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OAKLAND, Calif. — Russell Martin, who was in Joe Girardi’s original lineup yesterday, was scratched during batting practice because of lingering soreness in his left big toe.
Francisco Cervelli caught Bartolo Colon’s four-hit complete-game in the Yankees’ 5-0 win over the Athletics while Martin, who fouled a ball off the toe in the third inning Saturday night in Seattle, missed a second straight game.
“He didn’t look like he was walking great,” Girardi said of Martin, who was on the field for the stretching program, but didn’t take batting practice. “We will shoot for [tonight].”
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Hitting coach Kevin Long can’t take a bat to the plate for his hitters, but that doesn’t make it any easier on him when they struggle.
“When you put in the time and effort and don’t get the results it affects you,” said Long, who is trying to get Jorge Posada (.169 after an 0-for-4 game) and Nick Swisher (.212, 1-for-3) out of season-long slumps.
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Phil Hughes‘ rehab program calls for him to throw a bullpen session tomorrow and pitch batting practice this weekend in Anaheim. However, there is no concrete date for the right-hander to go on a minor league rehab assignment.
When will Girardi begin to get excited about Hughes’ possible return?
“When he gets to the point where he goes on a rehab and makes multiple starts,” Girardi said. “I really don’t have a date.”
Which means there is no telling when Hughes will be ready to rejoin the rotation.
“Realistically, sometime in June,” Girardi said of Hughes, who hasn’t pitched since April 14 due to right shoulder inflammation.
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Sixteen years to the day after recording his first big league hit off Seattle’s Tim Belcher, Derek Jeter opened yesterday’s game with a sharp single to center field for his 2,981st.
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Look for Andruw Jones somewhere in the lineup tonight and tomorrow, because the A’s are starting lefties Brett Anderson and Gio Gonzalez.
Jones, who has driven in seven runs in his past two starts, is hitting .268 (11-for-41) with four home runs and 10 RBIs against lefties and .143 (2-for-14) without a homer and an RBI versus right-handers.
Posada, who likely won’t be in the lineup as the designated hitter in either game, has one hit in his last 17 at-bats.
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Alex Rodriguez went 0-for-3, ending a nine-game hitting streak. . . . Brett Gardner stopped a 0-for-13 slide with a ninth-inning bunt single.