Mets Insider: Blister won't hold Wheeler back

Zack Wheeler will not miss his scheduled start on Thursday. Although Terry Collins admitted Wheeler experienced swelling on his hand on Saturday, he is already back on the field throwing and shouldn’t miss a beat.

“It’s the same as (Matt) Harvey, they get blisters. A lot of the time, in this kind of weather, it’s hot and humid so the skin softens up,” Collins said.

The manager downplayed the seriousness of the blisters on the righty’s pitching hand, which he said surfaced before he was pulled in the fifth of the Mets’ 5-4 victory over the Phillies on Saturday.

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“We asked Zack if he’s all right and he said ‘I’ll be ready.’ He’s out there throwing right now, so he’s ready to play.”

GETTING TESTY
“I think it’s about time we moved on and started talking about baseball,” Collins said when asked about Ryan Braun’s season-ending steroid suspension and MLB’s efforts to clean up the sport. While Collins lauded MLB for “working very, very hard” he also said he’s tired of seeing drug testers every day in the clubhouse.

“They’re in our clubhouse every day,” said an agitated Collins. “They’re there on the road. I’d like to get to the point where we’re not worrying about all the extracurricular stuff.”

COLLINS MUM ON TEJADA
Collins didn’t have much to say when asked about Ruben Tejada’s progress in the minors. Tejada was batting .400 with 18 hits and four RBI in his last 10 games with the Las Vegas 51s entering Tuesday night. “He’s swinging better, he’s getting the ball out in the air a little bit more, but not to the satisfaction of people that are watching him,” Collins said.

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Yankees Insider: Jeter hopes to sprint back from quad

ARLINGTON — Derek Jeter took batting practice and ran a half-dozen sprints on the field before Tuesday’s game, testing his strained right quad harder than he has to this point.

The Captain remains hopeful that he’ll be able to return from the disabled list when he’s eligible to do so Saturday, although he said it remains a day-to-day proposition.

“It’s the first step. It’s not there, which is good,” Jeter said. “That’s the key; you don’t want to feel it. I don’t feel it.”

Joe Girardi called it “a positive sign” that Jeter was able to run, but he made no promises about the weekend.

“We’re not pushing him a whole lot yet, but so far, so good,” Girardi said. “Every step has been better and that’s a good sign.”

Jeter will still have to run the bases this week before being activated, but he expects to increase his workload a little each day.

“I’ll be ready as soon as possible,” Jeter said. “If I could play today, I would be lobbying to play today. I’m sure I’ll lobby to play on Saturday.”

MORE PAIN
Luis Cruz appears to be headed to the disabled list after suffering a right knee injury while making a play in the field during Monday’s game.

Cruz was wearing a brace that covered most of his leg Tuesday night. He’ll undergo an MRI Friday in New York, although he said the medical staff told him he likely suffered an MCL injury.

Assuming the Yankees put Cruz on the DL on Wednesday, David Adams is the likely replacement.

WELCOME MATT
Matt Garza, acquired by the Rangers from the Cubs on Monday, will make his first start for Texas on Wednesday against Andy Pettitte and the Yankees.

Garza faced the Yankees 12 times in his career during his time with the Twins and Rays, 11 of those coming in starts. He’s 1-4 with a 4.48 ERA in those outings, the last of which came in 2010.

“He’s got very good stuff,” Girardi said.

VANISHING ACT
Monday afternoon, a painting of 2011 MVP winners Justin Verlander and Ryan Braun hung in the hallway near the entrance inside the visiting clubhouse at Rangers Ballpark.

Tuesday, that painting was nowhere to be found after Braun accepted a 65-game suspension for his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

PINEDA PITCHES
Michael Pineda threw three scoreless innings and 39 pitches for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday, but was pulled from the game early as the Yankees try to manage his innings total this season while he returns from shoulder surgery... David Phelps allowed two runs on two hits and three walks, striking out six in 3.2 innings of a rehab start for Double-A Trenton on Tuesday... The Yankees-Red Sox game at Fenway Park on Sunday, Aug. 18 was picked up by ESPN. First pitch is now scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

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