Alex Rodriguez is making progress in his return from knee surgery and could be back with the Yankees by the middle of next month, according to GM Brian Cashman.
The third baseman is in Miami, rehabbing from surgery on his right knee.
“He’s in a pool. He’s on a bike. [He’s] still got a little bit of a limp, which is normal,” Cashman said on ESPN last night. “But I’d be looking at him [returning] maybe the second week of August . . . at the earliest for me. That’s just us being conservative. I think we can push it and get him back sooner, but why? Our offense is strong.”
Rodriguez had the surgery on July 11 and was expected to miss 4-6 weeks. Cashman’s timeframe would have Rodriguez back on schedule.
In his absence, the Yankees have gone 8-6.
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Rafael Soriano could be headed back to The Bronx in the near future.
Soriano, rehabbing his inflamed right elbow, pitched the seventh inning for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre yesterday and allowed a solo homer. Soriano refused to talk with reporters after the game.
Barring any setbacks, he will pitch for Scranton again tonight and could rejoin the Yankees this week.
“We want to see him throwing the ball well and that his stuff is back,” Joe Girardi said before yesterday’s outing. “We have to see the quality of his stuff. That’s more important than the back-to-back.”
If all goes well and the Yankees like what they see, Girardi said there’s a “good chance” Soriano will be in the majors “fairly soon” after his next game.
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After homering on Saturday, Hideki Matsui had the second five-hit game of his career yesterday, with a pair of doubles and an RBI. Matsui also had five hits on July 22, 2007, while with the Yankees against Tampa Bay.
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Russell Martin had an adventurous day behind the plate.
After letting a throw from Nick Swisher get by him in the second to let a run score, Martin redeemed himself in the fifth. When Matsui doubled to center, Curtis Granderson raced it down and got it to Robinson Cano, who unleashed a high throw to Martin.
Martin leaped to catch it and was able to come down and tag Eric Sogard at the plate to keep the Yankees ahead, 3-2.
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Phil Hughes reported no problems from his bullpen session yesterday and admitted to being disappointed in his last outing, in which he didn’t make it through the fifth.
“I didn’t want this one so soon after I made some progress in Toronto,” Hughes said. “I put it behind me. I’ve had my fair share of bad starts. It’s not new to me or anybody.”
Additional reporting by Tim Bontemps in Moosic, Pa.
