Major League Baseball
Yanks, A-Rod eye Saturday return
Major League Baseball

Yanks, A-Rod eye Saturday return

Published Aug. 19, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

Alex Rodriguez's long-awaited return to the Yankees lineup was put back to Saturday at the earliest after he rejoined his teammates in practice, the New York Post reported.

Rodriguez, who had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee July 11, worked out Thursday afternoon at Target Field following a rehab spell with Class A Tampa. He will undergo another on-field session Friday as he looks to prepare for his return to the majors.

"The thing I lack the most is first step quickness and opening up my [running] gait," Rodriguez said.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that A-Rod could return against the Minnesota Twins over the weekend after seeing improvement in his physical condition but was reluctant to rush him back.

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"Probably Saturday at the earliest," Girardi said of his return. Rodriguez accepted his fate, saying of the potential recovery, "We will see how it plays out."

Instead, Rodriguez was focused on quickly shaking off his likely comeback role as the Yankees' designated hitter to return to his preferred position.

"Hopefully, by September I will be playing third base every day," Rodriguez said. "With me [at third], our lineup is more rounded ... Part of the reason we had the surgery is because it's important for me to come back and drive in runs and get big hits. It's not just to slap the ball all over the field. That's just not my game."

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