ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — By the weekend he could lose his starting job. Two or three days later his roster spot might vanish.
Despite being one of the main cogs in the Yankees’ strong start who played a colossal role in yesterday’s 4-3 win over the Rays in 11 innings that was witnessed by a Tropicana Field crowd of 25,874, that’s where Lyle Overbay finds himself.
As hard as it may be to swallow, Overbay is going to be severely impacted when regular first baseman Mark Teixeira and corner infielder Kevin Youkilis come off the disabled list. Teixeira, a switch-hitter, could be activated Friday or Saturday; Youkilis early next week.
“I want him back,’’ Overbay said of Teixeira. “He will give us a good chance [to win]. Hopefully, I can co-exist with him.’’
That remains to be seen because Overbay and Teixeira are strictly first baseman. Youkilis plays third and first, and designated hitter Travis Hafner doesn’t have a glove. That’s four players with very little position flexibility.
“I am trying to enjoy this and give my undivided attention to this,’’ said Overbay, whose two-out, bases empty homer off Josh Lueke lifted the Yankees to a second straight victory in a ballpark they had lost 20 of the previous 31 games before Friday night. “It will come down to numbers. We will see.’’
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Not only did Overbay’s eighth homer and 28th RBI provide Mariano Rivera with a one-run lead he protected for his 18th save in as many attempts, Overbay drew a two-out, bases-empty walk from Fernando Rodney that sparked a two-run rally that tied the score, 3-3.
“I was missing the fastball all day, and I got on top of that one instead of being late,’’ Overbay said of Lueke’s 95-mph heater he slugged deep into the right-field seats.
Overbay’s walk was followed by a Rodney balk and Brennan Boesch, recalled late Friday night from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre when Curtis Granderson fractured a knuckle on the left pinky, delivered an opposite-field, run-scoring double to left that pulled the Yankees to within a run. Brett Gardner’s soft single to center plated Boesch and the score was tied, 3-3.
“To time Rodney is difficult,’’ Boesch said. “He throws 99 and has a trick change-up. You expect the change-up, but at the same time he throws 99.’’
Asked to pitch in relief for the first time since 2011, Ivan Nova loaded the bases with one out in the 10th, but fanned James Loney with a filthy slider and got Matt Joyce to bounce out.
“I got to take [Loney] out and give us a chance to win,’’ Nova said of his mindset.
Nova was activated off the disabled list Friday and put in the pen after being a starter for most of his brief big league career.
The game wouldn’t have gotten to extra innings if not for Ichiro Suzuki’s sliding catch in right field in the ninth.
David Robertson walked Joyce to start the frame and he was bunted to second. Yunel Escobar followed with a laser to right that Suzuki gloved for the second out. Robertson then fanned Desmond Jennings looking.
The ninth-inning rally didn’t let starter Vidal Nuno’s solid effort be flushed. In his second big league start the crafty lefty was matched against Matt Moore and competed very well.
In six-plus innings he allowed two runs and five hits.
Nevertheless, with Nova active and Andy Pettitte expected to come off the DL possibly as early as this weekend, Nuno’s roster spot is in jeopardy.
That move will be easy. The same can’t be said about Overbay’s situation because the team Teixeira and Youkilis will rejoin wouldn’t be where it is if not for him.