MINNEAPOLIS — Look for Alex Rodriguez in the Yankees’ lineup hitting fourth today against the Twins at Target Field.
“The only way I wouldn’t play him is if he says, ‘I don’t feel good,’ ” manager Joe Girardi said of Rodriguez, who worked out for a third straight afternoon yesterday. “It’s very possible he could be a player for us.”
Unless Rodriguez suffers some type of off-the-field injury he will play.
“My mouth is watering, I am ready to play,” said Rodriguez, who hasn’t played since July 7 and underwent arthroscopic right knee surgery July 11. “I have watched enough baseball.”
Asked if Girardi would ease Rodriguez in as the designated hitter against right-hander Nick Blackburn, Girardi left open the option of using him there or at third base. Rodriguez would prefer the latter.
“I am not the manager but hopefully third base,” said Rodriguez, who is hitting .295 with 13 homers and 52 RBIs.
His streak of hitting at least 30 homers and driving in 100 or more runs for the last 14 seasons is in jeopardy.
Rodriguez, who the Yankees are 25-13 without after last night’s 9-4 loss to the Twins, proved his batting practice stroke was fine by launching numerous balls into the upper deck. He was also encouraged by running first to third and taking ground balls.
“I am not as winded and I am pretty much ready to go,” Rodriguez said. [Strength coach] Dana [Cavalea] put me through extensive workouts.”
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To make room for Rodriguez on the 25-man roster the Yankees are likely to send a pitcher out.
That could mean long reliever Hector Noesi, who pitched one scoreless inning last night and struck out two, is sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre until rosters expand Sept. 1.
Lefty Aaron Laffey, who was claimed on waivers from Seattle on Friday and worked three innings last night, has options.
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The Yankees will start CC Sabathia Wednesday against the A’s and then the ace will pitch against the Orioles next Monday.
That means Sabathia won’t face the Red Sox in any of the three games at Fenway Park Aug. 30-31 and Sept. 1. Sabathia is 0-4 with a 7.20 ERA in four starts against the Red Sox this season.
Bartolo Colon will start Tuesday against the A’s at Yankee Stadium.
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Derek Jeter remained four hits shy of tying Rod Carew for 22nd on the all-time hit list, going 0-for-2 with a walk in last night’s loss. Carew finished his career with 3,053 hits.
Since coming off the disabled list on July 4, Jeter is batting .342 (55-for-161) in 39 games and raised his average from .256 to .291.
In addition, Jeter was hitting .172 (11-for-64) with runners in scoring position when he went on the DL. He is at .241 after going 15-for-44 (.341) in the clutch.
Across Jeter’s past 13 games he is 6-for-13 (.462) with seven RBIs with runners in scoring position.
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Robinson Cano went 1-for-3 and extended his hitting streak to 12 games. He is hitting batting .373 (19-for-51) during those games.
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Add lefty reliever Laffey to the latest player to join the Yankees and admit it’s a dream come true to play for the team he rooted for growing up.
“Don Mattingly is my favorite player of all time,” said Laffey, whose dad, Steve, raised the pitcher as a Yankee fan in Cumberland, Md.
Laffey isn’t considered a lefty specialist and understands he will have to pitch better than he has lately to stick in the bullpen.
Laffey, 26, was 1-1 with a 1.87 ERA in 27 appearances before the All-Star break and gave up 12 earned runs in nine innings in nine games after the break.
“The first half I was throwing every couple of days,” Laffey said. “I am looking forward to getting here and getting back into the rhythm.”
In three innings last night Laffey gave up two runs and five hits.
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A career .286 hitter batting .251 in August at the age of 31 isn’t right especially because Mark Teixeira is healthy beyond the general fatigue and aches that surface late in the season.
“I’d love to be hitting for a higher average,” Teixeira says. “But if I drive in a lot of runs . . .”
The switch-hitting first baseman who has been batting third and fourth with Rodriguez out went 0 for 2 with a walk in last night’s loss to the Twins. On Friday, he drove in three drove and reached 1,000 career RBIs.
That tied him with Darryl Strawberry for 270th on the all-time list that Hank Aaron tops with 2,297.
“I almost can’t believe it,” the nine-year veteran said. “You play every game and every year it’s a grind and it’s never easy. Then you see 1,000 RBIs in nine years and you say, ‘I am doing all right.’ Hopefully there are more to come.”