The return of Rafael Soriano incurred another delay this week when the $35 million setup man played catch Tuesday but was then told by the Yankees to rest his arm.
Soriano has been out since May 13 with right elbow inflammation. He met with the medical staff Monday night, and was cleared to begin his throwing problem. But after he threw Tuesday, they decided he should rest for another week.
“If we felt it was 100 percent he would have continued with this throwing program,” manager Joe Girardi said. “He’s close, but he’s not quite there.”
The Yankees hope Soriano can avoid surgery and rehabilitate the elbow through a strengthening program. Girardi did his best to sound encouraged, but this latest development means Soriano is even further away.
“He was definitely better than he was the last time that he went out and played catch — much, much better,” Girardi said.
In a move to clear room on the 40-man roster for Cory Wade, the Yanks transferred Soriano to the 60-day disabled list yesterday, making him eligible to return in mid-July. Soriano’s actual return will probably be much later than that.
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The Angels released pitcher Scott Kazmir yesterday, but don’t expect the Yankees to have any interest in the 27-year-old former Mets prospect.
Though left-handed pitchers are always in demand, the Yankees don’t like what they saw from Kazmir in Triple-A this year. He had a 17.02 ERA for Salt Lake City in five starts, walking 20 and striking out 14 in 15 1/3 innings.
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Russell Martin was out of the lineup for the seventh time in eight games. He did not even take batting practice before last night’s game. Girardi said he will wait to hear that Martin is not feeling any discomfort in his back before starting him.
“I should be in there tomorrow,” Martin said after last night’s 12-4 win over the Rangers. “I feel a lot better.”
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Jeter, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday, will not go on the trip to Chicago. He is heading to Tampa to begin treatment on his right calf strain. The Yankees captain was at Yankee Stadium last night but did not speak to reporters.
Jeter is not the only injured Yankee heading to Tampa. Soriano, Pedro Feliciano, Eric Chavez, Bartolo Colon, Damaso Marte and Amauri Sanit are all heading south, too.
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Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba accused Andruw Jones of stealing signs in the sixth inning. He yelled at Jones when he visited the pitcher’s mound. Jones said Torrealba made the same complaint in Tuesday’s game about another Yankee.
“He fired me up,” Jones said. “That’s showing me up.”
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The next start for Phil Hughes is scheduled to come Sunday in Brooklyn for Single-A Staten Island. Hughes (right shoulder inflammation) will throw 65-70 pitches, Girardi said. He will make three or four more starts before the Yankees consider activating him.
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The Yankees called up Wade, a right-handed pitcher, before last night’s game, sending RHP Kevin Whelan back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Wade pitched a perfect eighth inning in his Yankees debut.