Mark Teixeira’s pattern seems as set as it is baffling — struggle in April, star in May. And the Yankees are hoping yesterday’s career-high tying four-hit performance portends just such a breakout.
After getting just 11 hits last month — batting .136 — Teixeira has six through his first two games this month. And starting as the designated hitter yesterday, he had three singles and a two-run double to help the Bombers blast the White Sox 12-3.
“I hit the ball hard pretty much every time up, and they fell. That’s good. . . . You’re never ‘there.’ It’s always a battle, always a grind. No one’s ever going to hit a 1.000,” said Teixeira.
Yesterday he lined a two-RBI double down the left-field line in a five-run seventh.
“Yeah, I like that start to May,” said Teixeira. “The biggest thing for me is just helping the team win, whether it’s grinding through a few at-bats and drawing walks to score runs or getting big hits and driving in runs.”
This has been brewing for a week. He went into Monday’s off-day hitting just .119, but has gone 9-for-23 since. And after hitting just .200 last April with three homers, he hit .330 with 13 homers last May en route to leading the American League in RBIs and tying Tampa Bay’s Carlos Pena for first in home runs.
“I wish I knew [why]. He’s a guy that’s gotten off to slow starts in his career. Does it become mental? I don’t know,” said manager Joe Girardi, who batted Nick Swisher cleanup, with Alex Rodriguez sidelined by pain behind his knee, and saw him go 3-for-4 with two RBI.
“I loved hitting behind Tex; he was on base every time,” Swisher said. “This happened exactly the same last year; [the media] got all over him early in the year, and then he raked and you guys didn’t say nothing to him the rest of the year. So let’s just do the same thing again.”
One scribe joked the key was having Swisher protecting him in the lineup, but Teixeira did admit having the day off from first did help.
“It might be coincidence; but at the same time, DHing you just concentrate on hitting. You can watch more video, watch the pitcher and see how he’s working different guys,” said Teixeira. “I love DHing once or twice a month, get off my feet and rest a little bit. I don’t like taking days off so the DH is nice.”