Major League Baseball

Rivera may play OF for first time

Published Sep. 26, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Mariano Rivera may make a debut on his final weekend before retirement: as a centerfielder.

The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said he'd like to play the outfield.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi says he's thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros.

Says Girardi: ''In my mind, thinking that he's going to want to pitch, it would be a situation that I might bring him in (in) the eighth to play the outfield and close him out in the ninth if we have that opportunity.''

Rivera missed most of the 2012 season after hurting his knee while shagging fly balls during pregame practice at Kansas City.