Jeter 'pleading' with Cashman to let him rejoin Yankees before All-Star break

It only took two rehab games with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders before Derek Jeter got the itch to get back into Yankee pinstripes and now he wants Brian Cashman to bring the backscratcher.

The rehabbing shortstop admitted "pleading" with New York Yankees' general manager to let him rejoin the Yankees as soon as possible.

"I told him I want to get back as soon as possible," Jeter said before Monday night's game against the Rochester Red Wings. "I get it, I know why I am here, so I will make the most of it. I know I have to get into some games to see how I can do. Hopefully, I can get out of here soon."

Cashman, who angrily told Alex Rodriguez to “shut the f--- up” through the media when the rehabbing third baseman tweeted on June 25 that he had been medically cleared to play games, told The New York  Daily News in an email Monday that the Yanks “will take (Jeter) when he is ready, and yes, he wants to be back yesterday, understandably so.”

Jeter ended up playing another five innings for the minor league team and went 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored before a sellout crowd of 10,000 that was filled with Jeter No. 2 jerseys at PNC Park.

Afterward, he said he's making progress.

"It was good to be out there running and moving," he said. "It [his ankle] felt a little bit stiff once the game started, but it was fine after that. I felt better out there than the other days.

"I feel good overall playing and can move pretty freely. But I would feel better playing in New York."

Jeter said he won't be at the ballpark Tuesday for the Railriders' afternoon game but said he expects to be back in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's lineup for Wednesday night's game.

"I had to run a lot and it [my ankle] does feel good," Jeter said. ". . . The fans have been great here and it is good to see them out here. I'm looking forward to playing Wednesday at this point."

At the outset, Jeter looked a little tentative during his third rehab game. He charged a grounder in the first inning and made a routine throw to first for the out. In the bottom of the inning, leading off, Jeter smacked a chopper to shortstop and appeared a bit slower than usual running down the line. But he was safe when Rochester first baseman Chris Colabello bobbled the ball.  In the third, he scored from second on a single running at normal stride.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi remains optimistic about Jeter's possible return before the All-Star break.

"There is always a chance," Girardi said. "You have to see how he does in the next three or four days."