NEW YORK -- Manager Joe Girardi held off finalizing his starting lineup on Saturday until after he'd seen Eric Chavez take swings in batting practice.

Ultimately, the Yankees penciled the third baseman into the lineup, and first baseman Mark Teixeira was cleared to play in his second straight game since injuring his wrist.

Chavez started at third base and batted seventh in Saturday's contest against the Mariners despite a stiff ankle that could have developed when he was hit by a pitch in a 10-3 win over the Red Sox on July 27. Girardi said the team isn't entirely sure that's the root of the problem, but he speculated that could have been what initiated the discomfort.

"We're not sure. We think it could be related to when he got hit in the side of the ankle," Girardi said. "It didn't really hurt, he just felt a little stiffness."

Chavez can run and field without any issues, but the ankle is bothersome when he makes his stride during his swing. Chavez was a part of the first group to take batting practice before Saturday's game. After clearing Chavez, Girardi decided to go with the same lineup that worked for him in the Yankees' 6-3 victory on Friday night.

That lineup included Teixeira, who made his return on Friday after bruising his wrist on a dive in the series opener against Baltimore on Monday. An X-ray and MRI revealed no structural damage to the first baseman's wrist, so after resting for three days and taking a cortisone shot, he was back at first base on Friday. Teixeira went 1-for-4 in his return.

Girardi said Teixeira felt no lingering effects of the injury after Friday's game and was ready to play again on Saturday.

Granderson leads off for second straight game

NEW YORK -- For the second straight day, Curtis Granderson batted at the top of the order in an effort to break up the Yankees' left-handed bats.

With Seattle right-hander Felix Hernandez on the hill on Saturday, manager Joe Girardi decided to go with the same left-handed-heavy lineup that scored four runs over six innings against right-hander Kevin Millwood on Friday night.

"The big thing is, you're trying to set your lineup up so it's hard for the other team to get through, and you hope it works," Girardi said. "Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. Your hope is just to make it tougher on the other manager."

Saturday was Granderson's fifth game this season in which he's been slotted at the top of the order. Granderson entered Saturday as a career .272 hitter in the leadoff spot.

Bombers bits

• With CC Sabathia's victory on Friday, he extended his streak of starts without a loss against Seattle to eight. The stretch dates back to Aug. 8, 2009, during which he's posted a 1.20 ERA over 60 innings against the Mariners.

• Robinson Cano has hit safely in 31 of his past 35 games and 85 of the 105 games he's played this season.

• The Yankees partnered with DKMS on Saturday to host a bone marrow donor drive. Fans will receive red hats when they enter Yankee Stadium in honor of the drive, and they can visit 15 different stations around the stadium up until the seventh inning to provide a cheek swab.