Hobbled Jeter Leading Off For Yankees In Game 4 Matchup Against Orioles
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Derek Jeter doesn't like to talk about injuries.
Either he'll play or he won't -- end of discussion. The Yankees' captain said he'd be in the lineup for Thursday's Game 4 against the Baltimore Orioles, and he will be, despite a banged-up left foot.
Jeter will lead off and be in the designated hitter spot.
"I'll be all right," Jeter said after Wednesday night's dramatic 3-2 win. "It's not going to be a big deal."
Already dealing with a lingering bone bruise in his left ankle, Jeter fouled a ball off his foot in the first inning of Game 3. The result was another bone bruise, though in a different spot on the same leg.
The 38-year-old played through obvious discomfort, but still managed to leg out a triple in the third inning. He was pulled after batting in the eighth.
"It hurt, man. If you have a ball, I'll throw it off your foot and you can relate," Jeter said. "It's part of the game. It happens, I wish it didn't happen, but it did. It's over with, nobody wants to hear about it. Come back and play tomorrow."
Up 2-1, New York has a chance to close out its best-of-five ALDS against the Orioles at home Thursday night.
Manager Joe Girardi mulled over the options for Jeter, but his shortstop wouldn't mince words: "I'll play."
Jeter had never been pulled from a playoff game due to injury before Wednesday, according to the New York Daily News. Game 3 was his 155th career postseason tilt.
"Derek is one of the toughest players I've ever been around, and you know what he told me: 'I'm great.' That's what he always tells me," said Girardi. "He never wants to come out. He could have two legs that were broken and wouldn't want to come out of the game. I mean, that's the bottom line."
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