A birthday wish for old days again
HOUSTON — One year ago, Alex Rodriguez celebrated his 40th birthday with a home run in a Yankees win over the Rangers in Arlington. Wednesday, A-Rod spent his 41st birthday on the bench at Minute Maid Park, 225 miles south and a world away from the last time he blew the candles out.
Unlike last year, when A-Rod was in the middle of an unlikely bounce back season, he’s currently stuck at the bottom of the roster, a DH against lefthanders in name only, given his benching against Dallas Keuchel Monday night.
“Last year was a magical season,” Rodriguez said. “I threw a team party in Texas, the whole team was there. I hit a home run, we won the game. Every year is different. Every year has different challenges. I started the season last year on fire; hopefully I can finish this season on fire, just reverse it.”
Rodriguez laughed when asked if he thought Joe Girardi might have been sentimental Wednesday, inserting A-Rod into the lineup for the series finale against the Astros as a birthday gift.
“We’re about winning games,” Rodriguez said. “The team is playing well. I never thought about that.”
A-Rod has started only seven games in July, making a total of 36 plate appearances. He’s 4-for-31 during that time, including a current 1-for-21 skid, though he was encouraged by the one hit, a long home run against the Orioles last week. With lefties lined up for the Rays on Saturday and Sunday, Joe Girardi said A-Rod would likely be in the lineup.
YANKEE MATH
With the deadline four days away, Girardi continued to defer trade questions to GM Brian Cashman, saying his job is to get the most out of the 25 players currently in the clubhouse. But Girardi believes “it’s a possibility” the Yankees make more moves, though not necessarily of the selling variety.
“I know everyone is going to say subtract,” Girardi said. “But Brian has said we’re not saying we’re just subtracting; we could be adding, too.”
RELIEF FROM SEVERINO
Luis Severino threw two scoreless innings of relief Wednesday in his first career appearance out of the bullpen. Severino didn’t allow a hit, walked one and struck out three.
“I thought his slider was better tonight than before; it had more depth,” Girardi said. “There’s still some fastball command that we can work on, but I saw improvement.”
Severino seemed much happier with the outing, pleased with the progress he’s made since he started 0-6 with a 7.46 ERA before he was sent to the minors.
“At the beginning of the season, I was thinking too much,” Severino said. “If my pitches are good, especially my changeup and my slider, everything is going to be all right.”