Carlos Beltran heads to Tampa for extended spring training games

Carlos Beltran is one step closer to avoiding a surgery that a few weeks ago seemed inevitable.

The rightfielder got through another round of on-field batting practice before Sunday's game without feeling pain in his right elbow and headed for Tampa soon after that.

General manager Brian Cashman said the plan is for Beltran to play in extended spring training games Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Cashman would not say if Beltran, on the disabled list since May 13 with a bone spur in his right elbow, could be back on the roster by the end of the week.

"We'll see," he said. "Let him get through this."

Cashman remains cautious but has been encouraged by Beltran's steady progress through batting practice each day this weekend.

"He's giving us more hope each day as he clears each hurdle," Cashman said.

Pineda sidelinedMichael Pineda (strained teres major), on the verge of beginning to pitch in rehab games, suffered a setback Tuesday with some soreness during an extended spring training start. Joe Girardi said the righthander is likely to be sidelined at least 10 days and "maybe a little more" before he throws again, but Pineda is not concerned.

"It's a little bit," he said of the pain. "I'm not worried."

Still Cervelli's jobFrancisco Cervelli, on the disabled list since April 14 with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, is eligible to return in mid-June. He is "pretty close" to playing in rehab games, Girardi said.

Although rookie catcher John Ryan Murphy has played well, when Cervelli returns to the Yankees, he will have his old job back as Brian McCann's backup. "I plan on him being back here," Girardi said. "Hopefully, the decision is not easy for me. But Cervy was playing extremely well and gives us a lot of flexibility."