Joe Girardi: 'I Don't Think Tex Is Going To Be Out Long'
ST. LOUIS (CBSNewYork/AP) — Is there reason to worry?
New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira was out of the lineup Tuesday night for a second straight day because of soreness in his surgically repaired right wrist.
Kelly Johnson started in place of Teixeira in Tuesday night's game at St. Louis.
Manager Joe Girardi said it might also make sense to rest Teixeira in the finale of a three-game interleague series against the Cardinals on Wednesday. The Yankees have a day off Thursday, giving more time for the soreness to subside.
"I think it's just something he's going to go through for a while," Girardi said. "He said there was some improvement but it's not exactly what we want, so we'll wait and see."
"I don't think Tex is going to be out long," he said.
Girardi also said Derek Jeter, who is retiring after this season, should be the starting shortstop for the American League in the All-Star Game.
"I would love to see it, I would," Girardi said. "I think he's played extremely well. I understand he's third (overall) in votes and it's a great thing. He's meant a ton to this team."
Jeter is batting .269 with a homer and 10 RBIs on the season.
"He said he feels good. We'll run him out there," Girardi said.
Teixeira leads the Yankees with nine homers and is tied for the team lead with 25 RBIs. He was scratched from Monday's lineup.
Girardi said he tries to be "proactive" with a strategy of "protecting players from themselves."
"And sometimes they frown upon that," the manager said. "A lot of times when they're going good they don't want to come out and it leads to something."
Last year, the 34-year-old Teixeira played only 15 games before being sidelined by the wrist injury.
He wasn't the only star the Yankees were doing without. Carlos Beltran (elbow) and starters CC Sabathia (knee) and Michael Pineda (rib) are on the 15-day disabled list.
Both Beltran and Pineda are making progress. Pineda threw 28 pitches in extended spring training and is scheduled to ramp it up to perhaps 50-60 pitches in a simulated game on Sunday followed by a rehab assignment if all goes well.
Girardi said Beltran was "extremely excited" after taking swings and will take a day off before resuming Thursday. The Yankees are hopeful of avoiding surgery with Beltran.
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