Bombers bits

• Yankees right-hander David Robertson (strained left oblique) is scheduled to throw off a mound on Saturday at the club's Minor League complex in Tampa, Fla. Robertson no longer has stiffness in his oblique, according to manager Joe Girardi.

• Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner (right elbow strain) hit off a tee and took soft toss on Wednesday in Tampa. The next step for Gardner is taking live batting practice and then working into Minor League rehab games. He has not played in a big league game since April 17.

• On this date in 1956, Mickey Mantle nearly hit a home run out of Yankee Stadium, as his blast off the Senators' Pedro Ramos strikes the upper-deck frieze in right field. On this date in 1995, Derek Jeter recorded his first career hit, a fifth-inning single off the Mariners' Tim Belcher at the Kingdome.