In past seasons, a return in the final stretch for Alex Rodriguez would serve to create more momentum for the playoff-bound New York Yankees. But that simply is not the case anymore, even though the three-time AL MVP was back in manager Joe Girardi’s lineup Sunday for the first time since July 7 following right knee surgery.
Make no mistake: Rodriguez, who was batting .295 with 13 home runs and 52 RBI before his injury, is an upgrade and valuable addition, and Girardi showed his faith by dropping him in at third base and cleanup.
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“This is the middle-of-the-order hitter,” Girardi told reporters. “… Once he hurt his knee, his power kind of went away a bit, but he’s been productive.”
But just as Rodriguez was 0-for-5 in the 3-0 win over the Twins, he’s no longer the difference between the Yankees being good and being feared. They went 25-13 during his absence in a close race for the top spot in the AL East, and they remain one of the best offensive teams in baseball, only a hair behind Boston in OPS (.801 to .797) and batting average (.278 to .269).
Plus, Girardi’s primary concern is pitching. On Saturday, A.J. Burnett couldn’t get out of the second inning and was caught on camera yelling a profanity that may or may not have been directed at the manager as he left the mound.
The last thing Girardi needs is to look for a reason not to play Rodriguez. He’s too busy searching for pitchers to give him reasons to be in his rotation.
— Craig Stouffer
