Teixeira rests with lingering neck stiffness
Girardi also wanted to give Yankees slugger day off, expects him to play Thursday
NEW YORK -- Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira missed Wednesday's 2-1 victory over the Marlins with a stiff neck.
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Manager Joe Girardi had said earlier in the day that Teixeira was just receiving a day off, but he revealed after the game that Teixeira had been dealing with the injury since the team's series in Baltimore this past week. Teixeira said he expected to be back in the lineup for Thursday's game.
"I woke up with it one day," Teixeira said. "You never know, it's a dive, a weird swing, a weird throw. I just woke up with it and it was locked up."
Teixeira and Girardi had discussed giving him a day off throughout the past few days and finally decided to do so Wednesday. He spent the day receiving treatment and said he felt better after the game.
"We thought today was a good day," Teixeira said.
The Yankees can always use Teixeira's bat in the middle of their lineup -- he entered the day tied for second in the American League in home runs (18) and first in RBIs (48) -- but it was the absence of his glove that nearly made the difference Wednesday.
Video: MIA@NYY: Hechavarria called out after challenge
With runners at the corners in a one-run game in the eighth inning, Dee Gordon grounded to first baseman Garrett Jones, whose throw to the plate was a bit off line as Adeiny Hechavarria was sliding home. Hechavarria was initially ruled safe, and the Marlins appeared to have tied the game, but after a review of 2 minutes, 41 seconds, the call was overturned.