Derek Jeter was busy before the Yankees’ 11-3 win over the Angels Wednesday night, but manager Joe Girardi said there wasn’t a definitive plan for the shortstop who is on the disabled list with a strained right calf.
Jeter would “take BP [Wednesday] and go to Tampa when we go to Boston,’’ said Girardi, whose club leaves for Boston tonight and opens a three-game series against the Red Sox Friday night at Fenway Park. “He will start increasing his baseball activities. We will go day by day and see where he is at.’’
Jeter hit in the indoor cage off batting coach Kevin Long. He then hit on the field against bench coach Tony Pena. That was followed by fielding ground balls at short, and the program ended with sprints run in the outfield, during which he didn’t look hampered.
Jeter, who has played in five games this season because of a pair of fractured bones in the left foot and a Grade 1 strain of the right quadriceps, is eligible to come off the DL Sunday in Boston. Nevertheless, that appears to be a long shot at this point.
Jeter’s last game was Aug. 2 in San Diego when the right leg didn’t look stable.
The Yankees haven’t said Jeter definitely would require a minor league rehab game or two before returning but that is a strong possibility.
PHOTOS: POST COVERS A-ROD THROUGH THE YEARS
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Starting with Friday night’s game against the Red Sox, 33 of the Yankees’ final 44 games will be against the AL East.
Because the Red Sox are 8 1/2 games ahead of the fourth-place Yankees in the AL East, chasing the Red Sox down is a long shot. Nevertheless, the Yankees have nine games against their bitter rival.
The Yankees are 5 1/2 games behind the Rays for the second and final wild card spot. The Yankees and Rays have a half-dozen games against each other.
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Chris Stewart had ice on his knee following the game, the result of sliding into home plate in the second inning. Stewart, who delivered a two-run single in the seventh, said he was fine.
The Yankees have won consecutive series for the first time since July 1-4 against the Twins and July 5-7 versus the Orioles.
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The Angels dropped their 14th game in the last 19 and are 10-21 in the last 31.
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Travis Hafner said he is confident he will play again this season, but the left-handed hitting DH doesn’t have a date.
“I would say not until September,’’ said Hafner who last played on July 26 because of a strained right rotator cuff and hasn’t started to swing a bat.
“Basically just continuing to rehab until it’s strong enough to start swinging a bat,’’ Hafner said. “It’s improving every day, so that’s encouraging. Just doing shoulder exercises.’’
Hafner batted .205 with 12 homers and 37 RBIs in 81 games but 10 of those homers were hit by June 5.
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Girardi was annoyed that three foul balls weren’t caught in Tuesday night’s 14-7 victory.
Asked yesterday if he spoke to his club following the flubs, Girardi said, “If I did, I wouldn’t tell you. Stuff in our clubhouse stays there.’’