The Yankees are hoping that Alex Rodriguez will return in mid-September from his fractured left hand. "He is doing conditioning and throwing and doing everything he can to stay in shape," Joe Girardi said. "When it comes time to swing a bat, it shouldn't be long." Eric Chavez and Jayson Nix are hitting a combined .385 (10-for-26) with three homers and seven RBIs as starters in the nine games Rodriguez has missed.