Joba Chamberlain worked an 11-pitch inning Wednesday night for Single-A Tampa. It was the second straight day he pitched and that is a significant hurdle for him to clear on the road back from Tommy John surgery last summer and ankle surgery in March.
“We will see him Friday, see how he feels and go from there,’’ pitching coach Larry Rothschild said of Chamberlain, who may throw a bullpen session while in The Bronx.
No matter how well the first back-to-back sequence went and how much Chamberlain is itching to get off the disabled list, it’s likely he won’t be activated without appearing in another minor league game, probably higher than the Single-A level he has been pitching in.
“I don’t want to get too far ahead,’’ Girardi said when asked about a date for Chamberlain to join the big league bullpen. “I am anxious to see how he does. We feel we are making significant progress.’’
Chamberlain’ 30-day rehab assignment expires Aug. 8 but he should be active before then barring a setback.
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Girardi won’t commit to Nick Swisher (hip flexor) being ready to play tomorrow night against the Red Sox. Nevertheless, Swisher is hell-bent on doing just that.
“I feel good, I ran and did hitting inside. I will get with [trainer] Stevie [Donohue] and [hitting coach] Kevin Long [today] and hit at the Stadium and get ready for Friday,’’ Swisher said before the Yankees’ 5-2 victory over the Mariners Wednesday at Safeco Field. “I am excited. I will do the same stuff [today] and get ready for Friday. I have done everything they have told me to do and I will see what happens.’’
Girardi might have other ideas for the right fielder who left last Friday night’s game in Oakland.
“I don’t know, let’s see how he feels [today]. He is doing some more stuff. He hit in the cage and there are no issues,’’ Girardi said.
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Infielder Eduardo Nunez was promoted from Single-A Tampa to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre but never was a candidate to replace Alex Rodriguez, out six-to-eight weeks with a broken left hand, because the Yankees want Nunez to concentrate on playing shortstop, GM Brian Cashman said.
“This move had nothing to do with Alex,’’ Cashman said. “We want him to play short.’’
That’s why the Yankees sent Nunez from the majors to SWB in mid-May when he struggled defensively at short and third. But after one game he suffered a hand injury and has played in a handful of games since returning from the injury.
Utility infielder Ramiro Pena was recalled fto take Rodriguez’s roster spot.
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For the second game in a row, Derek Jeter was hit by a Mariners pitcher. But like Tuesday night’s drilling, he didn’t think it was intentional.
“It would be pretty dumb to do it on purpose in a one-run game leading off,’’ said Jeter, who homered in the first and scored the first of the four Yankees runs in the eighth after taking the hit in the left thigh.
The Yankees had three batters hit Tuesday night and lost Rodriguez.
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Wayne Gretzky and Rodriguez met outside the Yankees’ clubhouse Wednesday.
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If getting designated for assignment by Tampa Bay yesterday is the end of Hideki Matsui ’s career, he will be remembered as a Yankee, the team he played for seven seasons and capped off by being named the 2009 World Series MVP.
“He was a great player, a great teammate, MVP of the World Series and a clutch hitter,’’ Girardi said of Matsui, a Yankee from 2003 to 2009 who also played for the Angels, A’s and Rays. “He opened doors. If you can play, you can play no matter where you go.’’
george.king@nypost.com