Injuries to Posada, Swisher leave Yanks shorthanded

Nagging injuries continue to take their toll on the Yankees lineup - and their bench.

Nick Swisher and Jorge Posada were kept out of the starting lineup last night against first-place Tampa Bay - leaving Ramiro Pena as the only healthy body off the bench.

Manager Joe Girardi said Posada was expected to undergo an MRI or bone scan last night for the foot injury that has kept him sidelined since Sunday.

The veteran catcher has missed two games since taking a foul ball off the top of his right foot in Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Twins. Girardi said Wednesday that the bottom of Posada foot is now swollen.

But because the Yankees' 25-man roster is so depleted by injuries, the manager said Posada will have to be the emergency catcher, even though his mobility will be limited.

"We expected him to be a lot better at this point," Girardi said. " . . . He has to be the emergency catcher. We don't have a choice."

Swisher also expected to be better by now. The switch-hitter, who injured his left bicep last week, said the pain has subsided significantly, but he still feels "something there" when he bats lefthanded. Swisher noticed the feeling Tuesday night when he took four practice swings in hopes of a late-inning pinch-hit opportunity against the Red Sox.

"The biggest scare for everybody, I think, is to swing and miss," he said. "I have a tendency of sometimes swinging a little harder than I should, so they just want to make sure everything's cool. And I'm on board with that . . . It's frustrating sometimes, but that's how it goes."

No further tests are planned for the rightfielder, who admitted that the pain was far more serious than he initially let on. Girardi said Swisher will be available against the Mets' lefty pitchers in this weekend's Subway Series.

"We're just not sure when he's going to be available against the righties," the manager said.

The injuries to Posada and Swisher - and centerfielder Curtis Granderson (left groin strain) - are only compounded by the problems with the bullpen. Girardi was forced to insert reliever Sergio Mitre into the rotation once Javier Vazquez's struggles continued. That, coupled with Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera's struggles, helped to deplete the bullpen.

In an attempt to bolster their pen, the Yankees sent outfielder Greg Golson back down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday in exchange for reliever Mark Melancon. That gives the team 13 pitchers on its roster, but just one reserve position player.

Said Girardi: "It is what it is. We're playing a little short, but we're OK . . . We felt we needed the pitching more because we didn't have Javy as a longman anymore, in case we got into some crazy games."