Jeter gets day off to help finger heal

CHICAGO -- Joe Girardi did his due diligence Monday, asking Derek Jeter how his finger felt. Jeter said fine. The manager said take the night off.

Jeter, who left Sunday's game after getting hit by a pitch on the knuckle of his right middle finger -- a day after a grounder grazed the tip of the same finger -- said it felt much better Monday than it did Sunday, though it still was sore.

"An extra day could help, but I can play," said Jeter, who didn't try to talk his way into the lineup but expects to play Tuesday night. "To get hit twice in the same finger, I don't know how it happened. That's what made it difficult."

Girardi did not allow Jeter to do any pregame work beyond stretching. "If I'm going to give him a day somewhere on this trip, today's the day to do it, just because he was sore yesterday and we had to bring him out of the game," Girardi said. "It just gives it a better chance to heal. I expect to have him tomorrow."

A-Rod getting there

Alex Rodriguez, who had arthroscopic knee surgery July 11, will report to Tampa Wednesday and work out Thursday.

"We've always said it's four to five weeks, maybe a little bit more than that," Girardi said. "The fact he's going to start doing baseball activities Thursday is a great sign . . . He hasn't said anything about feeling any pain. I'm sure if he's had some, he would have mentioned it."

Montero stays put

Brian Cashman said not to make too much of a Trenton Times report saying catcher Jesus Montero will be promoted to the Yankees in the "very near future." "Anybody could be promoted in the very near future," he said. "All those guys down there are fighting to get promoted . . . He's not getting promoted today, I can tell you that."