M🌠INNEAPOLIS — Joe Girardi hasn’t seen a glaring hole in Briꦐan McCann’s swing, but something obviously is behind the left-handed-hitting catcher’s deep slump.
“He has had some struggles,” Girardi said of McCann, who took a seat on the bench Friday night against Twins lefty Pat Dean while mired in an 11-✨for-77 (.143) slump. “I don’t think I can put a finger on it. He is just not getting a lot of hits. I don’t see much different mechanically.”
Dean might have been the tonic for McCann’s ailing wood, since he gave up seven hits and ❀eight runs in 2 ¹/₃ innin𒈔gs in an 8-2 Yankees victory, and was sent to the minors afterward.
Being a catcher, McCan𓆉n takes more of a pounding than other players, but overall, Girardi🌄 said he believes McCann’s health is good.
On April 12, McCann took a foul tip off his left big toe💖 and missed one game. On June 1, he hyperextended his ♔left elbow and was out two games.
McCann is batting .211 with eight homers, 27 RBIs and a .703 OPS. Against lefties, he is at .190 (8-for-42) and has more strikeouts (12) than hits. Against right-handers, he is hitting .218 (29-for-133)𓄧 and has as many strikeouts (29) as hits.
While tur🧜ning McCann, who has two more years aftꦺer this one at $34 million, into a platoon player with Austin Romine isn’t something the Yankees would want to do, Romine is hitting .295 (13-for-44) against lefties after going 0-for-2 Friday night. He finished 1-for-5 and drove in two runs with a double off right-hander Neil Ramirez.
Mark Teixei♋ra’s right knee continues to improve and th🎃e switch-hitting first baseman can start a minor league rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
“Everything is good so far,” said Teixeira, who took batting practice and ran𝄹 in the outfield prior to Friday night’s game.
With the Twins throwing lefty Dean, the right-handed-hitting Rob Refsnyder made his ninth start a🐻t first base and hit second for the third time this season.
Refsnyder has earned the platoon status at 🌟first with the lefty-swinging Ike Davis because he is hitting .353 (6-for-17) against lefties. He had an RBI double in the first inning Friday night.
When the Yankees acquired outfielder Aaron Hicks from the✅ Twins for catcher John Ryan Murphy, they believed🌼 the switch-hitter would thrive against lefty pitchers and provide a plus defender. The Yankees have been pleased with the outfield play, but Hicks is batting .158 (9-for-57) after going hitless in two at-bats against lefties Friday night.