Sore wrist keeps Brett Gardner out of lineup
New York Yankees leftfielder Brett Gardner reacts after he is hit by a pitch by Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Brett Cecil in the eighth inning of a game at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, April 8, 2015. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Brett Gardner sat Tuesday night with a "sore'' right wrist, and the leftfielder isn't scheduled to be back in the lineup until this weekend's series in St. Petersburg, Florida, against the Rays.
"My hope was we would get him back on Friday,'' said Joe Girardi, who didn't rule out using Gardner as a pinch runner before then.
Gardner was hit on the wrist in the first inning Monday night, about a "half-inch'' away, he said, from the spot he was hit last Wednesday against Toronto. "We're fortunate that the X-rays came back negative,'' Girardi said.
Gardner was in the trainer's room getting treatment before the game.
A-Rod's rest
For the first time in eight games, Alex Rodriguez did not start. "He's started every game,'' Girardi said, "so I thought it would be best to give him today.''
A-Rod pinch hit with two outs in the ninth and grounded to short. He's hitting .240 with a homer, six RBIs and 11 strikeouts in 25 at-bats.
Beltran starts slowly
Carlos Beltran entered the game at .143 with a .167 OBP, no homers and three RBIs.
"There's a lot of hitters in the same position that he is, and you don't make too much of it,'' Girardi said. "We know he's a much better hitter than he's shown. But there's a couple hitters in the lineup you need to get going, and we have to get him going.''
Extra bases
Ivan Nova threw 20 pitches in live batting practice at the minor-league complex in Tampa, the first time he faced hitters since Tommy John surgery last April. Nova is slated to throw BP again Friday . . . Infielder Jose Pirela (concussion) took batting practice, ran the bases and took grounders in Tampa.
