AL Wire Notes | Rodriguez plans to return to Yankees' lineup on Tuesday

Injured Alex Rodriguez is hoping to rejoin the New York Yankees early next week.

"We're aiming for Tuesday at home," Rodriguez said after working out at the team's minor-league complex. "You've got to be smart, so it's a good way to go."

The All-Star third baseman is on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right quadriceps. He hasn't played since April 28 and is eligible to come off the DL on Thursday.

"Every day it's much better," he said Tuesday.

Rodriguez, hitting .286 with four home runs and 11 runs batted in, will miss the series this weekend against the crosstown rival New York Mets. He might be ready to play in extended spring training games this weekend.

Rodriguez took batting practice, fielded grounders and ran in the outfield during his latest workout.

"I ran about 90 percent today," Rodriguez said. "It felt pretty good running. I went from an 80 yesterday to about 90 today."

Baltimore: Melvin Mora was struck in the shoulder by a baseball during warmups and was scratched from the Orioles' starting lineup against Boston. Catcher Ramon Hernandez was also out of the starting lineup because of a sprained left wrist. Mora was hit by a bad-hop grounder during fielding practice. The third baseman had a similar injury during spring training, and had completely recovered before being struck in the same place Tuesday. "I go like this, it hurts," he said, raising right arm.

Boston: Red Sox manager Terry Francona left the team and will miss the first two games of his team's series at Baltimore after the death of his mother-in-law. Mary Ann Lang, mother of Francona's wife, Jacque, died Monday night in Tucson, Ariz. Francona and his family traveled to Tucson. Bench coach Brad Mills was to run the Red Sox in Francona's absence.

Minnesota: Twins LF Delmon Young was back in the lineup against Toronto after twisting his left ankle the previous night against Boston. Young started his 203rd consecutive game and wants to play every day.

New York: Joba Chamberlain plans to remain the same on the mound. The Yankees' setup man and Hall of Famer Rich "Goose" Gossage spoke on the phone Tuesday, one day after the former closer took issue with some of the rookie right-hander's antics on the field, including fist-pumping after a strikeout. "He called me and he said what he said," Chamberlain said. "It's going to continue to go on, but I am not going to change." Gossage told reporters during a tour of the Hall of Fame on Monday that "there was no place in the game" for some of the antics. "Everybody has their own opinion," Chamberlain said. "It is what it is. I am not going to change."

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