A-Rod facing a struggling lefty in rehab game. Watch video
TRENTON -- The presence of Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez was at Arm & Hammer Park before he even stepped on the field to play a minor-league rehab game for the Trenton Thunder on Tuesday night.
Outside the ballpark Rodriguez's picture is on the team's video billboard outside the ballpark and there's a life-size cutup of him in a Yankee uniform inside the ticket booth.
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"Alex has arrived," Thunder media relations manager Jon Mozes told early press box arrives at 3:45 p.m. "He's in the weight room and will be taking BP at 4 p.m."
Rodriguez will hit third and DH for the Thunder, which is the Yankees' Class AA Eastern League affiliate, in a game against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
This will be A-Rod's first game since he strained his right hamstring during a game in Baltimore on May 4. He went on the 15-day disabled list the next day and was hopeful of returning when first eligible last Thursday, but he didn't quite feel ready when running last week before Yankees games in Phoenix and Oakland.
The Yankees announced the rehab game for A-Rod on Monday after saying for days that he wouldn't need one. He's expected to return Wednesday for a second game, as well, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said in New York.
A-Rod will be hitting on Tuesday against New Hampshire left-hander John Anderson, who is 2-4 with a 5.14 ERA in eight starts this season.
Anderson, 27, was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 28th round of the 2008 draft out of Chabot College. The Pleasanton, Calif., native is 21-27 with a 4.49ERA in 135 career minor-league games, 67 as a starter.
Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com Philadelphia Sports on Facebook.