Via Mike Fitzpatrick: Curtis Granderson is fine after being hit by a pitch in the right arm during an Extended Spring Training game yesterday. It’s the same arm he had broken by an errant J.A. Happ pitch during Spring Training. “It was going to happen one of these days,” he said afterwards.

Granderson, 32, has been playing in ExST games since Wednesday, and Fitzpatrick says he has spent time in all three outfield positions. The Yankees insist he will return as the center fielder, so it will be interesting to see how the outfield shakes out once he returns. I don’t think anyone expected Vernon Wells to hit as well as he has, which has complicated things for the time being. We can worry about the outfield alignment when Curtis is actually ready to rejoin the team, I guess.

4:00pm: Joe Girardi confirmed that Granderson took two at-bats in ExST today, calling it “encouraging.” Well that’s welcome news.

3:30pm: Via Dan Martin: Curtis Granderson has continued to swing a bat at the team’s complex in Tampa, and there’s a chance he will be able to start playing in Extended Spring Training games this weekend. “He’s doing all the things we feel he needs to get ready for a game and hopefully we feel he’ll be in some games pretty soon … So far, we have not had any issues,” said Joe Girardi yesterday.

Granderson, 32, had his forearm broken on the fifth pitch he saw in Grapefruit League play, so he’ll need what amounts to a full Spring Training before rejoining the team. He estimated that at 50-75 at-bats last week. ExST games are informal and Granderson will be able to leadoff every inning, stuff like that, which will speed up the process. Martin says the Yankees are hopeful he will be back in the lineup in about two weeks, which would be swell. It’ll be nice to actually get a player back from the DL for once.

Via Andy McCullough: Curtis Granderson and his fractured right forearm took approximately 15 swings in the batting cage prior to yesterday’s game. “A couple more days of that and he’ll go out on the field [for regular batting practice],” said Joe Girardi.

Granderson, 32, missed all of Spring Training and estimated he would need approximately 50-75 at-bats during a rehab assignment before being ready to rejoin the team. He could get like ten at-bats per day in Extended Spring Training, but he’ll also need a few regular minor league games just to get back into a routine and build up some stamina. Two weeks strikes me as optimistic, but it sounds like there’s a chance Granderson could return to the lineup sometime in mid-May.

Via Chad Jennings: Curtis Granderson and his fractured right forearm have gotten the okay to start taking some light swings. “He started taking some light swings, I believe … I know he’s been underwater doing it. He’s probably doing some light fungos now, but no ball I don’t think yet,” said Joe Girardi yesterday. Dan Martin confirmed the outfielder has indeed started swinging with a fungo bat.

Granderson, 32, was cleared to throw a little more than a week ago, but swinging is the big milestone. He missed all but five pitches of Spring Training, so his rehab stint is going to be longer than usual. Granderson has to start swinging a bat fully before he can hit in the cages and take batting practice, and he needs to do all of that before he can get into rehab games. It seems like he’s at least two and probably more like three or four weeks away from returning to the team.

Via Dan Martin: There is still no timetable for Curtis Granderson and his fractured right forearm to resume swinging a bat. “Swinging was something that could happen,” he said yesterday. “The timetable of when is still to be determined. After further consultation with the doctors and trainers, they decided to make sure I’m good throwing before I start to swing.”

Granderson, 32, was cleared to resume throwing last week. Because he missed all but of five pitches of Spring Training, he figures to need a longer than usual minor league rehab assignment. This won’t be a two or three day thing, he might need a week or ten days to prepare for the season. Maybe more. Joe Girardi said a May 1st return date is probably a little optimistic, but once Granderson is given the okay to start swinging a bat, they’ll have a much better idea of when he’ll be able to return to the lineup.

According to the man himself, Curtis Granderson threw for the first time today since having his right forearm fractured by a pitch in early Spring Training. He said everything went “really well,” so hooray for that.

Granderson, 32, is expected to return to the team in early-May, which isn’t all that far away really. The Yankees insist he will remain in center field when he returns for whatever reason. One thing we have to remember is that Granderson missed all of camp, so his minor league rehab stint will have to be longer than usual. It won’t be two quick games with Double-A Trenton or anything like that, he’ll need a good week or two of at-bats before being ready for the big leagues.