Eduardo Nunez isn’t expected to return to the lineup until Tuesday, and the Yankees won’t know until today at the earliest whether he will be playing behind Andy Pettitte.
Manager Joe Girardi pinch-hit for Jayson Nix in the bottom of the eighth and was forced to use Robinson Cano at short and Francisco Cervelli at second in the ninth inning of the Yankees’ 5-3 loss to the Orioles yesterday at the Stadium.
Girardi said he believed Nunez would be sidelined again tonight in the series finale after suffering a bruised right wrist when he got hit by a Miguel Gonzalez pitch Friday night.
“I could pinch-run him maybe in a pinch,” Girardi said of Nunez, who had just shaken off the effects of being hit in the right bicep last Friday in Detroit by Doug Fister. “We’re probably looking at more like Tuesday.”
Pettitte’s status is also uncertain because of the stiff back he began dealing with during his last outing.
The left-hander is scheduled to throw a bullpen session today, and the Yankees will have a better idea of his availability if he is able to make it through the session without a problem.
“We’ll [see if] he continues to progress and decide which day is best for him to start,” Girardi said. “If we have to change it, we’ll change it.”
The manager insisted he isn’t overly worried about the 40-year-old Pettitte.
“As long as it’s spasms, we know they’re going to go away,” said Girardi, who will monitor him closely. “That he feels good [is] No. 1. There’s concern if he can’t do his bullpen by [tonight]. Do you maybe move him back little bit more? It will be day-by-day deciding which is the best day for him.”
* Robinson Cano went 2-for-5 for his fourth straight multi-hit game. He has gone 11-for-19 (.579) with eight RBIs over the four games. Kevin Youkilis, who had hit in his first nine games with the Yankees, went 0-for-5. The Yankees bullpen threw six shutout innings, with David Phelps, Joba Chamberlain and David Robertson pitching effectively. … Derek Jeter spent yesterday indoors at the Yankees’ minor league complex in Tampa.
* As expected, the Yankees will head back to Cleveland for a traditional doubleheader on May 13 against the Indians to make up for Wednesday and Thursday’s rainouts.
The first game is scheduled for a 12:05 p.m. start with the second game following 20 minutes after the conclusion of the opener.
The Yankees will return to Progressive Field at the end of a six-game trip against Colorado and Detroit.