Gardner: A-Rod in Charleston a big deal

By Bryan Hoch and Kelly Erickson / MLB.com | 7/3/2013 12:51 A.M. ET

MINNEAPOLIS -- Brett Gardner has deep ties to the Charleston, S.C., area, so he understands just how big of a deal it will be to have Alex Rodriguez wearing a Riverdogs uniform this week.

Rodriguez is slated to join Class-A Charleston on Tuesday, playing at least three innings at third base. He and shortstop Eduardo Nunez are also scheduled to play for the Riverdogs on Wednesday.

"I know it's supposed to be standing-room-only there tonight," Gardner said. "I was joking with Mark Littlefield, our trainer -- it's probably the second-biggest crowd they've ever had, except for when I was there last year [on Minor League rehab]. I think it'll mean a lot. I think they'll enjoy seeing him play, and I think he'll enjoy his time there as well."

Manager Joe Girardi plans to assign one of the team's starting pitchers to watch A-Rod's at-bats, which are being broadcast from Charleston, and joked that Charleston's players will probably enjoy the big league postgame spread Rodriguez is expected to provide.

"I'm sure it's pretty exciting for them, they're able to see Alex down there," Girardi said. "I'm sure they'll have quite a crowd tonight, and probably a little bit more media attention than they're used to.

"But it's probably good for those kids to see that so they understand what it's like when you get here. There's a lot of people that are around watching everything you do. I'm sure they're enjoying it."

Gardner was born in Holly Hill, S.C., and attended the College of Charleston, making the team as a walk-on. He played one game at Joseph P. Riley Ballpark last year, his only professional experience in Charleston.

"I live pretty close to there now, I grew up close to there and went to college down there," he said. "Basically, my whole life, I've been from that area. It's a beautiful ballpark; I'm sure it's one of the nicest in the [South Atlantic] League. It's a great place to play."

Surgery on Teixeira's wrist a success

MINNEAPOLIS -- First baseman Mark Teixeira had the tendon sheath in his right wrist repaired on Monday in a procedure performed by Dr. Keith Raskin at New York University Hospital. He is expected to be ready for Spring Training.

"Successful surgery yesterday, doc said it couldn't have gone better," Teixeira said on Twitter. "Looking forward to watching my #Yankee teammates tonight vs the Twins."

Teixeira, 33, played in just 15 games this season, batting .151 with three homers and 12 RBIs. He initially sustained the injury in March while hitting off a tee with Team USA while preparing for the World Baseball Classic.

The injury was aggravated during the Yankees' West Coast trip in June, and a cortisone injection did not provide relief. Team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad, hand specialist Dr. Melvin Rosenwasser and two other New York-based hand specialists concurred in recommending the season-ending surgery.

Approximately $7 million of Teixeira's $22.5 million salary was covered by insurance from the World Baseball Classic because he was injured as a participant.

Team president Randy Levine said that the responsibility for Teixeira's salary reverted to the Yankees when he made his season debut on May 31, but the Yankees also have insurance that will cover a majority of his 2013 salary.

Kuroda's MRI clean, but Nova to start Friday

MINNEAPOLIS -- Right-hander Hiroki Kuroda flew back to New York on Tuesday to have an MRI performed on his left hip flexor; tests came back clean.

According to manager Joe Girardi, Kuroda felt some soreness after his outing on Sunday, but the procedure showed no tears.

"That's the best news that we could have gotten," Girardi said. "He felt better today. He actually wanted to come back here."

Girardi said the team will re-evaluate Kuroda on Friday after returning to New York. Even with the clean results, though, Kuroda will no longer start on Friday; right-hander Ivan Nova will get the nod in his stead.

Nova has started five games this season and made three relief appearances, for a total of 35 innings. He has a 2-2 record and 4.63 ERA.

If Kuroda checks out on Friday and has a solid bullpen session, the team will try to get him back in the rotation. Kuroda is 7-6 on the season, with a 2.95 ERA and 75 strikeouts.

"If we can slot him in somewhere, we'll slot him in," Girardi said.

Nix day to day with sore right hamstring

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Yankees have been playing with a three-man bench, and the list of reserves will seem even shorter now that Jayson Nix's right hamstring is hurting.

Nix hurt the hamstring running out a ninth-inning double in the Yankees' 10-4 victory over the Twins on Monday. The Yankees consider Nix day to day, and manager Joe Girardi said that no tests are planned.

"It just kind of tightened up a little bit when I stretched out the double last night," Nix said. "I wasn't too concerned about it, just something that was there and was a little bit sore after the game. It's a little something that kind of started, so we're going to keep it under control."

Alberto Gonzalez replaced Nix in the lineup and at shortstop for Tuesday's game, though Nix believes he will be able to play on Wednesday. The bench will be composed of Nix, catcher Austin Romine and outfielder Vernon Wells.

For the time being, Girardi envisions using Gonzalez at shortstop and David Adams at third base. He said that there is no plan yet in regard to Ivan Nova, who is being carried on the roster as a 13th pitcher.

"It's not what you want," Girardi said. "It just tests your depth even more, but it's something we've had to deal with, and we'll deal with it."

Bombers bits

• Robinson Cano took right-handed swings in the batting cage beneath Target Field on Tuesday, making loud contact off hitting coach Kevin Long, but he laughed and said he has no plans of attempting to switch-hit. Cano often takes cuts from the right side to loosen up his right oblique.

• On this date in 1941, Joe DiMaggio hit a three-run homer to extend his hitting streak to 45 games, surpassing Wee Willie Keeler's single-season Major League record, set in 1897.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. Kelly Erickson is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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