Batting skid lands Chase on pine
Chase Headley’s ineffectiveness at the plate finally has landed him on the bench.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he intended to sit the third baseman Saturday and perhaps Sunday in the hope it allows Headley to clear his head and gets him to relax.
“I just feel like [Headley] is in that situation where he’s frustrated and trying too hard,” Girardi said before the Yankees beat the Athletics, 3-2, Saturday in The Bronx. “So I’ll give him a day or two to work on some things and get back on track.”
The move is understandable considering Headley’s lengthy slump. Dating back to an 0-for-7 game against the Cubs on May 7, Headley is 6-for-57 with 21 strikeouts, no walks and just three extra-base hits.
“As a player, you want to play every day and you feel like that’s the day you’re gonna go out there and kind of break out of it,” Headley said. “He felt like it would be helpful. It’s not gonna make anything worse.”
In Friday’s loss to Oakland, he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts before being removed for a pinchhitter with the tying run at the plate in the ninth. Gary Sanchez popped out to end the game.
If Headley doesn’t right himself, the spotlight no doubt will grow brighter on Gleyber Torres, the Yankees’ top prospect, who recently was moved up to Triple-A Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre and played his first three games at third base. There are no plans to promote the 20-year-old to the majors anytime soon.
In the meantime, Headley is particularly focused on working on his right-handed swing. In 123 plate appearances hitting lefty this season, Headley has a .749 OPS, compared to a .476 OPS in 51 plate appearances right-handed.
“I’ll be ready to go whenever they need me,” Headley said.
Aroldis Chapman played catch Saturday for the first time since hitting the disabled list with left shoulder inflammation, and he reported no issues.
The closer threw 25 times from 60 feet and expects to go through the same routine Sunday.
“I feel good, just fine,” Chapman said through an interpreter. “Everything feels good. … It’s a slow process. I’ll keep playing catch and increase [throws and distance] gradually.’’
Girardi wouldn’t put a timeframe on when Chapman might do more.
“The next day always depends on the day before,” said Girardi, who wants to make sure Chapman’s arm responds well Sunday.
Greg Bird (right ankle bone bruise) is set to head to Tampa on Sunday, where he will take at-bats in extended spring training games before a rehab assignment with Single-A Tampa later in the week.
Girardi said Jacoby Ellsbury (concussion) is improving, but also is receiving treatment for soreness from running into the center-field wall Wednesday, which landed him on the seven-day concussion DL.