New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter has been cleared by doctors to start his rehab assignment, according to the New York Yankees Twitter account. He will begin play Saturday with the Yankees Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
Jeter is supposed to play a minimum of five innings when the RailRaiders play the Lehigh Valley IronPigs tomorrow, according to ESPNNewYork.com.
Jeter has been sidelined since the 2012 postseason after he broke his ankle on Oct. 13 in a game against the Detroit Tigers. During this year’s spring training, Jeter played in five games. However, specialists found a new break on April 18 and Jeter has been sidelined every since.
Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is currently in the midst of his rehab assignment. He played in 2 games with the Charleston Riverdogs—a Yankees low Class-A team—and had no hits in four at bats. According to the Yankees Twitter account, Rodriguez’s rehab has been moved to the Tampa Bay Yankees, the organization’s high Single-A team, to begin rehab. He is set to play tonight in the 7:11 p.m. game.
The Yankees have been plagued by injuries for a majority of the season. They are without their four best hitters outside of second baseman Robinson Cano—Rodriguez, Jeter, first baseman Mark Teixeira and centerfielder Curtis Granderson.
However, the team has managed to keep a 46-39 record, stay six games back in the Al East and be only 1.5 games out a wildcard spot.
The Bronx Bombers have had to rely heavily on Cano for offensive support and he has delivered. Cano is batting .295 with 20 homeruns and 57 RBIs. The team has also gotten help from some unlikely sources with 12 homeruns and 36 RBIs from designated hitter Travis Hafner and nine homeruns and 35 RBIs from first baseman Lyle Overbay.
The Yankees cannot wait for the returns of their four veterans. They will most likely have to make a move by the trade deadline so they can support a postseason push.
