NEW YORK -- The Yankees made a series of roster moves prior to Thursday's game, highlighted by Alex Rodriguez being activated and Chasen Shreve being placed on the disabled list.
After three weeks on the DL and two days in Double-A, Rodriguez was activated from the 15-day DL as manager Joe Girardi promised Wednesday. Rodriguez served as the designated hitter and batted fifth vs. the Blue Jays. Additionally, the Yankees placed reliever Shreve on the DL with an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder. The left-hander underwent an MRI, which revealed the sprain, and received a cortisone injection. The Yankees announced that Shreve won't pick up a baseball for seven days. Left-hander Richard Bleier was called up to fill the roster spot.
To counterbalance the Rodriguez activation, the Yankees sent Rob Refsnyder back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after a week with the big league squad. And to make room on the 40-man roster for Bleier, the club issued the unconditional release of outfielder Slade Heathcott.
Shreve has been struggling as of late, culminating in Wednesday's rough outing in which he allowed three earned runs -- including two homers -- plus a fourth run off a runner he inherited. The outing ballooned Shreve's ERA from 4.00 to 5.21 as his home run rate rose to more than three allowed per nine innings.
Girardi said that Shreve told him his shoulder has been bothering him for a couple of days now, and Girardi said he thinks this may have had some effect on his recent stretch.
"He said that he has been dealing with it for a few days and he had been a little sore," Girardi said. "It could [have held him back]."
As for Rodriguez's return, Girardi was adamant in naming A-Rod his regular DH, regardless of the opposing pitcher. Carlos Beltran, who had been DH'ing in Rodriguez's absence, will move back to right field and likely get some reps as a DH on A-Rod's off days, which Girardi said will likely grow more frequent as the season goes on.