MINNEAPOLIS — Like other Yankees players and members of the organization, Derek Jeter was saddened Alfonso Soriano was designated for assignment Sunday and no longer part of the club.
“Soriano is like family to me,” Jeter said. “I have played with him a long time, when he first came up and when he came back. Sori has had a tremendous career here in New York and it was difficult for him this year. Not playing every day, it’s hard to be productive.
“I feel for him and I am going to miss him but I will be in touch with him. He is like a brother to me. He should be proud of what he was able to do.’’
Jeter’s three hits in the 9-7 win over the Twins pushed his career total to 3,400. He is the eighth player in MLB history to reach that number and the first since Pete Rose.
Letting Soriano go Sunday meant the Yankees played with 12 position players and 13 pitchers. Ideally, that’s one too many hurlers, but until the bullpen can be stabilized that’s the way Joe Girardi is going to play it.
“We have to get through our pitching first. We don’t plan on playing with 12 players the rest of the time, we will go day by day,’’ Girardi said.
Feeling a need for a pitcher rather than another outfielder, the Yankees promoted right-hander Bruce Billings from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
“We felt we needed more pitching today. If something happened to [Hiroki] Kuroda early we would be in a pickle,’’ Girardi said. “Our bullpen has been extremely taxed.’’
Billings, who appeared in one game for the Yankees this year and pitched an inning, made 12 starts for SWB and was 4-5 with a 5.22 ERA.
The Yankees will miss Target Field, where they are 14-4 all-time. Since the start of the 2007 season the Yankees are 41-18 overall against the Twins.
Girardi’s original lineup had Francisco Cervelli catching a third straight game but that hinged on Brian McCann’s batting-practice session.
McCann, who missed the previous two games with a sore left foot that bothered him when he pushed off and underwent an MRI exam and X-rays Saturday that were negative, came through batting practice OK and replaced Cervelli.
He contributed to the two-run first inning with an RBI double off the wall in left-center.
“It felt good today. I tested it in BP and it was good enough to go,’’ McCann said. “It shouldn’t be a problem.’’
The medical staff gave the problem a name, but McCann couldn’t remember it.
“It’s between the first and second toes midway through the foot,’’ he said.
There are a lot of perks that come with managing the Yankees but it’s not without dark moments as well, and two surfaced Sunday when Girardi had to tell Soriano he was designated for assignment and Vidal Nuno he was traded to Arizona.
“It’s the worst, I hate it,’’ Girardi said of having to deliver news like that to players.
Girardi said he thought Soriano was surprised by the move but handled it well.
“I am sure it’s extremely disappointing but Sori always handles everything with class and respect and that’s what he did,’’ Girardi said.