DETROIT — The Yankees welcomed one of their most fragile players back into their lineup Tuesday and kept one of their most durable players out another day.
Mark Teixeira, who sat out Monday because of a tight left hamstring — the eighth injury or condition to sideline him in 2014 — started at first base and hit cleanup. Brett Gardner, dealing with a right ankle ailment, didn’t start for the third straight game.
Teixeira had played through the hamstring injury for a few days, and manager Joe Girardi hoped that would continue to be the case.
“I think you’re always going to watch it a little bit,” Girardi said of Teixeira’s most recent problem. “But I think the day off probably helped. Just play smart. He’s going to have to continue to do that.”
Teixeira went 0-for-4 in the Yankees’ 5-2 loss to the Tigers and is in a 4-for-24 (.167) slide.
Because of rain Gardner didn’t get to run outside but he did some light jogging indoors and felt encouraged he could return to the lineup Wednesday night against Tigers lefty David Price.
“I expect to play tomorrow,’’ Gardner said. “That’s the plan.’’
“My concern was, he said he felt better but he needed to run,” Girardi said. “Gardy’s pretty tough. Gardy’s played through a lot, which made me believe that it’s probably not 100 percent, which it may not be for a while. But this extra day will probably do him some good, because my concern is that he favors it or he gets out there and he can’t run, and then I got to make a change. It could just really mess things up.”
Masahiro Tanaka, rehabilitating a torn UCL in his right elbow, threw a bullpen session, and according to Girardi is on schedule to throw a simulated game Thursday at Comerica Park before the Yankees-Tigers matinee.
“Everything is fine,’’ Girardi said.
The Arizona Fall League announced its 2014 rosters, and for now, seven Yankees minor leaguers are listed on the Scottsdale Scorpions: Right-handers Caleb Cotham, Branden Pinder and Alex Smith; infielders Greg Bird and Eric Jagielo; and outfielders Tyler Austin and Aaron Judge. Catcher Trent Garrison also is a candidate.