Alex Rodriguez, perhaps only days away from rejoining the struggling Yankees, went 0-for-3 last night with a pair of strikeouts while playing for the organization’s Single-A Tampa affiliate in Lakeland, Fla.
It was the first game action in five weeks for Rodriguez, sidelined since a Felix Hernandez pitch broke a bone in his left hand during a July 24 game in Seattle. Serving as the designated hitter and batting leadoff to insure he received as many at-bats as possible, Rodriguez also grounded out, walked and scored a run in a 7-6 loss to the Tigers’ Single-A affiliate.
“I felt pretty good,” Rodriguez told reporters afterward. “I just wanted to stay in one piece. Everything feels good, but it was the first time.
“I just want it all to work out so I can get back with the boys again. I am chomping at the bit.”
According to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, the 37-year-old Rodriguez is scheduled to play third base tonight when the Tampa Yankees again play in Lakeland. If all goes well, he could rejoin the big league Yankees as soon as Monday when they open a three-game series with the Rays in nearby St. Petersburg, Fla.
“You hope he comes back swinging [the way he did] before he got hurt,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said following last night’s 6-1 loss to the Orioles in The Bronx. “That’s the idea. This is a guy that’s supposed to be an impact player for us so you hope he makes a big impact.’’
Rodriguez, who had just begun to find his stroke when Hernandez’s pitch found his hand, had to duck out of the way of the first pitch he saw last night before bouncing out to short.
He walked and scored on a two-run double by Tyler Austin in the fourth before striking out in each of his final two at-bats.
“It’s exciting that he is getting some games under his belt and he should be ready to help us here shortly,’’ Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long said last night at the Stadium. “His bone is healed. It’s just a matter of him getting into it.’’
Former major league closer David Aardsma, trying to come back from Tommy John surgery in July 2010, started for Tampa last night, making his first appearance in a game since suffering a setback earlier this season. He pitched one scoreless inning.
* In Brooklyn last night, lefty reliever Pedro Feliciano (rotator cuff surgery) gave up a solo home run while pitching for Single-A Staten Island in the Yankees’ 5-1 loss to the Brooklyn Cyclones, the Mets’ affiliate.
–Additional reporting by Dan Martin, Kevin Kernan