ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Don’t look for Kevin Youkilis in the Yankees’ lineup at least until Thursday night at Yankee Stadium.
That’s manager Joe Girardi’s take on Youkilis’ tight lower back. Though Youkilis is looking to play tonight, don’t bet on it.
“He still got it a little bit,’’ Girardi said before Tuesday night’s 4-3 win over the Rays at Tropicana Field. “My guess is he probably won’t play until Thursday.’’
Youkilis says the problem isn’t something he hasn’t had before and is looking to play tonight if the area progresses the way it has been.
“It’s up to the manager and trainer, hopefully I feel great. If I feel good I will tell Joe,’’ Youkilis said.
Youkilis admitted he might have overdone it after coming out of Saturday’s game and sitting out Sunday by taking batting practice Monday when Girardi noticed him wincing and scratched him.
“I probably rushed it a little bit, I was a little careless,’’ said Youkilis, who hasn’t been sent for tests and explained that it wasn’t on the spine.
Despite a .053 (1-for-19) average against lefties, Youkilis has been a threat against them across his career.
“It’s difficult when he isn’t in there. He is a big part of our lineup when he is in there,’’ Girardi said.
Youkilis is a career .293 hitter with a .916 OPS versus lefties and .279 and .846 against right-handers.
The Yankees started last night’s action hitting an anemic .190 (42-for-221) against lefties and missed the right-handed hitting Derek Jeter and switch-hitter Mark Teixeira.
“I’d like to have them, no doubt about it, but you can’t do much about it,’’ Girardi said. “It’s the leadoff hitter and the middle of the order hitter.’’
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Explaining the right wrist tendon injury suffered in early March isn’t to the point where he can let it go while dry swinging, Mark Teixeira admitted May 1 isn’t a practical date for him to start playing.
“It probably won’t be May 1,’’ the first baseman said.
Teixeira said the result of having the wrist in a brace for so long has left it stiff and tight at times.
“We don’t want to let it go until it’s loose,’’ Teixeira said. “It’s not loose enough to let it go. That won’t do any good. It was immobile for a month.’’
Teixeira has been swinging a bat but not off a tee or soft tosses, activities Curtis Granderson (fractured right wrist) was cleared to start Monday.
“It’s stiff but no pain,’’ Teixeira said. “I feel I am healed. I do have to loosen it up.’’
Monday, Granderson said he might require 50 to 70 at-bats before being ready to come off the disabled list.
Admitting that is a lot, Teixeira said he will gauge it not by numbers.
“That’s a lot [of at-bats],’’ Teixeira said. “It’s timing. Being back with the big league team you are going to have to produce and not just be in the lineup.’’
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Ivan Nova spent time in Girardi’s office Tuesday with pitching coach Larry Rothschild, and the manager said the nature of the talk was positive.
“He gave up seven hits [Sunday], but only two were hit hard,’’ Girardi said.
Nova, who is 1-1 with a 6.14 ERA in three starts, needs to locate better. In 14 2/3 innings, Nova has issued eight walks and hit two batters. And has been hurt pitching behind in the count. He has allowed 19 hits and opposing batters are hitting a robust .333 against him.
“He has to go after people in the strike zone with all his pitches, not just the fastball,’’ Rothschild said.
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Girardi said he believes Derek Jeter’s left foot is in a walking boot but won’t be sure until he talks to him.
Jeter is expected to be at Yankee Stadium Thursday night to talk about the latest fracture in the foot that has stalled his rehab program.
“He will meet us there,’’ Girardi said of the Stadium.
Jeter hasn’t been seen at the Yankees minor league complex this week. He is believed to have been in North Carolina being looked at by the surgeon who operated on the ankle in October.
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Girardi has been cognizant of the Yankees in a stretch of six games on artificial turf and will likely rest left fielder Vernon Wells tonight against right-hander Alex Cobb and start Brennan Boesch.
“I will probably get him back in there [tonight] and maybe give Vernon the day off,’’ Girardi said of the left-handed hitting Boesch, who started against lefty Matt Moore on Monday and went 0-for-3.
Since he has an option, Boesch is a candidate to be sent to Triple-A when Granderson is activated sometime next month.
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Mariano Rivera’s save was his 61st in 63 save chances against the Rays.