ELLSBURY MAKES IMPACT

said before the game.

Betances will pitch again for the Yankees on Saturday against the Tigers in Lakeland before leaving for the WBC on Mar. 5 , where he will play for the Dominican Republic.

“I think he’s further ahead than he would be normally, just because he knew he’d be leaving,” Girardi said. “Just in his velocity and the crispness of his pitches. His curveball looked outstanding today when I saw him throwing. It looked like he was in midseason form.”

Betances agreed, citing the extra time he spent in the Dominican facing hitters in preparation.

Betances has been an All-Star the last three seasons while posting the highest WAR of any reliever over that span, according to FanGraphs. He had to endure an arbitration hearing, which became contentious after the Yankees defeated Betances. There won’t be any need to drop Jacoby Ellsbury down in the order if he keeps this up.

Ellsbury homered, doubled and was hit by a pitch before departing for a pinch-runner. He wasn’t hurt as a result, and was already getting Thursday off anyway, Joe Girardi said.

Hitting coach Alan Cockrell worked with Ellsbury during the offseason, trying to move his contact point out 3-4 inches in front of his body. Ellsbury has hit 32 homers in 1,578 at-bats as a Yankee. In 2011 alone, he hit 32 homers in 660 at-bats with the Red Sox.

Girardi could ultimately decide to break up Brett Gardner and Ellsbury at the top of the lineup to separate the two lefties. But if they’re both helping the team create runs, it will work fine.