TORONTO — Health before role.
That’s Yankees manager Joe Girardi’s philosophy when it comes to right-hander reliever Rafael Soriano’s return from the disabled list.
Soriano is scheduled to throw a third batting practice session tomorrow in Tampa, and if that goes well, the Yankees will decide where to send him on a minor-league rehab assignment.
When Soriano went on the disabled list May 17 with an inflamed right elbow he was Girardi’s eighth-inning arm.
With Soriano out and Joba Chamberlain gone for the season because of Tommy John surgery, David Robertson has filled the eighth-inning job well enough to be named an All-Star.
So, when Girardi was asked if Soriano jumps back into the eighth-inning spot when he comes off the disabled list, the manager said there is more to the process than where Soriano will or won’t pitch.
“Let’s get him healthy and throwing the ball the way he is supposed to,” Girardi said of Soriano, who didn’t pitch well before getting hurt and is being counted on to bolster a bullpen that has undergone several changes since he went down.
“We will make a determination about what is next [after tomorrow’s workout],” Girardi said. “Let’s get to the first [rehab] game and we will have a better idea.”
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The Yankees always are looking for bullpen help and the Blue Jays are said to be willing to listen to offers on all their relievers except for lefty Marc Rzepczynski.
Right-hander Jason Frasor could help, but the chances of the Blue Jays, who are said to want a lot in return for any of their arms, dealing with the Yankees are long.
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Andruw Jones was the DH against lefty Jo-Jo Reyes in last night’s 16-7 loss to the Blue Jays. It was Jones’ fifth start at DH.
Jones had four RBIs last night, hitting a solo home run in the third and a three-run shot in sixth. He is batting .211 (19-for-90) with six homers and 16 RBIs in 37 games (28 starts).
“There might be a day I put him in the outfield, too,” Girardi said of Jones, who has started 19 games in left field and four in right.
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Nick Swisher, who missed the previous two games because of a quadriceps problem, was back in the lineup, hitting fifth and playing right field.
Swisher went 1-for-5 and was robbed of an extra-base hit by left fielder Travis Snider who not only battled the wall to make the catch but center fielder Rajai Davis.
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The Yankees promoted right-handed hitting outfielder Greg Golson from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take Alex Rodriguez‘s spot on the roster. Rodriguez is on the DL after Monday’s right knee surgery.
“We are facing some lefties the next few days,” Girardi said of Reyes last night and Ricky Romero tomorrow.
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Starting last night the Yankees will play eight games in eight days on artificial turf.
“We have to be careful and check with them each day,” Girardi said of his players being exposed to Rogers Centre turf and the fake grass at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
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Looking for a second lefty reliever to go with Boone Logan, the Yankees signed veteran J.C. Romero yesterday and assigned him to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Romero, 34, was released earlier this season by the Phillies after working 24 games. He signed a minor league deal with Washington that had an opt-out clause by July 15. The Nationals took the decision out of Romero’s hands by releasing him from Syracuse.
The Yankees’ plan in spring training was for Pedro Feliciano, who signed a two-year deal worth $8 million, to be the left-handed specialist, but a rotator cuff strain surfaced during the exhibition season and he hasn’t thrown an inning. Feliciano’s rehab program was shut down last week and re-started Wednesday with light throwing, but it’s not likely that he will pitch this year.
Romero was effective against lefty hitters with the Phillies this season. They hit .208 (5-for-24) against him, but in 16 1/3 innings overall he allowed 16 hits and 12 walks. Four of those walks were issued to lefty swingers. Eight of his 10 strikeouts were against lefties.
Across the last three years, Romero has held left-handed hitters to a .174 (36-for-207) average.
Romero was suspended for 50 games before the 2009 season for the use of performance enhancing drugs.
