MLB

No timetable yet for A-Rod’s return to Yankees

DETROIT — Alex Rodriguez will have an X-ray on his left wrist Monday in New York and the plan is for the splint to be removed next week.

“That’s three weeks, it’s been two,’’ Rodriguez said before last night’s 12-8 win over the Tigers at Comerica Park, when he had no trouble taking off his socks and shoes with the hand.

Out since July 24, when he suffered a fractured left hand when hit by a Felix Hernandez pitch in Seattle, Rodriguez has been limited to swinging a bat only with his right hand and throwing baseballs and a football.

Rodriguez and the Yankees aren’t guessing at a return date, saying it’s too early in the process even if the first X-ray taken last week showed the healing process was in progress.

Following Tuesday night’s 6-5 loss, Eric Chavez said the Yankees missed Rodriguez. Yesterday, manager Joe Girardi explained not having Rodriguez’s right-handed bat in the middle of the order altered his plans.

With last night’s win, the Yankees improved to 6-7 without Rodriguez.

BOX SCORE

* After watching Curtis Granderson go 2-for-20 (.100) in five games in the leadoff spot, Girardi dropped him to sixth last night. Granderson responded with a 3-for-5, four-RBI game that included three-run homer.

“Curtis has struggled a bit, move him to sixth,’’ said Girardi, who used Nick Swisher (2-for-3, three walks and an RBI) behind Derek Jeter (2-for-6) in the No. 2 spot. “Other guys are swinging well, change it up.’’

Girardi pointed to Granderson’s July and early part of August as not being as good as the first three months of the season.

In April, May and June, Granderson hit 23 homers and drove in 46 runs. So far in July and August he has seven homers and 20 RBIs.

* Girardi rested Raul Ibanez and used the sizzling Chavez as the designated hitter last night. Chavez, who is hitting .462 (12-for-26) with three homers and eight RBIs in his last eight games, will get some time off this weekend because, according to Girardi, the Blue Jays are starting three lefties. Last night, Chavez went 2-for-4 with two RBIs

Girardi also wanted to get Casey McGehee in the lineup because he was 3-for-8 (.375) against Anibal Sanchez. McGehee started at third, went 1-for-4 but committed a costly fielding error.

* Yankees minor league pitcher Carlos Diaz has been suspended for 50 games without pay for testing positive for metabolites of Stanozolol.

Diaz, a lefty, is pitching with the Yankees’ team in the Dominican Summer League

* Rodriguez took a tour of the University of Michigan’s athletic facilities yesterday and said he was impressed.

“I loved it,’’ said Rodriguez, who took in Michigan Stadium and Crisler Center, Schembechler Hall and the Wilpon Baseball and Softball Complex. “They were very hospitable and I was very impressed.’’

Desmond Howard, a Heisman Trophy winner at Michigan, is a Miami neighbor of Rodriguez.

“He has been telling me about Big Blue for 20 years,’’ said Rodriguez, who met Wolverines basketball coach John Beilein.