A-Rod reaping benefits of some needed R&R

After an off day Aug. 28 and not starting in any of the three games in Atlanta (Aug. 2931) because the DH is banned in NL parks, Alex Rodriguez’s bat began to show signs of life in Boston.

Entering the first of three games at Fenway Park, Rodriguez was in a 12for81 (.148) slide. In the six games that followed entering Monday’s game against the Orioles at Yankee Stadium, Rodriguez was 6for23 with two homers and five RBIs.

And that continued when the DH went 1for5 with a homer in the Yankees’ 86 win. He has homered in three of the four games on this homestand.

So, with 26 games remaining, will Joe Girardi give Rodriguez a day off as the Yankees attempt to catch the Blue Jays in the AL East where the lead is a skinny onehalf length?

“I still think you need to get him a day off,’’ Girardi said. “I think it’s beneficial for him and he becomes more productive. I don’t necessarily think in this stretch you have to give him multiple days off but we are coming to the Mets series … .’’

Since Rodriguez hasn’t started any of the Yankees’ seven interleague games played in NL stadiums, it’s not likely the manager is going to risk using the 40yearold with two surgically repaired hips in the field at a crucial part of the schedule. The Yankees visit Citi Field Sept. 1820.

Girardi used the righthanded hitting Jose Pirela at second base Monday against O’s lefty WeiYin Chen over fellow righthanded hitter Brendan Ryan and lefty swinging Stephen Drew.

“He has success against Chen and he was swinging the bat great at TripleA so we are going to run him out there,’’ Girardi said of the September call up who was 4for5 (.800) versus Chen.

Pirela went 1for2 and was replaced by Drew in the sixth inning.

It was Pirela’s 19th start at second in the big leagues this year. He came off the DL May 6 (concussion suffered in spring training) and sent to TripleA Scranton/WilkesBarre June 10.