The Yankees activated Alex Rodriguez from the disabled list on Monday, in time for the slugger to return to the lineup against the Rays.
Rodriguez, who missed 36 games with a broken left hand, will DH and bat cleanup against James Shields in Tampa Bay. Eric Chavez will play third base.
The Yankees will be without Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson, who are nursing calf and hamstring injuries respectively.
The Yankees enter the three-game series with a two-game lead on the Baltimore Orioles and a 3 1/2 game lead over the Rays. In Rodriguez’s absence, the team has gone 19-18 and watched as their lead in the AL East dropped from eight games.
Rodriguez suffered the injury in the Yankees’ 4-2 loss to Seattle on July 24 after Felix Hernandez plunked him in the eighth inning.
The Yankees third baseman is hitting .276 with 15 home runs and 44 RBI in 94 games this season.