Via Ken Rosenthal: Derek Jeter will come off the DL and return to the Yankees on Thursday, in time for their afternoon game against the Royals. With Travis Hafner banged up, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cap’n served as the DH after playing seven innings at shortstop on Wednesday. The Yankees will have to make both a 25-man and 40-man roster move to accommodate him.
Jeter, 39, went 1-for-9 with four walks and three strikeouts in four minor league rehab games with Triple-A Scranton. He’s returning from what amounts to two left ankle fractures — the original break in October and the setback in May — and I don’t think he’ll step right back in and be the everyday shortstop. Expect to see him spend a lot of time at DH in the coming weeks. With any luck, Jeter will reproduce the 117 wRC+ he put up last year. Don’t be surprised if he still has some rust to shake off after nine months on the shelf though.