Maybe the third time will be the charm for Derek Jeter's return to the Yankees lineup this season. The captain is back from the most recent of his 2013 injuries and will try to stay in one piece on the turf in Toronto with Phil Hughes on the mound. Can the Yankees prolong their dominance over the Blue Jays this season?
#Yankees lineup vs TOR: Gardner CF, Jeter SS, Cano 2B, Soriano LF, Granderson DH, Rodriguez 3B, Overbay 1B, Ichiro RF, Romine C, Hughes P
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 26, 2013
The Yankees will face knuckleballer R.A. Dickey who they beat last Wednesday in the Bronx. Alex Rodriguez's .438/.438/.563 career line off Dickey is the best of the batters in the lineup, though Vernon Wells has found a decent amount of success off Dickey in his career as well. If that's to be extended today, it will have to be as a pinch hitter. Lyle Overbay and Alfonso Soriano have each launched knuckleballs into orbit with one and two career home runs, respectively, against Dickey.
Notably, A-Rod is batting sixth, which may be the lowest of memory in quite some time. Curtis Granderson is, indeed, in the lineup as the DH after reports last week that it would be his regular position going forward so that Soriano could play the outfield, as is his preference. Austin Romine also draws the start over Chris Stewart despite there not really being any day game after a night game business to point to as the reason beyond Romine presenting the better option at the moment.
In sad baseball news from across town, Mets ace Matt Harvey is headed to the disabled list with a partially torn UCL in his elbow. The injury could require the young star to undergo Tommy John surgery depending on how extensive the partial tear is. For all the injuries the Yankees have had to overcome in 2013, it's still sad to see one of the most promising young pitchers in the game suffer such a serious injury. Of course, if Tommy John is required it's almost always successful. Nothing is a guarantee, though. From the perspective of a fan of baseball in general and not just the Yankees, this is very disappointing. Get well soon, Matt.
More from Pinstriped Bible:
- The Tampa Bay Rays and why I hate young people
- The rise of the "Big Three" in September 2007 and how they helped clinch the Wild Card
- Who will the Yankees call up in September?
- Yankees weekly preview: 8/26-9/1
- Should we worry about Hiroki Kuroda?
- Yankees' most memorable September call-up: Shane Spencer