ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Derek Jeter played what should be his final rehab game last night for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, going 1-for-3 with a throwing error in seven innings against Pawtucket.
He is expected to travel today and meet the Yankees tomorrow in Toronto.
“That’s the plan,” manager Joe Girardi said before the Yankees lost to Tampa Bay, 4-2.
Jeter said after his second Triple-A rehab game Friday he had no pain in the right calf. Girardi said he hadn’t heard of any issues following last night’s game.
In three games with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Jeter was 3-for-9 with two runs, a double, an RBI and a walk. He also committed two errors.
* Brett Gardner didn’t start last night, but both the outfielder and Girardi insisted it was not related to his getting hit by a pitch on his right hand on Friday.
Gardner had an X-ray yesterday, which came back negative.
Gardner pinch hit for Vernon Wells in the ninth inning against Fernando Rodney and flied out to end last night’s game.
“My hand is fine,” Gardner said. “It’s sore, but not an issue.”
Gardner had two hits and three walks in 17 career plate appearances against last night’s starter for Tampa Bay, left-hander David Price.
Ichiro Suzuki was 1-for-3 lifetime against Price and another left-handed bat in the outfield, Curtis Granderson, had four homers in 48 plate appearances versus Price.
“It’s tough,” Girardi said of taking out Gardner, his best defensive outfielder, as well as one who reached base four times in Friday’s loss. “I was looking at-bats against this guy. Every time we play a lefty, someone has to sit. [Granderson’s] got some home runs against him and I thought [Ichiro] had some good at-bats last time against him.”
* Lyle Overbay still had flu-like symptoms yesterday and didn’t play.
“He gets a little dizzy and nauseated,” Girardi said of Overbay, who was a late scratch from Friday’s loss.
The lefty-hitting Overbay likely wouldn’t have started last night, anyway, against Price. Mark Reynolds was at first base again and went 2-for-3.
* Alex Rodriguez, who was 0-for-11 with a walk and four strikeouts in his first three games since playing both ends of Tuesday’s doubleheader, finally got another hit last night, when he singled in the fifth.
* Alfonso Soriano watched his sixth-inning fly ball, thinking it was a homer, but left fielder Sean Rodriguez made a leaping catch.
“Guys misread balls,” Girardi said. “It happens. When it happens, it doesn’t look good, but they’re human.”