Yankees' David Robertson has bone bruise in foot

TAMPA, Fla. -- Aided by crutches and in a walking boot, David Robertson entered the clubhouse Friday morning in good spirits.

"It feels better today," said Robertson, who hurt his right foot in a fall in his home Wednesday night.

By day's end, everyone around the Yankees felt better as additional tests performed on the reliever's foot showed only a bone bruise.

"It's a huge relief," Joe Girardi said.

"We got the best-case scenario," general manager Brian Cashman said.

Meaning no fractures, no Lisfranc tears, nothing on the surface that should keep Mariano Rivera's setup man out for an extended period.

"With 19 tests," Girardi said, hyperbolizing with a smile as the total number was four, "they ruled it all out."

Cashman said Robertson was sent for further tests after an initial MRI, taken early Thursday morning, showed that "maybe" there was a bone break.

Robertson went back to the hospital for a CT scan and weight-bearing MRI. Those test results were sent to New York for evaluation by Yankees team physician Christopher Ahmad and Dr. Justin Greisberg, a foot specialist.

The CT scan, Cashman said, revealed the bone bruise, located on the top portion of Robertson's foot.

Robertson will stay in the walking boot through the weekend. The plan is for him to play catch early next week, though at first from a chair.

Girardi said "I would think" the righthander will be ready by Opening Day, but there will be no rushing him back.

"You don't want him favoring it at all," Girardi said. "So if it's still sore, we're not going to put him up on a mound. We're not going to throw him in a game until he feels good."

Robertson said he "didn't feel like I broke anything when I fell," but he was in the minority who didn't think of the worst-case scenario, especially when another round of tests was deemed necessary.

"It was a little bit of a roller-coaster of information trying to determine if this was going to be something significant," Cashman said.

Although the Yankees possess a deep stable of bullpen arms, Girardi didn't want to envision Robertson, who posted a 1.08 ERA in 70 appearances last season, as being unavailable.

"When they tell you there's a cause for concern, you're thinking there could be something broken," Girardi said. "Who knows what it could have been? And when I saw him walk out yesterday [Thursday morning], I wasn't real encouraged when I saw him walking. This is as good as it gets for us."

Joba spins a few

Joba Chamberlain, ahead of schedule in his recovery from June 16 Tommy John surgery, ended Friday morning's full-mound bullpen session by throwing one curveball and five sliders from flat ground, the first time he's thrown anything but fastballs in his rehab.

After consulting with Dr. James Andrews, Chamberlain said he'll likely throw breaking balls off a full mound next Friday.

Recovery time from Tommy John surgery generally is 12 to 14 months, and regardless of Chamberlain's progress, Cashman has said that remains the projected timeline.

Extra basesFreddy Garcia is determined to make Girardi's decision on the rotation a difficult one. He allowed one hit and struck out two in three innings of the Yankees' 3-0 victory over the Braves on Friday. "I want to pitch good to earn the spot," Garcia said . . . Boone Logan was scratched from his scheduled morning bullpen session, but pitching coach Larry Rothschild said the plan still is for the reliever to pitch Sunday . . . Manny Banuelos turned in a second straight good outing, allowing two hits and striking out three in two scoreless innings. "Love the way the ball's coming out of his hand," one opposing team's scout said.