CLEVELAND — Yankees manager Joe Girardi has Derek Jeter atop the lineup for Wednesday night’s game against the Indians at Progressive Field.
Following Tuesday night’s 9-2 win, Girardi said he needed a night to sleep on the decision whether to rest Jeter, who is four hits shy of 3,000, or play the shortstop.
At 2:30 p.m. the Yankees confirmed via email that the manager decided to play Jeter.
Jeter, who is 2-for-10 (.200) with both hits coming Tuesday night in two games back from the disabled list, where he spent three weeks with a strained right calf, is 5-for-12 (.417) against Indians starter Justin Masterson.
Girardi said Tuesday night that the decision was entirely his when to play Jeter. Not playing Jeter would have meant that the shortstop would need four hits in the four-game series against the Rays at home to reach 3,000 in The Bronx. He would become the 28th player in history to get the number at home. After the Rays comes the All-Star break followed by an eight-game road trip to Toronto and Tampa Bay.
With Jeter in the lineup, he has five games to get the four hits. However, Girardi said Tuesday night that he plans to give Jeter a day off before the All-Star break hits Sunday night.
Here’s the full lineup:
Jeter SS
Granderson CF
Teixieira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Swisher RF
Posada DH
Gardner LF
Martin C
Hughes P
