OAKLAND — Chris Stewart started behind the plate yesterday for the second straight game because Yankees catcher Russell Martin’s stiff neck hadn’t improved from Saturday.
“It was bad [Saturday] but better [yesterday],’’ manager Joe Girardi said. “I am hoping he is back by [tonight].’’
Martin, who suffered the injury lifting weights Saturday, is hoping to play tonight against the Angels in Anaheim.
“I think so, we will see,’’ Martin said. “I have more range of motion already.’’
Martin wasn’t going to start Saturday because Stewart has evolved into CC Sabathia’s regular catcher even though Girardi refuses to label Stewart as Sabathia’s “personal catcher.’’ Stewart has handled Sabathia in the last seven starts.
Acquired from the Giants at the end of spring training because of his defensive skills, Stewart has been charged with five passed balls in the last five of his 13 games (12 starts). Only Toronto’s J.P. Arencibia (six) has more.
“He is usually sure-handed,’’ Girardi said of Stewart, who went 0-for-4 in yesterday’s 2-0 win over the Athletics. “Sometimes things happen. I wouldn’t expect it to continue because he is sure-handed. And he is catching a new staff.’’
As for Martin hitting .177, Girardi, as usual, said he believed the catcher was on the verge of breaking out of a two-month slump. Only nine major league hitters had a worse batting average than Martin going into yesterday’s action.
“He has hit some balls hard,’’ Girardi said. “Russell’s at-bats are getting better. I see good things coming.’’
Brett Gardner will test his strained right elbow by swinging a bat in Tampa today. … David Robertson will throw to gauge his recovery from a left rib cage injury.
Phil Hughes will start tonight against the Angels, his second time starting in a ballpark which he grew up near and where he watched games.
Hughes, who was raised 10 minutes away from Angel Stadium, last started against the Angels on the road on Aug. 20, 2007, his first year in the majors.
“I didn’t do very well,’’ Hughes said, recalling the 6 ¹/₃-inning outing in which he gave up five runs, four hits, walked five and did not get a decision in a 7-6 Yankees loss.
Hughes has made three appearances at Angel Stadium and is 1-0 with a 4.82 ERA. He also pitched one-third of an inning for the AL in the 2010 All-Star Game there and was the losing pitcher after giving up two hits and two runs. “I always tried to go [to Angel Stadium] when the Red Sox were in town,’’ Hughes said. “It was fun. We didn’t go out there often, so it was special.’’
Hughes estimated he will buy “no more than 20’’ tickets for family and friends tonight.
Just as Robinson Cano got hot, it was only a matter of time before Albert Pujols found a groove at the plate. Unfortunately, the Yankees will have to handle a hot Pujols, who has homered in six of his last 12 games. He has seven homers and 26 RBIs on the season, though he’s batting just .227.
“You have to be careful about when you attack and when you don’t,’’ Girardi said of pitching to Pujols. “He is hitting the way he is capable of hitting, and not just fastballs.’’
Pujols went 4-for-14 (.286) in a three-game series at Yankee Stadium in mid-April. Three of the four hits were singles, the other was a double. He drove in two runs.
“He wasn’t swinging the bat great, he was swinging through more pitches than I remember seeing him,’’ Girardi said.
After hitting .217 (20-for-98) in April without a homer and just four RBIs, Pujols is 24-for-102 (.235) with seven homers and 22 RBIs in May.
Even though Thursday is an off day, Girardi isn’t going to tinker with his starting rotation for the upcoming weekend series in Detroit.
“I haven’t looked that far ahead but we will probably stay in rotation,’’ Girardi said.
That means Sabathia will start Friday against the Tigers and will be followed by Hiroki Kuroda, who got the win with eight shutout innings yesterday, and Hughes.
June 4 is also dark, so Girardi might get a chance to juggle his rotation for a three-game series with the Rays at Yankee Stadium from June 5-7.
