MLB

Rodriguez takes A-nother big step toward recovery

BOSTON — Alex Rodriguez furthered his rehabilitation yesterday, handling infield grounders for the first time and taking more swings than he did on Thursday, according to the Associated Press.

“He did the same as [Thursday], a little more toss and tee and took ground balls at him,” manager Joe Girardi said before the Yankees’ 3-2 victory over the Red Sox last night. “He felt good.”

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Girardi said he was not sure when Rodriguez, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on July 11, would be ready to start a rehab assignment.

“Not yet,” the manager said. “I think you have to see him take BP, run and run the bases and then you have a much better idea.”

The Yankees are 18-7 in 25 games without Rodriguez.

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Girardi started Jorge Posada at designated hitter last night even with Red Sox ace lefty Jon Lester on the mound.

“Jorge has had good at-bats off Lester and right-handers have had a lot more success against Lester,” Girardi said. “Jorge had good at-bats the last couple of times he faced him.”

After going 0-for-3 last night (0-for-2 against Lester), the switch-hitting Posada is 6-for-25 (.240) against Lester in his career.

Posada had his right wrist wrapped after the game.

“The last couple of days I have been icing it,” Posada said. “It’s sore from swinging but no big deal.”

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Girardi also used Andruw Jones (0-for-1, two walks) in left field, giving the righty slugger a start. He rested Brett Gardner, who was 1-for-6 versus Lester, but brought him in for defense in the seventh inning.

“It was something that we talked about giving [Gardner] a day off at some point in the 10-day stretch because he played both games of the double-header in the field,” Girardi said. “I thought [last night] was a pretty good day to do it.”

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Catcher Austin Romine was put on the DL for Double-A Trenton yesterday with a back problem. Romine had missed the previous two games and underwent an MRI exam Thursday. . . . Mark Teixeira (0-for-3 with a walk) is now a miserable 4-for-36 against the Red Sox this year, with no homers and 12 strikeouts. . . . Steven Evarts, a left-handed pitcher for the Yankees’ Single-A Charleston affiliate, has been suspended 50 games thanks to a positive test result for metabolites of the performance-enhancer nandrolone.

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CC Sabathia takes the mound this afternoon 16-5 with a 2.55 ERA this season but is 0-3 with a 6.16 ERA versus the Red Sox.

“Just got to make pitches,” Sabathia said.