TAMPA — Yankees catcher Russell Martin, coming off offseason surgery for a small tear in his right knee, will not be ready for Saturday’s spring training opener against Philadelphia.
“It’s still a little stiff. It’s not 100 percent yet,’’ Martin said Wednesday. “It’s not a setback. I will be ready for the regular season. They don’t want me to get ahead of myself and get set back.’’
Brian Cashman said he has no concerns about Martin’s status for the regular-season opener. Joe Girardi said he thinks Martin might miss three or four spring games.
“I don’t think he is quite ready to go and I am not going to rush him,’’ Girardi said. “I told him that I wanted to know when he was 100 percent because I don’t want a setback. If it was three or four days, that would be my hope. But if it takes more, it takes more.’’
Martin has been catching bullpens and batting practice, but has not started blocking balls in the dirt.
“As soon as I start blocking balls and going side to side I can go into a game,’’ said Martin, whose 2010 season ended on Aug. 3 due to a hip injury. “This not the hip, it’s the knee. From the first day to today the progress has been good.’’
The Yankees knew Martin required surgery when they signed him to a one-year, $4 million deal on Dec. 16 that has $400,000 in incentives for games played. He injured the knee working out before he signed.
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Manuel Banuelos and Dellin Betances threw batting practice on different fields and continued to impress.
“People are pleased with his presence and confidence,’’ Cashman said of the left-handed 19-year-old Banuelos who is ticketed for Trenton (Double-A). “It’s a lot like when El Duque (Orlando Hernandez) showed up. A lot of guys hadn’t seen him throw a pitch. (Joe) Torre and (Mel) Stottlemyre were like, ‘There is something about this guy.’ You hear that a lot about Banuelos.’’
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Spring training instructor Yogi Berra arrived in camp. … Mariano Rivera threw 30 pitches in his first bullpen session. … C Austin Romine, INF Eduardo Nunez and team vice president Billy Connors missed the workout due to illness. “We have it going around,” Girardi said. “It’s like a head cold and the throat.” Cashman said he was under the weather on Tuesday.
With AP
