Catcher Jorge Posada comes off DL for Yankees

Yankees activate C Posada from disabled list

CLEVELAND — New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada was activated from the 15-day disabled list and was in the lineup for Friday night’s game against the Cleveland Indians.

Posada had been sidelined since straining his right hamstring May 4.

Kevin Cash, who was batting .231 with no homers and three RBIs in 10 games, was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The 37-year-old Posada is satisfied with the progress he made while playing at the Yankees minor league complex in Tampa, Fla.

“I feel good,” he said. “I think I saw enough pitching down there. The biggest thing was the catching.”

Manager Joe Girardi thinks Posada will catch in three of the four games of this weekend’s series.

“He hasn’t caught nine innings in about three weeks,” Girardi said.

Posada, a switch-hitter, is batting .312 with five home runs and 20 RBIs in 23 games.

“It gives us another explosive switch-hitter,” Girardi said.

“Hopefully, I can keep everything the same,” Posada said. “I don’t want to change anything. I want to keep on catching and be there for the pitchers.”

Girardi said center fielder Melky Cabrera, who has a bruised right shoulder, could return for Monday’s series finale. Cabrera was injured during Tuesday’s game at Texas.

“The progress he’s made in the last couple of days has been a lot,” Girardi said.

Backup catcher Jose Molina, out with a left quadriceps strain, got seven plate appearances in a simulated game in Tampa on Friday. Molina is scheduled to play in the field for the first time since getting hurt during an extended spring training game Saturday. Girardi said he will catch three innings.

Infielder Cody Ransom (right quadriceps) and outfielder Xavier Nady (right elbow ligament) also hit in the simulated game.

Ransom is set to play defense for the first time Saturday. Nady is scheduled to resume throwing Monday.