Alex Rodriguez was ready to return to the field Tuesday night for the first time in three weeks, just not ready to return to the majors just yet.
Though the Yankees initially said Rodriguez would return to The Bronx once he was ready to return from the right hamstring injury that put him on the disabled list on May 4, the team sent the 40-year-old to serve as designated hitter in a rehab game at Double-A Trenton.
Rodriguez will make at least one more appearance in the minors before rejoining the Yankees.
“We changed our mind. We felt it would be in his best interest to get a couple days of at-bats,” manager Joe Girardi said. “It has now been three weeks. We were originally hoping he’d be back in 15 days. That didn’t happen.
“Our plan is a couple days. Again, we can change our mind. If he feels good after two days, I wouldn’t hesitate to call him here.”
Girardi said there was no lingering concern over Rodriguez’s hamstring injury, and the rehab appearances were planned solely to help the designated hitter shake off any rust. Rodriguez, who said the hamstring felt good and was planning to test it in Trenton, will join the Yankees when they begin a 10-game road trip in Tampa on Friday.
“Any time I get a chance to play baseball I’m excited,” Rodriguez said. “The fact that I’m back in a uniform, even though it’s not the Yankee pinstripes and it’s our affiliate, I’m excited.
“[Just] looking to track the baseball, get some good at-bats in and build some momentum … kind of build on exactly what I had going on when I got hurt.”
On Monday, the Yankees had a conference call, with the determination made by Girardi, general manager Brian Cashman, hitting coach Alan Cockrell and bench coach Rob Thomson that Rodriguez needed some at-bats before facing major league pitching. Girardi then called Rodriguez, who agreed it was the right move.
“I’m not going to tell you exactly the details, but it was very positive conversation,” Rodriguez said during a pregame press conference. “Look, I have tons of respect and trust for Joe, so when he makes a request, I put a lot of value into that. He thought it would be a good idea for me to get some at-bats, and that’s great.”
Though Girardi said Rodriguez would return to the Yankees lineup as the designated hitter, the offense has benefited from his absence.
While Rodriguez has struggled for much of the season, batting .194 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in 20 games, Carlos Beltran — moving from right field to designated hitter — has shined in the new role, hitting .367 with three home runs and 17 RBIs in 12 games. However, Cashman told The Post that Beltran’s recent surge wasn’t part of the conversation on the conference call.
“Carlos is doing a great job, and anytime Joe has options that’s a great thing,” Rodriguez said.
Prior to the injury, Rodriguez was in the midst of his best stretch of the season, batting .368 (7-for-19) with three home runs and seven RBIs in his past six games.
“That was unfortunate timing for me,” he said. “I was swinging the bat pretty well when I got hurt, and hopefully I’ll continue that.”
— Additional reporting by Joel Sherman and Dan Martin