TAMPA — Derek Jeter dove for a Pat Burrell single up the middle in the fourth inning last night at George M. Steinbrenner Field and got up shaking his right hand.
Jeter, however, stayed in the 6-4 Yankees victory over the Rays until leaving for a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning.
“He is fine,” said manager Joe Girardi, who wasn’t aware of the issue until being asked about it during a TV interview in the fifth inning.
“He said, ‘My hand is fine.’ He will play [today].”
Alex Rodriguez wasn’t in the lineup. According to Girardi, Rodriguez’s schedule calls for a day off after playing two straight games like he did Tuesday and Wednesday.
“That’s where we are at, two days in a row and work for three,” Girardi said.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez said there were no new developments regarding the feds wanting to talk to him about a relationship with Dr. Anthony Galea.
Javier Vazquez required 62 pitches to log three innings vs. the Rays.
“Next time I want to go to 80 and throw more innings,” said Vazquez, who gave up a run, two hits and fanned three.
Chan Ho Park made his spring debut with a scoreless inning in which he threw eight pitches.
Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre might be longer shots today for the No. 5 starter spot than they were when camp opened. And it’s possible one of them won’t be with the club when the season opens, having been dealt.
Still, Girardi will be watching the right-handers pitch tonight against the Rays in Port Charlotte.
“We will see what happens,” he said. “If both pitch great, we are going to have some tough decisions. We will make them and move forward.”
The competition for the No. 5 spot appears to be between Phil Hughes and Alfredo Aceves, with Joba Chamberlain going to the bullpen.
Could Mitre, who will start tonight, or Gaudin eliminate themselves tonight?
“It’s conceivable,” said Girardi, who wants to know who the fifth starter will be by March 25 or 26.
Girardi said Damaso Marte isn’t suffering from getting drilled in the back by a Ryan Howard liner Wednesday.
Marcus Thames is hitting .136. Randy Winn is at .190, Curtis Granderson at .160 and Brett Gardner at .240 following last night’s action.
Speaking of right-handed reliever David Robertson, Girardi said it’s possible at some point that he would be used to set up Mariano Rivera.
“The way we run our bullpen on consecutive days, Robbie could pitch an inning, including the eighth inning,” Girardi said.
Last night, Robertson threw a scoreless inning and whiffed two.
The Yankees have no interest in outfielder Elijah Dukes or lefty reliever Joe Beimel. Dukes was released by the Nationals on Wednesday, and Beimel still is a free agent.