BALTIMORE — Mark Teixeira wanted to play last night and didn’t. He insisted he will return to the lineup tonight.
Teixeira, who has been out since Aug. 27 with a strained left calf, ran on the field yesterday, fielded ground balls and took batting practice indoors and outdoors. Nevertheless, he missed a 10th straight game, an 8-5 win over the Orioles.
A joint decision between trainer Steve Donohue and manager Joe Girardi put Teixeira on the bench and Steve Pearce at first against Orioles lefty Wei-Yin Chen.
“They said they were going to give me an extra day,’’ Teixeira said. “I would love to have played. If I don’t play [tonight] there will be a lot of conversation.’’
Teixeira reported his calf felt “really good” after the workout and estimated his leg is at “87.3 percent.
According to Teixeira, he didn’t put up too much of a stink when informed he wasn’t playing.
“They said they wanted to give me an extra day to be safe,’’ Teixeira said. “That’s their job, to make sure the team is in the best position and to make sure I don’t hurt myself again.’’
* Ivan Nova didn’t know when he will start again, but even though he isn’t a great match against the muscular Orioles in cozy Camden Yards, there is a good chance Nova will get the call tomorrow in place of the struggling Freddy Garcia.
“Right now we haven’t made any decisions,’’ Girardi said.
Girardi also said it’s possible Nova will be taken off the disabled list today.
“I want to get back on the mound, get back to pitching,’’ Nova said. “I want to compete and help us. I wasn’t pitching good but I still believe in myself.’’
Nova (11-7) has been out since Aug. 22 with an inflamed right rotator cuff. He pitched ineffectively in the five starts prior to going on the DL. He went 1-4 with an 8.59 ERA and gave up 40 hits (five homers) in 29 1/3 innings.
Nova faced batters Tuesday in St. Petersburg, Fla., and said there was no hint of discomfort in his shoulder. He is 1-2 with a 7.99 ERA in four starts against the Orioles this year.
As for Garcia, he hasn’t been able to deliver the much-needed length recently.
“It seems like he has been a guy who hasn’t been able to get through the fifth for us,’’ Girardi said of the veteran right-hander. “We know Freddy will compete and the situation won’t over-whelm him.’’
Garcia, 7-6, is 0-1 with a 7.54 ERA in the last three starts and has given up 15 hits and 10 walks in 14 1/3 innings.
* Andy Pettitte will throw a simulated game today and be examined Monday in New York.