Head’ in clouds
Chase continues struggles at plate
Chase Headley looks due for another mental health day.
The long-struggling third baseman fell deeper into the tailspin that is defining his fourth season with the Yankees after going 0-for-3, with a walk, while leaving three runners on base in the team’s 5-4 loss to the Red Sox in The Bronx on Tuesday night.
Headley, who is now batting a season-worst .225, has just one hit in his past four games, and has not recorded an extra-base hit since May 23. His most recent home run came April 19.
Citing Headley’s multiweek slump, manager Joe Girardi gave the 33-year-old two games off during the final weekend of May in hopes of reversing his disastrous campaign. Headley followed with five hits over his next four games (5for-15, with two multi-hit performances), but he has gone 1-for-15 since.
Incredibly, Headley was batting .307 on May 2, but he is hitting .132 (12-for-91) since May 7, with three extra-base hits, four walks and 27 strikeouts.
Without an obvious replacement on the bench, and with stud prospect Gleyber Torres appearing unlikely to be called up shortly, Headley has been given the chance to turn his season around nearly every day. Again, Headley had multiple opportunities to build some momentum Tuesday night, and instead helped seal the series-opening loss.
With the game tied at one in the second inning, Headley stepped to the plate with one out, and Didi Gregorius on third base. Needing only a fly ball or ground ball to take the lead, Headley struck out swinging. In the fourth inning, the veteran grounded into an inningending double play with runners on first and second.
“He put on some tough at-bats,” Girardi said. “He worked the count. … He probably saw eight or nine pitches before he grounded into the double play.”
Girardi could have pinch hit for Headley during a key spot in the eighth inning, but the manager allowed him one last opportunity at redemption with two outs and the game-tying run at first base.
Headley managed to draw a walk on a full count against Craig Kimbrel, and represented the go-ahead run at first, but Chris Carter struck out to end the inning,