YANKEE NOTES
OAKLAND – The Yankees will likely be shuffling their roster again before they open a series against the Red Sox next Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. With Henry Rodriguez’ rehab stint at Columbus (Triple-A) over Saturday, the veteran left-handed hitting outfielder is eligible to come off the disabled list Sunday. However, don’t look for him at Seattle’s Safeco Field.
“I wouldn’t activate him and then fly him from Columbus to Seattle for one game,” Brian Cashman said yesterday.
The Yankees complete a six-game West Coast trip that started last night against the A’s, Sunday against the Mariners.
However, unless Rodriguez’ balky back, which landed him on the DL the final day of spring training, acts up, you can expect him to be activated next Tuesday. Rodriguez was hitting .245 (12-for-49) with four homers and 11 RBIs in 13 games going into last night’s game against Pawtucket. He had drawn four walks and fanned 18 times.
To make room for the 33-year-old veteran, the Yankees will likely option Clay Bellinger to Columbus. Robert Perez, who was promoted yesterday, is also a candidate to be sent out.
Torre found out there was nothing physically wrong with Mariano Rivera after the worst outing of his career against Baltimore. Yesterday, Torre chatted briefly with his All-Star closer to let himself and Rivera know nothing was being taken for granted.
“You have to make sure you don’t take him for granted,” Torre said of Rivera, who gave up five runs in an inning Sunday when he was hurt by a Derek Jeter bobble that killed a double play ball which would have ended the inning without a run. “But, he is a machine. He has spoiled all of us. The only thing that was a concern was how he was physically and he is fine.”
After he threw a season-high 137 pitches Sunday against the Orioles, Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez will get an extra day’s rest and start Saturday against the Mariners.
“That’s the most we have asked him to do,” said Torre, who said El Duque has a minor foot problem. “He has a little irritation under the foot. It’s some callous and it’s getting better. It’s the number of pitches more than anything else.”