Attempting to pump life into a stagnant lineup, manager Joe Girardi inserted Dustin Ackley Saturday at second base against Mets flamethrower Noah Syndergaard.
“We had him play some there on his [minor league] rehab,’’ Girardi said of giving Ackley his second start as a Yankee at second base and third overall this season in the 5-0 win at Citi Field. He played one game at second for Seattle. “We really like the way he is swinging the bat, that’s why we are putting him in there. We hope he does some damage offensively, we get a lead and probably go a little bit more defensively.’’
Because Mets center fielder Yoenis Cespedes misplayed his fly to deep center, Ackley went 1-for-3 with a triple. He was removed for Stephen Drew in the sixth.
Brendan Ryan and Rob Refsynder also saw time at second base in Saturday’s win.
General manager Brian Cashman and Girardi lauded struggling lefty Chasen Shreve before Saturday’s game and one day after the reliever had another rocky outing. Nevertheless, Cahsman hinted Shreve’s recent struggles may force the manager to back off the left-hander.
Asked who among the large cast of relievers residing in the bullpen other than Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Justin Wilson, Girardi came to Shreve’s defense.
“I still have a lot of belief in Shreve. I know he has had his struggles recently, but this guy has pitched really well for us this year,’’ Girardi said. “Look at his body of work, not necessarily a snap shot of time. Obviously, he is important to us and we need his innings. He is our guy and we believe he will turn it around.’’
Shreve’s entire 2015 backs up Girardi’s request to view the entire canvas instead of the recent struggles. In 55 appearances Shreve is 6-2 with a 2.67 ERA, has allowed 42 hits in 57 ¹/₃ innings and struck out 64 while walking 30. But in his past seven games Shreve has an 8.11 ERA, has given up nine hits (three homers) and seven walks in 6 ²/₃ innings.
“I am not concerned about his health, obviously he is pitching in a poor stretch right now,’’ Cashman said. “Shreve is one of the reasons we got this far but Joe may have to call a different name until we resuscitate [Shreve].’’
No matter how many times Girardi is asked about using Alex Rodriguez at a position other than DH, the manager has the same answer wrapped in a different paper: It’s not happening.
“Going into spring training we said we needed his offense the most,’’ Girardi said. “Let’s not forget he is 40 years old and running him out there for defense there probably isn’t going to be a ton of range. And it’s something he is not comfortable doing.’’
While the Yankees had Rodriguez take ground balls before late August games in Atlanta and early September games in Boston at first base, it never got further than that.
“It didn’t look right so we decided not to do it,’’ Girardi said. “He doesn’t look comfortable.’’
Rodriguez walked as a pinch-hitter Friday night and flied to center Saturday in the same role.
Betances worked a perfect eighth, striking out two. It was his 37th straight road outing without allowing an earned run. He has 42 ²/₃ innings in the streak that dates to last Aug. 28. The streak is tied for third with Mariano Rivera for the third longest.
Beginning with Wilson’s strike out of David Wright in the sixth, Wilson, Caleb Cotham and Betances fanned seven straight Mets. The string ended when Cespedes grounded out for the final out in the eighth.
The Yankees have homered in 12 of the past 13 games.