Baseball notebook: Yankees to face Damon
At some point during the next four days, Mariano Rivera might be called upon to protect a lead against the Detroit Tigers, whom the Yankees visit starting tonight.
He might look into the batter’s box and see a familiar face: the one that belongs to Johnny Damon.
“He’s wearing a Detroit Tigers uniform,” Rivera said Sunday. “He’s on the opposing team. I’m sure that he’s going to come hard at us and we’re going to do the same. Doesn’t mean you don’t care about the guy and wish him the best.”
The Yankees will get the chance to wish Damon the best in person tonight. But he won’t be getting his World Series ring. Rather than wait until the teams first met, Damon asked the Yankees to mail it to him last month, and they complied.
Rivera said he “doesn’t emphasize it” when he faces former teammates. He pitched to Hideki Matsui last month and was able to put their seven seasons together aside.
Damon signed with Detroit for one year and $8 million after the Yankees found his early contract demands too unappetizing. It ended a four-year relationship that culminated in last year’s World Series parade.
Mauer back in lineup for Twins as DH
Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer was in the lineup at designated hitter against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, his first start in more than a week. He went 1 for 3.
Mauer missed eight games because of a deeply bruised left heel he suffered while running out a grounder April 30.
If all goes well, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire expects Mauer to be back behind the plate Tuesday when the Twins open a two-game home series with the Chicago White Sox.
Mauer is hitting .341 with one home run and 13 RBIs.
Jakubauskas going slow after concussion
Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Chris Jakubauskas is making slow progress as he recovers from a concussion he suffered when he was hit in the head by a line drive on April 24 in Houston.
Jakubauskas, who is on the disabled list, felt dizzy after attempting to play a game of catch on Friday. For now, the Pirates aren’t rushing his recovery from the scary incident, preferring to wait until he feels better before working out a formal rehabilitation program.
Padres’ Correia scratched from start
San Diego pitcher Kevin Correia was scratched from his scheduled start in Houston on Sunday after the death of his younger brother in California.
Correia (4-2, 3.97 ERA) is scheduled to pitch again Saturday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.