LOS ANGELES — Joe Girardi understands Derek Jeter is 39, coming back from two fractured bones in the left ankle and a right quadriceps injury.
Nevertheless, the Yankees’ manager understands Jeter’s value to his team that is on the brink of falling out of the AL East race.
“I wouldn’t hesitate to play him two in a row and go from there, ‘’ Girardi said of Jeter, who was at short and batted second against Dodger right-hander Zack Greinke in Tuesday night’s 3-2 loss.
It was Jeter’s second game since coming off the disabled list Sunday. He went 0-for4.
* Girardi said it’s possible Curtis Granderson (fractured left pinkie) could return from the disabled list this weekend in San Diego. Last night for Double-A Trenton, Granderson went 1 for 3 with a triple and a walk against Harrisburg. Granderson played left field.
In the same game David Phelps (strained right forearm) gave up a run and four hits in four innings.
* Hiroki Kuroda will pitch his 58th game at Dodger Stadium tonight, but the first without “Dodgers’’ splashed across the front of the iconic jersey.
The Yankees’ best starter this season hasn’t let the occasion consume his thoughts.
“Obviously, this is going to be the first time that I’m going to be in the Dodger Stadium with a different uniform but I haven’t gotten [the] grasp of it yet,’’ said Kuroda who is 3-0 with a 0.69 ERA in four July starts and has moved past CC Sabathia as the Yankees’ ace. “At this moment there is nothing different I feel right now.’’
Kuroda is 41-46 with a 3.45 ERA at Dodger Stadium. His only appearance against the Dodgers was this year at Yankee Stadium when he beat his former team.
Kuroda, who shows little emotion on the mound, said he wasn’t sure what his feelings will be Wednesday night.
“Although it’s been two years, at the same time that mound has always been a mound I pitched on so it could be different,’’ said Kuroda, who has maintained a home in the area. “It’s a pitcher’s park, that is one thing I can say for sure.’’
The language barrier has made talking with former teammates difficult.
“Once in a while I make contact with [Clayton] Kershaw but because I don’t speak that well, that good English …,’’ Kuroda said.
As for facing Dodgers rookie sensation Yasiel Puig, Kuroda said he wasn’t putting much emphasis on it.
“I just treat it as one of the games in the season,’’ he said.
* Entering Wednesday night’s action, Yankees relievers had a 1.98 ERA (86.1IP, 19ER) since June 21 (33 games) which was tops in the majors.
* Ichiro Suzuki, who went 1-for-3 with a double, is 15 hits shy of 4,000 career hits. He had 2,707 in America and 1,278 in Japan.
* Brent Lillibridge said he hopes some of Jeter’s magic dust lands on him.
“Things go his way and the Yankees way when he’s on the field,” the utility player said. “There’s no way to disprove that.
“It feels like it always works out for the Yankees when he’s on the field. Hopefully that rubs off on me a little bit.’’
* Girardi spent part of Monday’s off day visiting the Dallas Cowboys’ training camp in nearby Oxnard, Calif. and spoke to the team.
“I loved [football] more than baseball when I was a kid,’’ Girardi said. “I went to enjoy it and see how they want about their business.”
* Jaron Long, the son of Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long, has signed with the organization.
After not being taken in the June draft, the junior from Ohio State talked to several teams as a free agent and agreed Monday to a $50,000 signing bonus plus tuition to finish school.
“It was a big day Monday,” Kevin Long said. “He is happy.”
Jaron will report the Yankees’ minor league complex Wednesday to take a physical and eventually join the Staten Island Yankees of the New York-Penn League.