Despite old success, Rodriguez sits vs. Colon
Joe Girardi was aware of Alex Rodriguez’ impressive numbers against Mets starter Bartolo Colon Thursday night in the final Subway Series game at Yankee Stadium.
Yet, just like people at their 25-year reunion, they don’t look the same as they used to.
“Those are numbers from years and years ago,’’ Girardi said of Rodriguez batting .442 (23-for-52) with eight homers against Colon, who at 43 is two years Rodriguez’s elder. “The last time he faced him was 2012 (1-for-6) and the time before that 2007 (2-for-2).’’
With the Yankees in no hurry to release Rodriguez and eat roughly $27 million owed to him this year and next and Rodriguez being almost an automatic out against right-handed pitching, Girardi’s hands are tied.
Rodriguez is batting .196 (28-for-143) against right-handers and .204 (44-for216) overall.
Since July 23 Rodriguez has started one game — against Rays lefty Drew Smyly on Saturday when he whiffed four times — and has six at-bats (two as a pinch hitter) in that stretch.
With Gary Sanchez promoted Wednesday to be the DH and catch, which will possibly lead Girardi to using Brian McCann as the DH, at-bats for Rodriguez won’t be available unless an injury surfaces.
Sanchez went 2-for-4 with a double in Thursday night’s 4-1 loss to the Mets.
“We called Sanchez up and he is going to play and the at-bats that have been tough on Alex have been right- handed at-bats,’’ said Girardi, who didn’t put Rodriguez in the lineup Wednesday night against Mets lefty Steven Matz either. “I can’t exactly tell you when I am going to play him.’’
Because the Indians are starting righthanders Friday, Saturday and Sunday it’s not likely Rodriguez will be in the lineup.
Mark Teixeira did not play Thursday night after getting drilled on the left shin by Matz during Wednesday night’s 9-5 win.
Teixeira, who is playing with torn cartilage in the right knee and fouled a ball off his left foot in mid-July, was going to have an X-ray taken Thursday night.
“We’ll do an X-ray today, just to make sure, but it’s sore, but it’s not terrible. It got meat and bone. I’ve got a nice knot on there,’’ Teixeira said. “We are going to do a whole bunch of treatment. It’s still pretty sore right now. We will see if treatment helps.’’
Teixeira, who hit a three-run homer off Matz in his previous plate appearance, stayed in Wednesday’s game and got into Mets’ reliever Hansel Robles’ head while on second base in the seventh inning when Robles believed Teixeira was stealing signs.
Talking on the MLB Network on Thursday, GM Brian Cashman said the headliner in the deal that sent Andrew Miller to the Indians won’t make his major league debut this season.
“We’re not going to see Clint Frazier in 2016 [in the majors] at all,’’ Cashman said of the outfielder who is playing at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.