Lineup preview puts pressure on vets

ATLANTA — Yankees manager Joe Girardi said you could expect Friday’s lineup against the Braves to be the same one he uses in Sunday’s season opener against the Rays at Tropicana Field.

“I would think so,” Girardi said before the exhibition game to open SunTrust Park, Atlanta’s new home. “We tried to put it together a couple of times this week so guys could get used to it. It’s probably what we’ll use Sunday.”

That meant Brett Gardner hit leadoff with Gary Sanchez second, Greg Bird third, Matt Holliday fourth, Jacoby Ellsbury fifth, Starlin Castro sixth, Chase Headley seventh, Aaron Judge eighth and Ronald Torreyes ninth.

Though the focus of the spring has been primarily on the team’s young players, Girardi placed some pressure on the guys who have been around and said it is up to them to provide more than most of them did a year ago.

“I think we’re going to be really good if the veterans do their job,” Girardi said. “There’s a lot of talk always [focused] on the young kids. The veterans have to do their job. If they do, we’re going to have a really good year.” That’s a big if. Starting at the top with Gardner, who has struggled since being named an All-Star in 2015 and then moving to Ellsbury, who was bumped down in the order in part because of his inability to get on base consistently.

And then there’s Headley, in the bottom third of the order, who is trying to avoid a miserable start from a year ago from which he never fully recovered.

The lineup also is without Didi Gregorius, who is out until May with a shoulder injury suffered while playing second base for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic.

Girardi said he doesn’t want to put too much pressure on Sanchez and Bird in the heart of the lineup, as well as newcomer Holliday.

But Girardi put an upbeat tone on what he had penciled in.

“Last year, we struggled scoring runs,” Girardi said. “I think there’s potential for this lineup.”