Girardi fights call that was ‘out of line’

All Joe Girardi wanted was an explanation. Instead, the Yankees manager got an early shower, but not before entertaining the Stadium crowd.

Girardi came out of the dugout looking for a reason as to why what looked like an easy call wasn’t changed upon replay review. He wound up getting tossed for the fifth time this year, and he let the umpires have it, spiking his hat on the ground, screaming, and wildly flailing his arms in disgust in the third inning of the Yankees’ 10-1 victory over the Mariners on Sunday afternoon.

With one out and a runner on first base, Robinson Cano grounded to Chase Headley at first base. He tried to start a double play by forcing Jean Segura out at second. Segura appeared to get in the way of shortstop Didi Gregorius turning the double play — replays showed he was clearly out of the baseline, running on the infield grass — and Girardi challenged that Segura interfered with Gregorius. But it wasn’t reversed, and crew chief Mike Everitt threw him out.

“Clearly I don’t understand the rule because a runner’s not supposed to be able to deviate his path to second base, and he’s supposed to be able to touch the bag when he slides,” Girardi said. “I didn’t see other of those things. ... I have no idea how they can make the call they did. I’ll get clarity on it [Monday], I’m sure. But all I wanted was an explanation. I never got one.”

Asked why he flipped out over a call in a five-run game, Girardi said the Yankees should’ve been out of the inning, and was worried about slugger Nelson Cruz, at the plate at the time, cutting into the lead.

“I’m going to protect my players,” he said. “That’s the bottom line.”

Masahiro Tanaka struck out Cruz to end the inning.

After returning from the disabled list on Saturday, Girardi rested first baseman Greg Bird against Mariners southpaw Andrew Albers. Bird, who produced a pinch-hit two-run single in the seventh inning Sunday, isn’t going to be platooned, according to Girardi. But he had played six games in a row counting his rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Scranton/WilkesBarre, and the Yankees manager wants him to start each game against the Indians in the upcoming series.

“If you’re going to pick a day, you’re probably going to pick it against a lefty,” Girardi said. “When he’s right, I don’t really worry about him against anyone. From what we’ve seen, when he’s going right, he’s pretty much an everyday player.”