A.J. Burnett said the discomfort in his right foot wasn’t enough to keep him from running yesterday. However, it might force the right-hander from working in the bullpen today.
“I might push the bullpen [session] back,” said Burnett, who didn’t directly answer when asked if he underwent tests yesterday, one day after taking a Wilson Valdez smash off the foot Wednesday night against the Phillies in the second inning.
“It didn’t bother me after it happened or when I went home and I slept good,” said Burnett, who is on a three-game losing streak. “But the first step [yesterday morning] I felt it.”
Asked if he would miss his next start — he is slated to face Arizona on Monday in Phoenix — Burnett said, “No.”
*
There’s a strong chance Alex Rodriguez will return to third base for tonight’s Subway Series opener against the Mets.
Rodriguez was in the lineup for the second straight game last night against the Phillies, but it again was as the DH. Because of his ailing groin, A-Rod hasn’t played the field since he had to leave last Thursday’s game in Baltimore.
Rodriguez, though, is hoping to return to third this weekend. Yesterday he took extra hitting and fielding, saying it “felt a little better.” And when asked about playing third, he didn’t commit to the Mets series but said that’s what he was shooting for.
“We’ll just take it one day at a time,” he told The Post. “I’m hoping definitely this weekend sometime.”
*
Jorge Posada sat out last night after catching Wednesday but feeling soreness again in his right foot.
Posada said he hopes to catch tonight against the Mets, and that the foot felt better Wednesday than it did during Sunday’s game, his first game behind the plate since coming off the DL.
*
The Yankees expect to finalize a contract with first-round pick Cito Culver today once the final results from his physical come in. … The Yankees signed former Phillies infielder Eric Bruntlett to a minor league contract. He started at third base for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. … Andy Pettitte’s seven strikeouts moved him past Ron Guidry into second place on the Yankees’ all-time list with 1,784. Whitey Ford is first with 1,956.