DH Matt Holliday returned Monday after missing two games against the Cardinals with tightness in his lower back. Holliday stopped a 0-for-12 skid with a 459-foot home run with two outs in the third inning against the White Sox. He has now homered in 30 different ballparks.

DH Matt Holliday (lower back tightness) missed his second straight game after being a late scratch Saturday. The absence cost Holliday a chance to face close friend and longtime teammate RHP Adam Wainwright. New York manager Joe Girardi said Holliday is feeling better and expects to play Monday against the Chicago White Sox. "He wants to play, but my fear is if you still feel it and aggravate it, you could be down for a week," Girardi said.

DH Matt Holliday (lower back tightness) missed his first game of the season after originally being in the lineup. Manager Joe Girardi said he doesn't believe the injury is serious but it is possible Holiday might sit out Sunday when close friend RHP Adam Wainwright pitches for the Cardinals.

NEW YORK -- New York Yankees designated hitter Matt Holliday was scratched from the lineup Saturday against the St. Louis Cardinals due to lower back stiffness.Holliday missed his first game with the Yankees due to injury in his second game against his former team. He was hitless in four at-bats with three strikeouts against the Cardinals on Friday night.Holliday spent the previous 7 1/2 seasons with St. Louis. He signed a one-year deal to be New York's regular designated hitter and is hitting .242 with one home run and five RBIs to go along with 10 walks. Holliday was replaced by Chris Carter in New York's lineup.

DH Matt Holliday faced the Cardinals for the first time since signing with the Yankees and was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Holliday spent the past seven and a half seasons with St. Louis. Coincidentally, Holliday was a visitor to Yankee Stadium when the Oakland Athletics dealt him to St. Louis.

DH Matt Holliday had his 2,000th career hit with a first-inning single on Saturday. He is the seventh active player to reach that milestone. Holliday can now focus on another career highlight. He is four home runs from reaching 300.

DH Matt Holliday earned his 2,000th career hit with a first-inning single. He is the seventh active player to reach that milestone. Holliday switches his focus on another career highlight as he is four home runs away from reaching 300.

DH Matt Holliday was brought to the Yankees to give New York some power and offensive punch. He did a little of both on Friday, hitting a two-run homer (his first as a Yankee) and drove in three runs in the loss.

LF Matt Holliday (right thumb) was activated off the 15-day DL, but was also told it's unlikely his club option for 2017 will be picked up.It likely marks the end of Holliday's 7 1/2-year run with the Cardinals. In a potential storybook ending, Holliday pinch-hit in the seventh inning and launched a solo homer for the 10th 20-homer season of his career.

OF Matt Holliday took live batting practice Friday and may see action in the season's final days. Holliday has been on the disabled list since Aug. 12 with a right thumb fracture.

LF Matt Holliday (fractured right thumb) is planning to participate in a simulated game Friday morning at Wrigley Field before the Cardinals play the Chicago Cubs. The Cardinals did not take batting practice Wednesday, and Holliday did not hit in the indoor batting cage after doing so Monday and Tuesday. He has been on the disabled list since Aug. 12.

LF Matt Holliday (fractured right thumb) took batting practice for the second straight day, and could face live pitching as soon as Thursday.

LF Matt Holliday (right thumb fracture) took batting practice after a two-day layoff and will try to do so again Tuesday. Holliday, who has been on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Aug. 12 and underwent surgery, will have to move from batting practice against a coach to taking batting practice off a Cardinals pitcher, and the club has no idea when theat might happen. Cardinals manager Mike Metheny said, "He has to take BP without any ramifications, any kind of effects. What we've seen so far is he takes a good BP and has some swelling afterwards. And that can't happen. He's going to have to take BP a few days consecutively and look good. Then we'll start talking about doing something live."

LF Matt Holliday (right thumb fracture) took batting practice after a two-day layoff and will try to do so again Tuesday.

OF Matt Holliday will take live batting practice Saturday to test his fractured right thumb, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny announced Friday. Holliday had a pin inserted in his thumb during his 32-game absence. He hasn't played since Aug. 11.

OF Matt Holliday will take live batting practice before Saturday's game to test his fractured right thumb. Holliday has a pin in the thumb and hasn't played since Aug. 11.

LF Matt Holliday (right thumb fracture) should come off the disabled list during the road trip, perhaps in San Francisco this weekend. Holliday, who belted some long homers during batting practice Monday, was hitting .242 with 19 homers and 60 RBIs in 107 games going on the DL on Aug. 12. His role for the season's remainder isn't easily discerned, although manager Mike Matheny is loyal to him and probably will give him chances.

LF Matt Holliday (right thumb fracture) took batting practice and grounders at first base Monday. Holliday is apparently close to being activated off the 15-day DL, where he's resided since being hit by a pitch Aug. 11 against the Chicago Cubs. Prior to his injury, Holliday was hitting .242 with 19 homers and 60 RBIs in 107 games.

LF Matt Holliday (right thumb fracture) took batting practice Monday and fielded ground balls. It's possible he could be activated from the 15-day DL during the team's 10-game road trip that starts Thursday night.

LF Matt Holliday (fractured right thumb) had the cast removed and is rehabbing the injury at the team's spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla. Holliday was placed on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 12 after getting hurt when hit by a pitch on Aug. 11 at Wrigley Field. Holliday, who was batting .242 with 19 homers and 60 RBIs prior to the injury, is hoping to return before the season ends.