Yanks give Teixeira one more day to rest calf
Teixeira tested his strained left calf again on Friday and said that he felt better than 80 percent, but manager Joe Girardi and head athletic trainer Steve Donohue recommended that Teixeira rest for one more day before getting back to action.
"They don't want me to play today," Teixeira said Friday. "It's kind of a group decision. Joe & Steve Donohue agreed that when you say you're OK, you're probably saying it too early; give it one extra day. I would have loved to play today, but they just want to be smart."
Teixeira took ground balls at first base on Friday, as well as batting practice, and said he would prefer to play defense rather than serve as the designated hitter in order to keep himself loose. Teixeira fully expects that will be the case.
"If I don't play tomorrow, then we're going to have a lot of conversation," Teixeira said. "Today I just said, 'OK, whatever you guys think is best.' Tomorrow I definitely want to play."
Teixeira has missed 10 games, including Thursday's contest, with the calf strain. A similar injury cost Derek Jeter three weeks last season, but the Yankees have been more aggressive with Teixeira because of New York's standing in the playoff chase.
"I'd like to think that I'd be playing well the last 10 games, but I've had pretty bad 10-game stretches in my career," Teixeira said. "Maybe we would've been worse off. I don't know.
"I think I'm ready to be back, I think the team is probably ready for me to be back. Hopefully when I come back, I'm fresh and hitting the ball all over the place and making plays at first and helping this team win."