MLB

Robertson won’t be going Tiger hunting

OAKLAND, Calif. — There was a time last week when it appeared David Robertson had a chance to come off the disabled list next weekend against the Tigers.

However, with the right-handed reliever reporting to the Yankees’ minor league complex in Tampa on Thursday to start a throwing program that will be followed by minor league rehab games, Detroit isn’t a destination for Robertson.

“Not at all,’’ general manager Brian Cashman said.

Robertson hasn’t pitched since May 11 due to a left rib cage problem.

According to manager Joe Girardi, Brett Gardner will swing a bat Monday to test the strained right elbow that has kept him out since April 17.

“We will know more Monday,’’ Girardi said.

Asked if Alex Rodriguez’s two home runs Wednesday against the Royals would spark his third baseman, Girardi went further.

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“Hopefully it sparks everybody,’’ Girardi said before last night’s 6-3 victory against the Athletics, in which the Yankees hit three homers. “We are a much better hitting club than we hit in the month of May.’’

In 22 games this month, the Yankees are batting .258 (197-for-763).

Girardi doesn’t know how long pitching prospect Manuel Banuelos will be sidelined, but he was relieved the ligament in his left (pitching) elbow doesn’t require surgery.

“You hear ligament and it’s a red flag, you think Tommy John [surgery],’’ Girardi said. “The ligament checked out fine.’’

This is the second time this season Banuelos has been on the DL for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The previous trip was for a rib cage problem. In six games, he is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA.

After hitting Mark Teixeira third for the fourth time Wednesday, Girardi had him batting fifth last night. It was the 34th time the switch-hitting first baseman batted in that spot, and it paid off as he slugged a two-run homer in the Yankees’ three-run third inning, his sixth homer of the season and fifth on the road.

Teixeira is still bothered by a bronchial condition that has been around since early April but, according to Girardi, doesn’t want any more time off. He didn’t start three games last weekend at home.

“It’s more manageable for him,’’ Girardi said of the cough. “It’s hard to give a 35 homer, 110 RBI guy time off. He doesn’t want time off, he wants to play. Right know we are going to play him.’’

Teixeira is hitting .231 with 23 RBIs in 42 games.

Russell Martin is batting an anemic .177 (20-for-114) after going 1-for-4 last night, but Girardi said he has spotted signs the catcher could be close to breaking out of the season-long slump.

“He has run into bad luck,’’ Girardi said.

After watching him throw in Tampa, the Yankees have signed right-hander John Maine to a minor league contract and he will work in the extended spring training program.

Maine, 31, hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2010 due to right shoulder problems. He was 39-32 in five seasons with the Mets and was in camp with the Red Sox this spring.

Last night was Eric Chavez’s first trip back to the Coliseum, where he spent 13 seasons with the A’s. Last season, he was injured when the Yankees visited the East Bay.

“I will keep my head down and do my job,’’ Chavez, whose brother, Casey Chavez, is the A’s bullpen catcher, said before the game.

Chavez, who went 0-for-3 with a walk last night, was booed by the Oakland crowd.

“I was asked about it when Jason [Giambi] got booed and I said, ‘He is a Yankee.’ What do you expect?” Chavez said. “It was the same thing. I wrote the manual. It was very cool and very different but it was nice to be back.’’

As is their custom, the Yankees optional batting practice yesterday at the Coliseum was well attended.

Among those working out were Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Nick Swisher and Martin.

A’s lefty Tommy Milone will start tomorrow. The Yankees have never faced him. Milone is the ninth pitcher this season to never have pitched against the Yankees and fourth in a 10-game stretch from May 17-21. The Yankees are 4-4 this year in games against pitchers they have never seen.

Former Yankee Bartolo Colon starts today for the A’s. He is the third former Yankees starter to face his old club this season. Carl Pavano and Hector Noesi are the other two.

The Yankees have scored at least five runs in each of their last five games against Colon and lost just three times in their last nine games in which he was the opposing starter (since 2001).

Jeter started last night’s action with an AL-leading 64 hits, but went 0-for-5 with three strike outs. That was five less than former Yankee Melky Cabrera’s MLB-leading 69 for the Giants.

Jeter had hit safely in 14 of his last 16 games and 36 of 43 overall in 2012.