After playing two games since coming off the disabled list, Alex Rodriguez gets a day off and is not in the Yankees starting lineup tonight against the Orioles at the Stadium.

Joe Girardi said he wants to be cautious with the third baseman.

“Could I have run him through four days?” Girardi asked. “We could have thought about it, but I didn’t think it was a good idea.”

The manager also did not want to sit him in Wednesdays finale with the Orioles with an off-day scheduled for Thursday. As much as Girardi wants to rest Rodriguez’s calf, he also wants his cleanup hitter to find a rhythm at the plate.

Girardi said Rodriguez will play Wednesday.

Rodriguez said he begged Girardi to play, but could not win that argument.

“I wish I could play,” Rodriguez said. :”I pleaded my case long and hard last night, again this morning, again this afternoon and I went 0-for-3.”

Rodriguez on Monday reached 100 RBIs for the 14th season, a major-league record.

Ramiro Pena is the third baseman.

Tonight’s lineup:

Gardner CF

Jeter SS

Teixeira 1B

Cano 2B

Swisher RF

Berkman DH

Posada C

Granderson CF

Pena 3B

Sabathia P