Starting pitcher Andy Pettitte and third baseman Alex Rodriguez, both attempting to return from injuries, matched up between 10:00 and 10:30 a.m. in a simulated game.

Rodriguez faced Pettitte six times in a three-inning simulated game, stringing together a couple of hits. He struck out once, grounded out twice, and popped out in his remaining at-bats.

Rodriguez said after the simulated game that he “felt good.” He added that his main concern was that he did not hit one ball back up the middle.

Rodriguez also ran out of the batter’s box in one of his at-bats, but he said that he wasn’t running at 100 percent. He said that once he returns to the lineup, he will not explode out of the box—an extra precaution to protect his strained left calf.

A-Rod also fielded about 40 ground balls before the simulated game.

Rodriguez is eligible to come off the disabled list on Sunday. Manager Joe Girardi said that they will wait to see how Rodriguez feels in the morning before making a decision.

Rodriguez, 35, is hitting .265 with 21 home runs this season for the Yankees. He last played on August 20, when he was removed from the game in the fourth inning.

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