Matt Carpenter broke his left foot on a foul ball during his resurgent season with the New York Yankees

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  Marly RiveraESPN writer

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  Marly Rivera is a writer for ESPNdeportes.com and ESPN.com.

SEATTLE — Matt Carpenter’s dream comeback season with the New York Yankees may have come to an early end Monday night.

Carpenter, 36, broke his left foot fouling an 89-mile slider by Seattle Mariners starter Logan Gilbert in the first inning. He is out indefinitely.

After limping in pain, Carpenter was briefly checked by manager Aaron Boone, but finished the shot and swung out in the next court. He said he knew something was wrong but figured he could finish the at-bat and ride in one run.

“When I went to the next seat for a swing, as soon as I started planting and rotating on that back foot, my lower body gave out and I couldn’t,” Carpenter explained. “Luckily swinging and missing was probably the best thing that happened – because if I had scored and had to run I might have made it worse. But I knew it wasn’t good.”

Carpenter, who wore a protective boot inside the Yankees’ clubhouse after the game, said he hopes to miss just one month. But a schedule isn’t determined until he sees a podiatrist.

“I don’t want to give a number because I just don’t know, but I’m hoping it will be a situation where I can come back and contribute to a distance run in mid-September. ‘ Carpenter said. “Well, we’ll see. I mean, that’s my mindset, I’m coming back.”

Boone said he was immediately aware something was wrong and knew a change was needed when he checked on Carpenter in the clubhouse between innings.

“I knew he did well. That’s why I initially walked out,” Boone said. “And I just thought, the way he moves, I think that’s not good.”

Tm Locastro replaced Carpenter at DH in the third inning. The Yankees went on to beat the Mariners 9-4 and snapped a season-worst five-game losing streak.

“I have no doubt that even while he’s injured (Carpenter) will still have an impact on this team,” said Yankees starter Jameson Taillon, who pitched seven innings to earn the win. “He really came in here and left his mark on a lot of people. He’s not afraid to talk to the pitchers about pitching. He’s not afraid to give honest feedback. He’s one of the best guys I’ve ever been with and played with, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he finds his way back and makes a difference.”

Carpenter, a front-runner for American League Comeback Player of the Year, is batting .305 this season with 15 home runs and 37 RBIs in just 128 at-bats for New York and had hit base in 27 of his 35 starts. Last month he hit .356 in 73 at-bats.

All of this came after he hit seven homers in 418 Plate appearances over the past two seasons.

The Texas native signed with the Yankees in May after being fired by the Rangers, for whom he toiled the first month and a half of the season at Triple-A.

Since making his debut with the Yankees on May 26, Carpenter has had a .727 slugging percentage, the best in MLB in that span (100 minimum plate appearances). New York has averaged 6.5 runs per game with Carpenter in the lineup and 4.8 runs without him.

“He will definitely be missed for as long as he will be, but we’re hoping to get good news and that the season isn’t over,” said Josh Donaldson, Yankees third baseman.

Carpenter took on the St. Louis Cardinals, the team he spent the first 11 years of his career with, Monday night after an emotional run. Carpenter received a lengthy standing ovation before his first at-bat and went 2-for-12 in St. Louis into the series.

His is the last significant injury for the Yankees. All-star slugger Giancarlo Stanton and pitchers Luis Severino, Michael King and Miguel Castro all went down injured last month and have yet to return.

King will miss the rest of the season with a broken right elbow, while Severino (right lat pull) and Castro (right shoulder strain) are also on the 60-day injured list. Stanton is on 10-day IL retroactive to July 24 with left Achilles tendonitis.

New York has the best record in the American League at 71-39 and leads the AL East with 10½ games.

ESPN Stats & Information and The Associated Press contributed to this report.