that we have,” he said. “I mean, if that’s the worst problem you’re going to face in life, you’re doing pretty good.”