MILWAUKEE — Joe Girardi put what he felt was best for the Yankees and Derek Jeter ahead of baseball fans desire to see Jeter play in his final season.
So, the manager inserted Brendan Ryan at shortstop Saturday night against the Brewers at Miller Field and gave Jeter his fourth day of rest this season. Jeter also missed two days in mid-April with a quad problem.
“I am in a no-win situation but I have to do what’s best for the team and best for the player,’’ Girardi said of resting the 39-year-old Jeter and giving Ryan his first start of the season. “It’s a difficult situation I am in. Some people bought tickets to see him. I want to see him but I have to do what’s best.’’
As always, Jeter politely disagreed with the day off.
“He knows I don’t like it but it’s his choice,’’ Jeter said. “I like to play every day, that’s what the game is, it’s an every-day game. I don’t like days off. It’s nothing new, it’s been like since ’96.’’
Ryan missed the first six weeks of the season because of a cervical nerve problem.
Girardi said Shawn Kelley’s lower back problem was improving but not enough to allow the right-handed reliever to pitch Saturday night.
“It’s better, my guess is we get him back [Sunday],’’ Girardi said of Kelley, who wasn’t available to work the eighth inning in Friday night’s 5-3 win. “It felt a lot better.’’
Kelley underwent an MRI Friday that didn’t reveal any disk problem.
Yangervis Solarte went into Saturday night’s game leading the Yankees with 18 RBIs. That was third among MLB rookies. Jose Abreu of the White Sox led with 37 and the Tigers’ Nick Castellanos was second with 19.