ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Yankees played their 130th game of the season yesterday and Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter haven’t been on the field at the same time other than doing rehab together in Tampa.
“It’s been a long time,” Rodriguez said before yesterday’s 3-2, 11-inning win over the Rays. “Way too long.”
That could change tonight in Toronto, where Jeter will meet the team and both players are rested.
Manager Joe Girardi said he kept Rodriguez out of yesterday’s starting lineup because the Yankees are in the midst of playing six straight games on less forgiving artificial turf.
The manager will have more challenges when Jeter returns, but Girardi is hoping for the best.
“He’s played three days in a row,” Girardi said of Jeter, who played in three games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after being sidelined since Aug. 2 because of a strained right calf. “From everything I understand, he felt pretty good.”
The same could be said of the shortstop’s previous rehab assignments, so it would only be natural to be apprehensive as Jeter makes yet another return.
“I don’t know if we can afford to be apprehensive,” Girardi said of the Yankees’ long odds of making the postseason.
And he’s not worried about either player trying to do too much down the stretch.
“These aren’t young guys,” Girardi said. “They know what they’ve been through. The focus here is to get to the playoffs, not numbers.”
Before his pinch hit single in the 10th yesterday, Rodriguez had just one hit in 15 at-bats, giving his statement Wednesday that he was “shutting it down” a whole different meaning.
With the Yankees struggling to stay in contention, they’ll need help from the aging left side of the infield.
Despite the limited range of Rodriguez and Jeter, Girardi plans to use the two together.
“Hopefully a lot,” Girardi said. “We’ll see how they’re doing. There is no schedule for them the next 33 games for each guy… We need these guys to play.”
And play well.
Girardi said he will monitor both veterans’ playing time.
“Partly because of age, you try to manage them carefully,” Girardi said. “You can run them into the ground and they’re not productive when they’re playing.”
Rodriguez, who was doubled off second on a liner back to the pitcher following his single, is confident both he and Jeter will help the Yankees.
“You could see the lift he’s given the team in the times he’s come back,” Rodriguez said of Jeter. “We’ll definitely welcome his leadership.”
The 39-year-old Jeter is hitting .211 in 21 plate appearances after leading the league in hits in 2012.
As for his own recent struggles, Rodriguez said he remains a work in progress.
“I’m still getting acclimated at the plate,” Rodriguez said. “I’m trying to let the ball travel a little bit more, which is the exact opposite of what I did last year. Back then I was going after everything.”
