Jeter returns to lineup for twin-bill nightcap
NEW YORK -- After having more time than anticipated to rest his tight right quadriceps, Yankees captain Derek Jeter is scheduled to return to the lineup for the second game of Wednesday's day-night doubleheader against the Cubs.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi had initially planned to give Jeter just Saturday off against the Red Sox, but he said that he decided to give Jeter a rest on Sunday as well after the 39-year-old shortstop was spotted stretching his quad during Friday's game.
An off-day on Monday and Tuesday's postponement due to inclement weather gave Jeter four full days off. Girardi started Jeter against Cubs left-hander Travis Wood in the nightcap of the twin bill; Jeter went 1-for-5 in the Yanks' 2-0 win. Jeter said that he still puts up the same fight to stay in the lineup.
"I've always understood it, but I still don't like it," Jeter said. "I still like to play every day, but I get the fact that it's a long season. I understand that part of it."
Jeter, who was placed on the disabled list last season when he strained his right quadriceps in his first game of the season, said that he did not complain about the tightness that he felt on Friday against Boston.
"I was running to first and evidently someone saw me stretching. I don't know who," Jeter said. "Joe said, 'Did you hurt yourself? We saw you stretching.' I said, 'No, it was just tight, no big deal.' That was the end of the conversation.
"Saturday, he was not planning on playing me anyway, then it got to Sunday and he said I was going to take Sunday off. I said, 'I don't want Sunday off.' He said, 'I'm going to give you Sunday off,' and that was it. The conversation, I didn't run to him and say there was something wrong."