Major League Baseball

Report: A-Rod expected back for Yanks on Friday

Published May. 7, 2009 8:19 p.m. ET

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The plan is for Alex Rodriguez to be in the Yankees lineup as the third baseman Friday night in Baltimore, the New York Post has learned.




A conference call was scheduled between Rodriguez and members of the Yankees front office for Thursday afternoon, and A-Rod was going to tell the organization how he felt and what his preference was for when to return from hip surgery.

But the understanding going into the game, according to two sources, was that if there were no problems in today's intrasquad game, then he would rejoin the Yankees tomorrow and play.

Rodriguez went 0-for-2 with two walks and played three innings of defense in the intrasquad game.

Afterward, the three-time AL MVP shook hands and thanked support staff at the Yankees' minor league complex for their work after taking extra grounders and batting practice following the intrasquad game.

Rodriguez credited Dr. Marc Philippon, who operated on the hip, and Dr. Mark Lindsay, a soft-tissue expert who has worked with him daily in Florida, for the success of his rehab program.

"They have worked (hard) with me," Rodriguez said. "Philippon did a good job with the surgery. I feel blessed."

The Yankees had set a target date of May 15 for Rodriguez's return from the March 9 surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip, but from the beginning there were reports the slugger could be back a week earlier.

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