The first week of the season ended better than it began for the Yankees, though hopes of a sweep of the Royals disappeared with a furious eighth inning rally by Kansas City in its 6-4 win Sunday. Top two starters CC Sabathia and Chien-Ming Wang failed to record a strikeout in a combined eight innings as the Orioles won the first two games of the season, but Sabathia quieted concerns with 7 2/3 dominant scoreless innings against the Royals in his subsequent start. Nick Swisher didn't arrive with the fanfare of Sabathia or Mark Teixeira, but Swisher hit .438 (7-for-16) in starting the final four games of the week -- including the last two at first base in place of the injured Mark Teixeira (sore left wrist) -- as he helped the Yankees to a 3-1 record in that span.
PLAYER NEWS: --3B Cody Ransom snapped an 0-for-17 streak with a seventh-inning single off RHP Lance Cormier. Ransom is hitting just .083 (2-for-24) in the Yankees' first seven games.
--1B Mark Teixeira missed his third straight game because of tendinitis in his left wrist. Teixeira had the wrist examined by Yankees doctors in Tampa and was prescribed stronger anti-inflammatory medicine. Teixeira told reporters he expected to play Tuesday night in the second game of the three-game series against the Rays.
--LHP Phil Coke had his second rough outing in as many days Monday, though he was the victim of bad luck this time. Coke, who was tagged with the loss after he gave up two runs in one-third of an inning against the Royals on Sunday, allowed three unearned runs in the seventh inning against the Rays, though all the runs scored after Robinson Cano dropped a pop-up that should have been the third out of the inning.
--RHP Jonathan Albaladejo relieved RHP Chien-Ming Wang with none out in the second and allowed three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out two in three innings. It was the second time in 24 big league appearances Albaladejo has thrown three innings. He also tossed three innings against the Red Sox last April 17.
MEDICAL WATCH:
1B Mark Teixeira (left wrist tendinitis) sat out April 11-13 but said he expects to play April 14.
DH Hideki Matsui (left knee surgery in September 2008) won't play in the field before June.
3B Alex Rodriguez (arthroscopic right hip surgery in March 2009) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He resumed baseball activities April 13 and could be back as soon as late April. He could have more extensive surgery during the offseason, although he is indicating that might not be necessary.
ROTATION:
LHP CC Sabathia
RHP Chien-Ming Wang
RHP A.J. Burnett
LHP Andy Pettitte
RHP Joba Chamberlain
BULLPEN:
RHP Mariano Rivera (closer)
RHP Brian Bruney
LHP Damaso Marte
LHP Phil Coke
RHP Edwar Ramirez
RHP Jose Veras
RHP Jonathan Albaladejo
CATCHERS:
Jorge Posada
Jose Molina
INFIELDERS:
1B Mark Teixeira
2B Robinson Cano
SS Derek Jeter
3B Cody Ransom
INF Ramiro Pena
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Johnny Damon
CF Brett Gardner
RF Xavier Nady
DH Hideki Matsui
OF/1B Nick Swisher
OF Melky Cabrera
