Mariano

Rivera

Manager Joe Torre said he wasn’t worried. ''It’s not ‘dangerous sore,’ but he might wait a day before he takes his side day,’' Torre said. This doesn’t qualify as a setback for Rivera, but it’s also not the good news we’ve been hearing the last few days.

Sounds like late April, the original projection, is still the best forecast for Rivera’s return.

''Mo feels really good,’' manager Joe Torre said. ''Everything’s really good.’' The Yankees still don’t have a specific return date in mind for Rivera, but Torre’s comments sound for the first time like it could be sooner than late-April: ''Once he gets turned loose in a game, he’ll have some rehab appearances and be ready.’'

Still tracking towards a late-April return...

The Yankees have arranged for a private plane to bring Rivera back to New York

Manager Joe Torre said Rivera will begin a minor league rehab assignment this weekend, and could rejoin the Yankees some time on their 10-game road trip that begins tomorrow.

Nothing is official, but it’s possible Rivera could return Apr. 22 in Anaheim. Torre has said it probably won’t be until after the series at Minnesota, which ends Monday.

Thanks for stating the obvious fellas. Everything went well with Rivera pitching batting practice yesterday, and Torre said Rivera will get some sort of work in on Thursday or Friday.

Rivera’s soreness was not located in the groin area that put him on the DL, but was more of an overall thing. Manager Joe Torre says there ''is nothing wrong with him,’' but it’s possible the Yankees wait until Tuesday’s homestand to activate him, rather than getting him back for this weekend’s series.

Rivera is holding himself back after not doing any throwing in the offseason. He may not pitch in the first exhibition games, but he’ll be fine.