Cashman says A-Rod will test thumb first
Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees dives safely into third base in the fourth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. (Sept. 7, 2011) Credit: Jim McIsaac
TORONTO -- The target date for Alex Rodriguez's return is Friday night against the Blue Jays, but the third baseman will test his sprained left thumb in batting practice before the game.
From there, general manager Brian Cashman said by phone Thursday, it will be up to A-Rod.
"I talked to Alex today and said, 'You need to be honest with us,' " Cashman said. "I told him, 'If you need more time you need to let us know.' "
Rodriguez has not played since last Friday's game in Anaheim because of nagging pain in the thumb, injured in his first game back from the disabled list, Aug. 21 in Minneapolis. Speaking before Wednesday's game in Seattle, Rodriguez repeated what he'd said the previous weekend in Anaheim: The pain likely isn't going to go away the rest of the season.
"It's not going to feel 100 percent," he said. "You have to play through it."
The key, Cashman said, is getting the thumb to where A-Rod can at least play with it and be productive, and if that means some more time off so be it.
"We're just trying to close the gap, from wherever he is, to what is 100 percent," Cashman said. "We're all trying to figure out the best course of action. But he will control the most important aspect of this, which is [telling us] how his body feels."
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