OAKLAND, Calif. — Mariano Rivera’s 40-year-old body is barking in his left rib cage and right knee loud enough for him to withdraw from Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Anaheim.
Though Rivera, an 11-time All-Star, said he will be available to pitch for the Yankees until the first half ends Sunday in Seattle, the closer is concerned about his knee problem that surfaced when the Yankees were in Los Angeles late last month.
Rivera is also bothered for the second time this year by discomfort in his rib cage area.
“I don’t know right now,” Rivera said when asked if he was going to be available for Joe Girardi through Sunday. “I have been pitching a lot. It’s up to the manager. I always want to pitch, even with one arm, but we have to take care of it, it’s there. I want to help the team as much as I can.”
After last night’s 6-1 win over the A’s, Girardi said he tried to stay away from using Rivera because he had used him two days in a row.
“He is OK,” said Girardi, who must replace Rivera on the AL roster. “He told me he was able to pitch tonight. It’s always a concern, but it’s nothing serious. It’s little nagging things. Hopefully, rest and treatment will take care of it.”
Rivera couldn’t put an exact date on when his knee started to hurt, but he hasn’t shagged fly balls — a favorite activity of his — during batting practice prior to the last three games.
“I don’t know how it happened,” Rivera said of his knee problem. “There is fluid and inflammation. I just have to take care of it.”
Rivera said his knee hasn’t been drained.
“I don’t think that’s a concern right now,” Rivera said.
Rivera is having a typical season, converting 19 of 21 save chances and posting a microscopic 1.08 ERA.
Lately, his workload has increased.
Starting June 23, when Rivera worked two innings for the first time this season, Rivera has logged nine frames in seven games. Another two-inning stint surfaced against the Dodgers in L.A. on June 27. He appeared in the previous two games, July 4-5.
“I can’t pinpoint it to a particular outing bit it’s not the same,” said Rivera, who blew a save Sunday and rebounded to throw a perfect inning in Monday night’s 3-1 win against the A’s.
As for two-inning stints, Rivera conceded there will come a time when that’s required. But that time isn’t now.
“No more two innings from here to the All-Star break,” said Rivera, who explained Girardi and his staff have done a “tremendous” job handling him this year.
Rivera’s side issue is a repeat of a problem that surfaced on April 30. He didn’t pitch again until May 12.
“It’s the same thing [Sergio] Mitre had and he has been out for how many days?”
Rivera said of the right-handed reliever who has shelved with a left oblique muscle injury since June 4.
Rivera said a sixth career trip to the DL — and the first since 2003 — isn’t necessary.
“But I have to definitely take care of it,” Rivera said.
Of the two problems, Rivera said his knee was more serious because of the role it plays in his delivery.
“It’s my push leg,” Rivera said. “Every time I push, it’s there.”