--3B Alex Rodriguez continued to progress in his rehab from hip surgery and, after undergoing physical therapy on April 26, the Yankees were hopeful he could get in a minor-league game by the end of the week. The urgency for Rodriguez's return has been increased by the offense's need of an extra bat as well as the injury to his fill-in Cody Ransom, who was placed on the 60-day disabled list with a quadriceps injury over the weekend.
--LF Johnny Damon was out of the lineup Sunday with soreness in his knees, back and shoulder, none of which was helped by his crash into the Green Monster during Saturday's game. Damon had crashed into the wall while chasing a double hit by Boston's Mike Lowell and manager Joe Girardi said the collision contributed to Damon's absence Sunday and hoped to have him back by Monday. "He's a little banged-up," Girardi told reporters. "We just thought we'd give him a day and see how he feels (Monday)." Damon pinch-hit in the ninth. --RHP Brian Bruney's move to the disabled list Saturday created a void in one of the few effective bullpen roles the Yankees had mastered this year. The setup man was placed on the disabled list with a strained flexor muscle in his right elbow and is expected to be out "two to three weeks," manager Joe Girardi told reporters. Bruney, who had been an effective and sometimes dominant (he retired 22 batters in a row at one point) setup man for the Yankees, said he created the problem. "I have thrown quite a bit," Bruney told reporters of side work. "It's my fault and I have to make corrections."
BY THE NUMBERS: 3 -- players the Yankees placed on the disabled list in a 24-hour span the last weekend of April.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We're going to have to mix and match. ...We'll figure out how we get through the sixth, seventh and eighth (innings) every day." -- Manager Joe Girardi, on how he'll manage the already struggling bullpen without setup man Brian Bruney, who was recently placed on the disabled list.
