TAMPA, Fla. -- Mariano Rivera is ready to pitch in games and says he will be ready for Opening Day.
The New York Yankees closer is set to make his first spring training appearance Tuesday after throwing 40 pitches Saturday during his second batting practice session since coming back from right shoulder surgery in October.
Rivera said he felt good even though he was a little high with his pitches.
He was scheduled to throw 30 pitches, but decided to increase the total by 10.
Rivera said: "Now the focus is to get some innings."
He has "no doubt" that he will be ready for Opening Day.
In other news, manager Joe Girardi said Alex Rodriguez continued to make progress in his rehabilitation program after right hip surgery.
"I talked to him [Friday]," Girardi said after the Yankees beat Houston 3-1 in a split-squad game Saturday. "He was supposed to get off the crutches today, supposed to start doing a little more rehab. Said he was good. [He's] in a good frame of mind."
Rodriguez underwent arthroscopic surgery Monday in Vail, Colo., where he will likely stay for the next couple of weeks. It's not known if the 12-time All-Star, expected to be out until sometime in May, will rejoin the team before spring training ends.
"I guess it depends on how well his rehab goes out there," Girardi said. "I would love to see him because that means it's going well. We haven't been given a timetable when to expect him out of Colorado."
Girardi said Rodriguez, who has been riding a stationary bike and doing range-of-motion exercises, is adding a workout program in a pool.