New York Yankees

Manager Joe Girardi said he expects Chamberlain to make at least two rehab outings. He won't be off the DL until at least next week. 

"I don't know if it will be the weekend," Girardi said. "I think he'll probably do two turns, then we'll evaluate and make sure he's doing OK." 

"Not bad," Rodriguez said when leaving the player's parking lot.

"Hopefully, they don’t just look at me as a defensive player and hopefully I’ll swing the bat well because I’ve been feeling really good in the box," he said. "Had a tough gig coming off the bench and pinch-hitting with Colorado but had success, and I’m in a good place mentally and physically in the box."

Brignac's Yankees' debut was rained out Sunday, but he's eager to get into the lineup.

"I know all these hitters in this division," Brignac said. "How to position myself and where to play. In the National League, I didn’t really know a lot of those guys, never faced a lot of them either. So it will be good to get in the box against some guys I’ve faced and have some history with."

Hafner took a Jim Johnson fastball out to left field on the fifth pitch of the at-bat. Hafner has been resurgent with the Yankees, hitting .267/.379/.522 in 105 at-bats. He'll face Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez Tuesday. 

"It’s like night and day," Romine told the New York Post on how he feels defensively. "I feel like I’m in a groove."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi agrees.

"I think he’s gotten in a better rhythm with our pitchers," Girardi said. "It’s always tough when you come in the middle of the season as a catcher, especially when you’re a young catcher. ... There could be a day when a guy doesn’t have everything and that makes it even harder."

He has something in the way of a timetable now. The Yankees want him to make two more extended spring training starts before beginning a minor-league rehab assignment that can't last more than 30 days. The way the math works out, he's potentially just six weeks away.

Obviously, Brandon Beachy is the more exciting long-term stash at starting pitcher. Coming off Tommy John surgery, he's a safer bet to pick up where he left off and is probably just a month of returning. But Pineda is next on the list. Remember: He was getting drafted as a top-20 starting pitcher at the time of his injury last year.

"They told me Tex saw 40 to 45 pitches in four ABs," manager Joe Girardi said of the at-bats in the simulated games being longer than normal at-bats. "I don't imagine that's (a real game). I don't know how you do that." 

Suzuki is hitting .241/.280/.333 in 141 at-bats this year. He'll be replaced by Curtis Granderson, who will bat sixth. Suzuki can return to the starting lineup Wednesday against Jason Hammel.

New York will pitch CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and Hiroki Kuroda in the three-game series in Baltimore. 

Manager Joe Girardi said he expects Stewart back in the lineup over the weekend. In fact, Stewart could be used Tuesday in an emergency. 

Youkilis was only tracking pitches Monday but was allowed to swing away Tuesday. He remains at least a week away from returning for the Yankees.  

Hughes took a no-decision as he left the game tied at two runs apiece. He gave up two solo homers to Chris Dickerson for the only runs he allowed on five hits and two walks. Hughes threw 102 pitchecs and struck out five batters. His ERA is 5.51. 

The 26-year-old entered Tuesday having allowed 13 earned runs over his previous 6 1/3 innings, and has now allowed five homers in his last three starts. Still, he's 2-3 and he went eight shutout innings against Oakland the start before the two poor ones. 

Hughes is scheduled to make his next start Monday at the New York Mets.