Travis Hafner was not in the lineup for the third straight game Thursday night when manager Joe Girardi used Vernon Wells as designated hitter against Mariners right-hander Hector Noesi.
Hafner, who has a history of right shoulder problems, received a cortisone injection Tuesday.
“BP went well, flips went well. I’m encouraged by that. Good day,’’ Hafner said following a batting practice session. “Didn’t have any of the issues I had before. Hopefully I’ll be back out there soon.’’
Hafner wasn’t used as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of last night’s 3-2 loss to the Mariners at Yankee Stadium. Presented with a chance to use the left-handed power threat against right-handed closer Tom Wilhelmsen with potential tying run Brett Gardner on first and one out, Girardi didn’t call for Hafner.
“He wasn’t available,’’ Girardi said. “We just felt that the more we get it to heal the more that he will be completely healthy when we bring him back.’’
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Ichiro Suzuki’s leadoff single in the seventh stopped a 0-for-22 slide. He was one at-bat away from matching his career-high hitless streak.
Lyle Overbay has started 17 of the last 18 games at first base and Girardi is searching for a way to get Overbay a day off and having trouble doing it.
“He is one of the guys I am trying to give a little blow to because he has played so much,’’ Girardi said of the left-handed hitting Overbay, who has done very well filling in for Mark Teixeira.
The one game during that stretch Overbay wasn’t in the lineup was the first game of Monday’s twinbill in Cleveland when Girardi used Corban Joseph at first. He did enter the 1-0 loss as a pinch-hitter in the eighth and walked. He started the nightcap and had a two-run double that keyed a six-run rally in a 7-0 victory.
Overbay made his 36th start of the season last night at first. Kevin Youkilis started five game at first and then landed on the disabled list with a back problem. Of Overbay’s 34 hits, 17 are extra base hits (10 doubles, one triple and six homers).
Teixeira (wrist) hit curveballs against a pitching machine in Tampa yesterday.
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Girardi said he expects Michael Pineda to be part of the Yankees’ rotation at some point this season.
“Pineda, I believe is supposed to throw four innings [today]. I am not sure if it’s an extended spring or intrasquad game, probably up to 50 pitches,’’ Girardi said.
Shoulder surgery cost Pineda all of last year and outside of saying he was looking forward to the right-hander acquired from Seattle in 2012 for Jesus Montero pitching for the Yankees this year couldn’t even guess at a date.
“I expect him to pitch for us. We have said sometime in the summer and I know summer officially starts in a month,’’ Girardi said. “Some time in the summer we expect him.’’
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Girardi said Ivan Nova, who is on the DL with an inflamed right triceps and experienced an upper back problem recently, is slated to pitch in a game Monday.
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According to Girardi, Alex Rodriguez felt good after a “T’’ and toss session.
“We have said all along sometime after the [All-Star] break,’’ Girardi said of the third baseman’s return. “What is it, May 16? It’s way too early to project when he is going on a rehab [assignment].’’
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Girardi said he has been told Derek Jeter’s fractured left ankle is on the mend.
“They say it’s healing and I think he will be out of the boot sometime shortly and then he will go from there,’’ Girardi said of the shortstop who isn’t expected to start playing until after the break. “It was good news what we got, it’s healing.’’
Jeter and catcher Francisco Cervelli were in the dugout last night. ****
Youkilis is getting close to taking batting practice in Tampa.
“They are talking about him taking BP pretty soon,’’ Girardi said.
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One day after giving up seven runs and six hits in two-thirds of an inning Wednesday night, Phil Hughes said he believed he had an idea why he got hit so hard.
“Tried to rush through everything. Think that’s what it was,’’ said Hughes, who has been punished in the last two outings.
According to Hughes, he didn’t chat with pitching coach Larry Rothschild.
“Didn’t talk with Larry too much about [Wednesday night] yet,” he said. “Nothing good can come of that the day after. I really don’t think I’m far from where I was [against] Oakland. I think if I had just not made that pitch to Ibanez, I might have been able to give us six [innings] and avoid that disaster. I still believe it was just one of those nights
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