Another foul tip sent Jorge Posada to the trainer’s room yesterday.
The Yankees catcher left the game in the seventh inning when a Fred Lewis foul tip hit his glove hand and sprained his left ring finger. Posada said this is the fourth year in a row he has injured the top knuckle on the finger.
X-rays showed no break, and he will be reevaluated today.
“We’ll see how it feels,” Posada said. “Obviously it’s painful right now. I’ve just got to keep on icing it and keep an eye on it.”
Manager Joe Girardi said Posada will not catch tonight in Oakland.
It has been an injury-filled first half for Posada, who went to the disabled list in May with a broken bone in his right foot that also came on a foul tip. He also has had calf and knee issues.
“It’s frustrating,” he said. “Once I’m feeling good at the plate and getting comfortable there something happens. I just hope that it doesn’t keep me out too long. I just want to be out there.”
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Third-base coach Rob Thomson had a rough day as three Yankees were thrown out at home. The only one that bothered him was the first, when he sent Nick Swisher from first to home on a Mark Teixeira double to center. DeWayne Wise and Alex Gonzalez made two beautiful relay throws and catcher Jose Molina blocked the plate to get Swisher.
“If I could take one back, that’s the one I would want to take back,” Thomson said. “I did think he was going to score and I made a mistake. Give them credit — they made two perfect throws from 408 feet away. You tip your cap and move on.”
Someone pointed out that it was George Steinbrenner’s birthday. In the old days, Thomson’s job might have been in jeopardy.
“I’m sure I would hear from him,” Thomson said.
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The Yankees’ 50-31 mark is their best record at the halfway point since 2004. . . . Teixeira (3-for-4) is batting .322 in his last 24 games. He had the game-tying hit Saturday and the go-ahead hit yesterday before the Jays came back in the ninth. . . . Curtis Granderson had a brutal day. He went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts.
Chad Huffman was sent back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make room on the roster for Marcus Thames. . . . Nick Johnson is in Tampa to begin his rehabilitation work. He is expected to hit off a tee, but is still a few weeks away from playing in a game. . . . A sign of the respect for Robinson Cano came in the seventh inning when he was intentionally walked. It was the sixth time he has received an intentional pass this season, a new career high.