Kuroda feeling better; will he start Wednesday?

Hiroki Kuroda said he felt much better Saturday than he did Friday, but the status of his next start still is in question.

"I was concerned going to bed last night. I'm less concerned now after seeing him in the training room,'' GM Brian Cashman said. "He feels good.''

Still, the pitcher had his left foot, hit by Daniel Murphy's line drive in the seventh inning Friday night, heavily wrapped. He was not walking with crutches, as had been the case after Friday's game.

"It's better than it was yesterday,'' said Kuroda, who has some bruising on the foot. "I plan on making my next start.''

Kuroda, whose next turn is Wednesday in Atlanta, said he plans to throw his scheduled bullpen session Sunday.

"If I feel something still, then I'll throw it the day after,'' Kuroda said.

Joe Girardi said there's no rush to make a decision.

"He's walking around today,'' he said. "I don't think we'll know for a couple of days where we're at with that. There's some bruising there on his heel. We'll have to see how he feels the next couple of days and if he's able to do his work.''

Encouraged by Joba

While not making any guarantees, Cashman said "it's possible'' Joba Chamberlain will pitch for the Yankees this season, which seemed nearly impossible after the reliever suffered an open dislocation of his right ankle March 22 in a trampoline accident.

"He's always Superman,'' Cashman said. "He gets hurt -- unfortunately, that's happened in his career -- but he heals a lot quicker than the time frame. He breaks down and he's a superhuman healer guy.''

Chamberlain threw a 25-pitch bullpen session Friday in Tampa and, even more important, ran sprints in the outfield.

"If he can get through steps like that on a consistent basis, that's a great sign,'' Cashman said. "He's clearing all the hurdles so far but he's got more hurdles to go.''

Aardsma also progressing

David Aardsma, signed Feb. 22 with an eye toward next season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery, threw his third batting practice Friday. Said Cashman, "I don't want to set a timetable on it, but obviously he's in batting practice, which is the last thing you do before putting him in rehab games.''