Clint keeping Ellsbury on pine

SEATTLE — As long as Clint Frazier produces, Jacoby Ellsbury is going to be a very expensive spare part on the Yankees’ bench.

For the second straight game and third in five, Ellsbury wasn’t in the starting lineup against the Mariners on Saturday night at Safeco Field.

“I am going with the hot hand and obviously it’s a lefty,’’ manager Joe Girardi said of using the right-handed hitting Frazier in left field against Mariners left-hander Ariel Miranda and playing the lefthanded hitting Brett Gardner in center. “Clint is playing well and I will keep using him.’’

Frazier had five hits his past 14 at-bats and was hitting .296 (8-for-27) in the previous seven games. For the season, Frazier was batting .294 (15-for-51) with three homers in 14 games.

Obviously, the 22-year-old Frazier was elated to hear what Girardi said.

“It’s a very good feeling to know the manager sees you are putting in the hard work,’’ Frazier said. “I have to produce the next two or three weeks and make it a hard decision.’’

Girardi said it’s not easy to inform a player like Ellsbury that his playing time will be reduced, though since returning from a concussion, Ellsbury’s bat has been frigid.

“It’s tough to tell a player who has had a really good career that you are going with someone who is younger and has the hot hand,’’ Girardi said of the 33year-old Ellsbury, who has three years after this one and $68 million remaining on the deal he inked before the 2014 season. “The big thing is that we aren’t saying it’s permanent, but when [Ellsbury] gets his chances, it’s important he plays well.’’

The question is, how many chances will Ellsbury get?

“I realize when I started the first two months of the year I played really well,’’ Ellsbury said. “Then I had a concussion, and the last three weeks the production hasn’t been the same since then. I am looking forward to getting back to the first two months.’’