OAKLAND, Calif. — Manager Joe Girardi and Jacoby Ellsbury said Thursday night the Yankees’ best player would be available to play Friday night against the Athletics after he left a 6-3 win over the Mariners with tightness in his right hip.
They were correct: Ellsbury hit third and played center field and went 1-for-4, extending his hitting streak to 17 games, in the Yankees’ 7-0 win.
“He came in and said he feels good,’’ Girardi said before the game.
The problem first surfaced Sunday in Kansas City, Mo., while Ellsbury was running the bases.
Ellsbury started Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in Seattle, but in the fifth inning Thursday, crashed into the center-field wall to deny Robinson Cano a possible homer or a sure extra-base hit to make a sensational catch. Ellsbury hit the padded wall and crumbled to the ground.
He remained in the game, batted in the sixth and exited before the home seventh started.
Ellsbury’s hitting streak is the longest in the majors. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it ties the longest by a Yankees center fielder since Melky Cabrera hit in 18 straight in 2007.He is four short of tying a career-high 22 game hitting streak he had four years ago with the Red Sox.
Whenever Michael Pineda’s right shoulder muscle problem allows him to start throwing again, he will have to undergo almost a full spring training, which is six weeks for pitchers.
“I would probably think August is probably realistic,’’ Girardi said of a possible return date for Pineda. “He hasn’t started playing catch yet. You have to build him up, that’s the problem.’’
The Yankees signed veteran right-hander Heath Bell to a minor league deal.
Bell, 36, was released by Tampa Bay on May 10 after going 1-1 with a 7.27 ERA in 13 games.
He signed a minor league deal with the Orioles on May 18 and was released June 10 after pitching in 10 games, going 2-0 with a 4.22 ERA for Norfolk.
In addition to Tampa Bay, Bell has pitched for Arizona, Miami, San Diego and the Mets.
“This guy has been a closer, has pitched in high leverage situations so we will see if he can help us,’’ Girardi said.
O.co Coliseum offered Derek Jeter a return to the venue where he turned in “The Flip ‘’ to help the Yankees win Game 3 of the 2001 ALDS.
“I don’t rank plays,’’ Jeter said Friday. “All moments are special. I was where I was supposed to be.”
Like all teams, the A’s are presenting Jeter with gifts during his final regular-season stops on the road. The A’s will fall in line Sunday. However, “The Flip’’ won’t be part of a video tribute.
“I have seen it,’’ Jeter said.
Girardi didn’t see it live on TV, but has plenty of times since.
“Some people call it his signature play, but it was Derek being Derek,’’ Girardi said
Catcher Francisco Cervelli will come off the disabled list Tuesday when the Yankees play Toronto at the Stadium.
Cervelli has been on the DL since suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain on April 13.
John Ryan Murphy will be sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make room for Cervelli.
Cervelli is finishing a minor league rehab assignment and was eligible to be activated Friday night, but the Yankees believed he would benefit from more at-bats. Girardi said he is going to have Brian McCann catch all three games against the A’s, so it didn’t make sense for Cervelli to fly across country to sit.
Jacob Lindgren, the Yankees’ first pick in last week’s draft, has completed his physicals in Tampa and is poised to sign for the slot amount of $1.1 million.
The Yankees are toying with starting Lindgren — a lefty reliever from Mississippi State who was the 55th player taken in the draft — at Short Season Single-A Staten Island or Low Single-A Charleston.