MLB

Yankees’ Teixeira still unsure of return

Mark Teixeira took batting practice, fielded grounders and did some light running Saturday for the first time since aggravating his strained left calf Sept. 8.

Though he felt fine, the real test won’t come for a while.

“Grounders aren’t going to be a problem,” Teixeira said before the Yankees’ 10-9 come-from-behind victory in 14 innings. “Hitting’s not going to be a problem. It’s when you have to accelerate that first step or maybe from a jog to a run.”

Those tests won’t come until later this week after he heads to Tampa tonight, but he has given up trying to predict when he will be better.

Teixeira said he doesn’t know what he will do if the Yankees get to the postseason, and he still feels pain.

“I have no idea,” Teixeira said. “That’s a decision we’ll all have to make together.”

As of now, tightness and soreness remain, usually when he takes a misstep or walks up or down stairs.

“Overall, it’s getting better a little bit each day,” Teixeira said.

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He’ll also have to see how much he can do defensively.

“That’s one thing I’m worried about,” he said. “I played shallow against Baltimore because I didn’t want to have to sprint to first base [on a ground ball].”

He insists he is going to be more cautious this time around.

“We didn’t really have a progression last time,” Teixeira said of his failed previous comeback bid. “It was ‘Get back as soon as possible.’ This time we’re doing a progression.”

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General manager Brian Cashman’s father, John, passed away Saturday at 72 in Atlantis, Fla. of pancreatic cancer. The elder Cashman worked in the harness racing industry and was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Goshen in 1992.

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Manager Joe Girardi said Rafael Soriano was unavailable, but said he isn’t concerned about the closer’s sore right arm.

“I really believe it was the [pitching] twice in one day,” Girardi said of the closer being used in both ends of Wednesday’s doubleheader. “[He] knows his body pretty well. He knows what he can take. I’m pretty sure that will go away.”

Girardi said he also was staying away from David Robertson, who had worked the previous three days.

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Derek Jeter, who went 1-for-7, extended his hitting streak to a season-high 16 games. … Brett Gardner still has still not been activated, though Girardi said the reason for the delay isn’t physical. … CC Sabathia said he felt fine after pitching eight shutout innings. … CC Sabathia said he felt fine after pitching eight shutout innings Friday… Andruw Jones started in left field, but was pinch hit for by Curtis Granderson in the third inning. Jones walked and drove in a run in the first inning, his only plate appearance.

— Additional reporting by Mark Hale.