There was huge news Friday afternoon from the New York Yankees.
The team says their captain, short stop Derek Jeter, who hasn't played all season due to an ankle injury will begin playing ball again right here in Lackawanna County!
Jeter is set to start rehabilitating that injury with the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Rail Riders at the 7 o'clock game Saturday night at PNC Field.
Here at PNC Field, Yankees fans were all a-buzz with the major news out of Major League Baseball.
The Scranton-Wilkes Barre Rail Riders, the Yankees Triple-A team, is getting an extra player for its game Saturday.
And it`s none other than Yankees captain, Derek Jeter.
“I`m really excited because I came up two years ago when A-Rod was here so it`s really great for the area to have a legend here,” said Josh Wargo Nanticoke.
The future Hall-of-Famer hasn`t played with his team since breaking his left ankle during the play-offs last October.
Now the Yankees have cleared Jeter to begin his rehabilitation by playing short stop with the Rail Riders for at least five innings.
“It`s awesome, it`s great for the city and great for the universe,” said Dave Huebner, who was in from Pittsburgh, visiting his in-laws. “Sorry I`m just really excited.”
“It`s so exciting and this stadium is just wonderful, I`m so happy, it`s a great thing for Scranton and Wilkes-Barre,” said Gail Anderson from Saylorsburg.
The last time Jeter played here in Scranton was in 1995 when he played for the Yankees then Triple-A team, the Columbus Clippers.
The Rail Riders say Saturday's game has now gone to standing room.
The team is taking extra steps to relieve traffic bottle-necks by opening the park an hour early at 5 pm rather than six and rewarding car-poolers.
“People that come in a car with four or more people in it will receive a free hot dog, chips and small Pepsi product when they enter the parking lot, “said Rail Riders President Rob Crain.
Compounding the traffic headaches for getting to the field, Kid Rock is set to play on the mountain at Toyota Pavilion Saturday evening.
Many fans say they`re taking the team`s advice.
“We`ll be leaving the house early because kid rock is here too so,” said Robin Robaudo from Hamlin.
The Scranton Wilkes-Barre Rail Riders with the New York Yankees' Derek Jeter will face off against the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs at 7:05 Saturday evening.