ANAHEIM, Calif. — X-rays on Jorge Posada’s right foot taken yesterday were negative, and the catcher expects to return to the lineup tomorrow night against the Red Sox.
“It’s fine,” said Posada, who fouled a ball off the foot in the fifth inning of Tuesday night’s game but wasn’t removed.
Though Posada declared himself ready, Joe Girardi wants to wait a bit.
“He is still sore and he is limping a bit,” said Girardi, who used Jose Molina to catch A.J. Burnett yesterday, but might have put Posada in the DH spot against Scott Kazmir if the foot was better. “If he isn’t ready Friday, we won’t put him back in there. I want this to clear up.”
Posada isn’t the only Yankee banged up. Nick Swisher wasn’t available due to a bruised right knee he suffered Tuesday when he fouled a pitch off it.
Right-handed hitter Shelley Duncan started in right and went 1-for-3 in the Yankees’ 3-2 win yesterday.
Swisher is in a 2-for-21 (.095) slide.
Girardi also opted to rest Alex Rodriguez after the cleanup hitter/third baseman swatted two homers in the previous two games and drove in three runs, including the game-winner, Wednesday.
“[Wednesday] was an extremely long game [3:38], we got a long flight [last night], we have kept him healthy the whole year and playing him every day,” said Girardi, who used Jerry Hairston at third and batted him second. “I thought it was probably best to give him a day.”
Rodriguez entered the game in the ninth inning as a pinch-hitter. He grounded out and stayed in the game at third.
And in the seventh inning Hairston left the game with a 1-0 count due to a wrist problem that will undergo an MRI exam today.
Molina suffered leg cramps in the eighth and Derek Jeter fouled a ball off his foot in the ninth.
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David Robertson will throw a second bullpen session today at Yankee Stadium and wants to work on the breaking ball more than he did Wednesday when he threw a 20-pitch session; three of which were curveballs.
“Hopefully I will throw more breaking balls, ” said Robertson, who hasn’t pitched since Sept. 5 due to right shoulder stiffness that he said is completely gone. “I am ready to get back out there.”
The Yankees are likely going to want Robertson to throw a third bullpen session to make sure he is healthy before using the valuable reliever in a game.
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According to Girardi, Andy Pettitte‘s left shoulder came through Monday night’s start in good shape and wasn’t bothered by the fatigue problem that forced him to be pushed back a week ago.
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Had the Yankees stayed in turn with their rotation, CC Sabathia would have opened the Red Sox series at Yankee Stadium tomorrow night. But trying to line up their staff ace for Game 1 of the ALDS on regular rest, the Yankees moved Sabathia to Saturday and will start the struggling Joba Chamberlain in the opener. Andy Pettitte goes Sunday.
“We are getting CC a little extra rest so he will be on regular rest,” Girardi said. “We started talking about this in at the beginning of September. It’s all for CC.”
LHP Jon Lester (14-7; 3.33 ERA) will face Chamberlain (8-6; 4.73). RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (3-5; 6.80) draws Sabathia (18-7; 3.31) and RHP Paul Byrd (1-2; 6.04) faces Pettitte (13-7; 4.15).
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After not being available for the previous two games due to a stomach ailment Phil Coke returned yesterday and got a big out in the seventh to keep the Yankees ahead, 3-2.
The Yankees finished 5-5 against the Angels. It’s the first time since 2003 the Yankees didn’t lose the season series to the Angels.