Nick Swisher Eyeing Thurs. Return, Yankees' Girardi Says More Like Next Week
NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) — The Yankees want injured outfielder Nick Swisher to rest up before returning to the lineup next week.
Swisher, however, had his sights set on an earlier date -- like Thursday against the Royals.
"It feels pretty good," Swisher said of his strained left hamstring Monday. "Game plan is next three days, just kind of chill, me and Stevie (Donahue) get a chance to know each other a little bit better, and plan to get back after it hopefully (the) first game in Kansas City."
Yankees manager Joe Girardi gave the update on Swisher before his club's 2-1 win over Baltimore. Girardi said the team hoped Swisher would be ready to play a week from Tuesday at home against Tampa Bay, and did not need to put him on the disabled list.
"For some reason I heard people throwing the word DL around," said Swisher. "That's not part of my vocabulary. That's not my style. I pride myself on being on the field every day."
Swisher said he felt a "little pinch" in his hamstring when he took his first swing Sunday against Detroit. He was pulled in the third inning for a pinch runner.
An MRI exam did not show any extensive damage, the outfielder said, adding he had a similar injury in 2007 that sidelined him for nine or 10 days. Swisher is hitting .284 with six home runs and 23 RBIs.
"We all decided to be smart, take a couple of days off and get this thing 100 percent healed up," said Swisher. "I'm that type of guy that I like to take pride in being on the field every day. When you get banged up like this, it's kind of frustrating."
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