ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. (AP) - Jorge Posada returned to the New York Yankees’ lineup and will bat seventh, while reliever Rafael Soriano has been put on the disabled list.
Posada was listed as the designated hitter for Tuesday night’s game at Tampa Bay. He is hitting .165 this season and pulled himself out of the lineup Saturday soon after he was set to bat ninth.
“To me, it was the place to put him today,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “There’s a lot of things that I look at and I just thought it was the place to put him.”
Girardi would not commit to Posada, who is hitless against left-handed pitching this season, being the everyday DH.
“I’m going to see how we are day to day,” Girardi said. “We’re in a long stretch (of games). There’s some guys I have to DH from time to time.”
Soriano has been troubled by stiffness in his right elbow. He is 1-1 with one save and a 5.40 ERA.
Soriano led the AL in saves last year with Tampa Bay, but has struggled this season as the Yankees’ setup man. He underwent an MRI exam on Tuesday in New York.
“It came back good,” Girardi said. “He’s just got a little inflammation. I sure hope (Soriano is back in two weeks). That’s the plan. I can’t tell you that’s what it’s going to be. We’ll see.”
Joba Chamberlain and David Robertson will both get opportunities to pitch in the eighth.
Girardi declined to say if he planned to talk with Soriano about the reliever’s comments after the Yankees’ sixth straight loss Monday night that the offense and not the bullpen has been a problem recently.
“What I do with my players, I’ll try and keep it in house,” Girardi said. “He’s experiencing frustration like a lot of the other players. I think there’s a lot of frustration. Guys’ numbers aren’t where they’re used to being. Our guys aren’t used to losing. They’re used to winning.”
The Yankees called up outfielder Chris Dickerson from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was in the lineup as the right fielder, replacing Nick Swisher, who has flu-like symptoms.
New York second baseman Robinson Cano was in the lineup, one day after fouling a ball just above his left knee during the fourth inning. He stayed in Monday’s game, but afterward said his leg was sore and stiff.
“Good,” said Cano of his leg. “Beautiful today.”
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