BALTIMORE — The Yankees desperately need the three games this weekend in Fenway Park to keep alive their wild-card hopes. But there is no way they are going to wrestle the AL East title away from the Red Sox.
Rarely has a Yankees-Red Sox series not had as much on the line for each club. The Red Sox lead the second-place Rays by 8 ½ games and the third-place Yankees by 9½ lengths so it’s a matter of time before the Red Sox clinch.
The Yankees are one game out of the second wild-card spot held by the Rays.
“It’s usually [we] are fighting for the division or fighting for the playoff spot but obviously they are really close to securing one,’’ manager Joe Girardi said. “For us it’s very meaningful, but I think it’s meaningful for them because it’s us, number one, and they want that home-field advantage.’’
The last time the Yankees and Red Sox were at Fenway, Ryan Dempster caused a ruckus by drilling Alex Rodriguez in an apparent protest of Rodriguez playing while appealing his 211-game suspension.
Last weekend in The Bronx the Red Sox copped three of four from the Yankees.
Ivan Nova never said the discomfort in his right biceps that forced Girardi to remove him following six innings and 79 pitches Tuesday night had completely vanished from the area directly above the elbow on the outside of the hinge.
“I feel good,’’ was as far as the right-hander would go before Thursday night’s 6-5 pulsating victory against the Orioles at Camden Yards.
“I did feel it a little the other day but I feel good.’’
Nova threw a full in-between-starts bullpen Thursday and expects to start Sunday night in Fenway Park.
Austin Romine says he felt better Thursday than he did Wednesday but didn’t know when he would be able to catch again. Romine left Tuesday night’s game with a concussion after taking a foul tip off the mask.
“Every day I wake up I feel a lot better,’’ said Romine, who was scheduled for an impact test Thursday to determine where he is at in the recovery process. “I am not feeling as disorientated, the headaches are gone and my neck isn’t as sore. I am a little off but I am going in the right direction and I feel better.’’
Having suffered a more severe concussion in 2011 as a minor leaguer, Romine was very aware of the computer test he needed to pass in order to be cleared by MLB. Romine wasn’t placed on the five-day concussion disabled list.
“It’s a bunch of memorization stuff and vision tests and it takes a long time and it’s hard,’’ said Romine, who missed 25 days in 2011.
Girardi’s hope was that if the impact test went well he would have Romine back for this weekend’s series in Boston.
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According to Girardi, the MRI exam of Boone Logan’s left elbow that was sent to Dr. James Andrews at the players’ request didn’t lead to Andrews finding anything different than the inflammation the Yankees’ unearthed over the weekend.
“I think everything is fine. I think he feels better,’’ Girardi said of Logan, who the manager didn’t believe was slated for session of catch Thursday. “It’s a little bit slower than the other guys but I think he feels fine.’’
Logan had a cortisone shot Saturday and hasn’t pitched since last Friday.
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During the course of a text messages between Alex Rodriguez and Girardi Thursday, the manager decided to use Rodriguez as the DH for the second straight game because the left hamstring problem he suffered running the bases Monday night hadn’t fully vanished.
“I asked him how he felt and he said he felt better. He didn’t tell me he felt great so I decided to DH him,’’ Girardi said of his No. 2 hitter who started Thursday night’s action on an 11-for-27 (.407) hot streak. “It was my decision. It’s something we have to watch a little bit.’’
Rodriguez finished Thursday’s game 0-for-2 with three walks.
The Red Sox are honoring Mariano Rivera before Sunday night’s game at Fenway Park since it will be the last time Rivera appears there in the regular season. No other reliever has worked more games in Fenway than Rivera.
“That should be interesting but I am sure he will get a lot of respect for what he has done in his career,’’ Girardi said. “And I thought I heard some cheers the last time he came into a game there. People appreciate what he has done.’’
Additional reporting by Ken Davidoff and Dan Martin