TAMPA – Six days from now, Alex Rodriguez says the plan is to finally put the disabled list in the past and rejoin the Yankees’ season.
The new projection for the superstar’s much-awaited comeback is Tuesday night against Baltimore in The Bronx, according to Rodriguez, assuming the rehab for his strained right quad doesn’t suffer any interruptions.
“I think we’re aiming for Tuesday, at home, after the [Monday] day off,” Rodriguez said yesterday morning at the Yankees’ minor league complex in Tampa.
Rodriguez had an MRI exam two days ago, but that didn’t clear him to begin playing rehab games. Instead, Rodriguez said the test revealed his Grade 2 strain literally is half as bad as it initially was – it’s now classified as a Grade 1.
To make it back on Tuesday, Rodriguez needs to play in rehab games before then. He speculated he could do so this weekend, but that’s only speculation.
“I have no idea,” he said.
Rodriguez said he will continue rehabbing in Tampa for now. The Yankees were set to play last night without A-Rod for the three remaining games in the series vs. the Rays, and he will also miss the three-game Subway Series set this weekend in The Bronx.
Rodriguez hasn’t played since April 28 in Cleveland. The Yankees are 5-8 without him and are 1-4 against lefty pitchers.
“You can’t do anything but just cheer and support,” Rodriguez said later yesterday at Tropicana Field. “It’s hard to watch.”
Additional reporting by George King.