With Michael Pineda scheduled to begin his rehab stint Saturday in Tampa, the Yankees figure to have a decision to make by early next month, since the stretch can last a maximum of 30 days.
“We’ll measure him up against what we have,” general manager Brian Cashman said before the Yankees’ 4-3 victory over the Indians Tuesday night at the Stadium. “If he’s better than anything we have up here, he’ll come up here. If we don’t think he’s as good as what we’ve got, he’ll go to Triple-A [Scranton/Wilkes-Barre] on an option.”
The reports continue to be good from Florida, where the righty has been pitching extended spring training games.
Pineda is not throwing in the upper-90s as he did in Seattle, but Cashman said his surgically-repaired right shoulder is holding up well.
“Each start, he’s been fluctuating between sitting at 92 [mph], sitting at 93 and topping out at 94-95,” said Cashman, adding that pitching out of the bullpen won’t be an option for Pineda.
* Cashman said he was “caught off guard” when manager Joe Girardi and the coaching staff approached him during Sunday night’s rain delay with the idea of using Lyle Overbay in right field.
Overbay started there again Tuesday night after making his outfield debut Monday night. He went 1-for-3 and didn’t make an error. Girardi indicated Overbay might be back in the outfield again Wednesday.
* Derek Jeter (ankle) is scheduled to head to Tampa today. He will get another CT scan and will find out when he can intensify activity after being limited to playing catch so far. … Chris Stewart returned after sitting out two straight with light-headedness.
* Eduardo Nunez (oblique) was supposed to resume swinging yesterday in Tampa, but he felt something in his side again.
“He did drills the other day and said he felt great,” Girardi said of the shortstop who has been out since May 6. “We’ll continue to wait. We didn’t think it was much, but it’s kind of how the year has gone. We thought he’d be back after a week of sitting down.”
* Andy Pettitte has expressed doubt the new routine the Yankees are encouraging him to adopt will work for him. He prefers to throw two bullpen sessions between starts, while the team would rather he throw just one to help avoid the injuries that have plagued him this season.
Girardi called it a “fine line” between keeping a player comfortable in his routine and trying to protect him.
* The Indians placed All-Star shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera on the 15-day DL with a strained right quadriceps. Cabrera was hurt running to first base during Monday’s night’s game, a 7-4 Yankees win. … Yankees’ lefty reliever Clay Rapada was released.