TORONTO — Underwhelming numbers against Blue Jays knuckleballer R.A. Dickey wasn’t the main reason Joe Girardi didn’t put Mark Teixeira and Brian McCann in Monday night’s starting lineup.
“A little bit but it’s more long days and long nights,’’ Girardi said of using Garrett Jones at first and John Ryan Murphy behind the plate to give Teixeira and McCann rest. “We are making sure those guys stay strong.’’
It wasn’t like Girardi deleted two smoking bats from his lineup against the fluttering pitches Dickey serves. McCann was 6-for-32 (.188) and Teixeira was at 4-for-19 (.211) versus Dickey.
“I will try to give each of our guys one day off on this turf,’’ Girardi said of the new surface the Blue Jays and opposing teams say plays a lot slower than the older, harder, stuff.
By not starting Teixeira, Girardi was well aware he was resting the Yankees’ leader in homers (9) and RBIs (20).
“We know it’s a long season and we are in a long stretch,’’ said Girardi, who had the option of inserting Teixeira for defense in the pivotal eighth inning but stayed with Jones who couldn’t scoop Chase Headley’s throw from third that led to two runs.
Numbers against Dickey did play a factor in Girardi’s lineup that had the slumping Stephen Drew in the fifth slot.
“Drew has had as much success off Dickey as anyone we have,’’ Girardi said of the left-handed hitting second baseman who started the game batting .333 (6-for-18) against Dickey but went 0-for-3.
Drew’s batting average for the season dropped to .149 (11-for-74).
Hitting in front of Drew was Carlos Beltran, who was 5-for-26 (.192) against Dickey and batting .197 (15-for-76). It was the first time this season Beltran batted fourth.
Beltran went 1-for-3 against Dickey with a double and raised his season average to .203 (16-for-79).
On the advice of sleep therapists the Yankees stayed in Boston after Sunday night’s game and flew to Canada Monday morning. MLB had to approve the travel plan and did.
“You stay on a little more normal sleep schedule,’’ Girardi said of the decision not to fly following the game Sunday night. “You get here at 4 or 4:30 and we encourage guys not to go to bed at that time unless we are traveling. So (Sunday night) you can go to bed at 1:30 or two o’clock and sleep to 10, 10:30.’’
Girardi said it was an “organizational decision.’’
Asked after the 3-1 loss if he noticed his players looking fresher for sleeping in Boston, Girardi said: “Anytime you play on Sunday night and travel it’s physically tough.’’
Jacoby Ellsbury pushed his hitting streak to seven games with a sixth-inning double. During that span Ellsbury is hitting .500 (15-for-30). … Monday night was only the second time in 14 games the Yankees didn’t win after scoring the game’s first run.
Jose Pirela continues to swing a hot bat for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Sunday, the utility player went 4-for-5 as the DH. It was Pirela’s third straight game with at least three hits. In eight combined rehab games for Single-A Tampa, Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pirela is batting .364 (12-for-33).
Pirela started the season on the seven-day concussion list after running into the center-field wall in Port St. Lucie against the Mets on March 22.
There is a chance Pirela could be activated and join the big league club. That’s a decision the Yankees are discussing. If it’s felt Pirela could help that would likely mean backup infielder Gregorio Petit would be optioned to SWB.