Posada hopes to be back late this week

From the time he went on the disabled list with a hairline fracture in his right foot, Jorge Posada has painted an optimistic picture for his return.

He was at his most resolute Sunday, saying he hopes to return by the time the Yankees leave Thursday for Toronto, the start of a six-game trip, and maybe even before that.

"I don't think it needs three weeks," said Posada, who chafed at the original prognosis May 20 of three to four weeks.

Posada had the boot taken off Thursday, the same day he had an MRI that he said showed that "all the tendons and everything was good."

Posada, who was put on the DL retroactive to May 17, is eligible to come off the disabled list today. Before yesterday's game, Joe Girardi seemed to downplay the possibility that Posada will return so quickly. But after watching him hit on the field before the game, the first time the catcher had done so since being put on the DL, Girardi sounded more confident.

"He swung today, live BP, felt great," Girardi said after the game. "The next test to me is the running on the field , and if he's OK to do that, we could have a player fairly soon."

Mo movement

Yesterday's game ended with Mariano Rivera leaping into the air to dodge the shattered bat of Luis Valbuena, fielding the ball, and then throwing him out.

"I just jumped and made sure I grabbed the ball and not the bat," Rivera said, smiling.

"Mo is by far the best athlete on this team," Mark Teixeira said. "Anyone would tell you that."

Freak occurrence

Girardi said he hasn't discussed postgame celebrations with his team but that he will after seeing the Angels' Kendry Morales fracture his lower left leg while celebrating his walk-off grand slam Saturday.

Derek Jeter said Sunday morning that he wrenched an ankle when he jumped and came down on the plate after his walk-off home run in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series.

"I heard about that today," Girardi said. "That was the first time I had ever heard that."

Extra bases

RHP David Robertson, who left Saturday's game with a mild lower back strain, said he felt better Sunday, but he did not throw and is day-to-day . . . Chad Moeller stayed in after Valbuena was hit by a pitch and inadvertently stepped on the catcher's right hand with his spikes. "It could have been very bad," said Moeller, who had several marks on his hand . . . Nick Swisher said his right shoulder was a little "tight" after he crashed into the wall pursuing Jason Donald's seventh-inning triple.