ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Having been drilled in the chin last week by Rays lefty Jake McGee and avoiding serious injury, Yankees third baseman Chase Headley strongly objected to Rays manager Joe Maddon saying Headley was grazed by McGee. Maddon made that comment in the aftermath of Tuesday’s game in which Derek Jeter was hit in the left wrist.

“The doctors told me it was a miracle my jaw didn’t shatter. I don’t think there was ill intent and I don’t think [Maddon] was trying to minimalize it,” said Headley, who missed four games and is still troubled by blood settling in his chest. “But I think if that happened to Evan Longoria or Ben Zobrist, he would’ve used a different word.”

Asked Wednesday about using the word ‘grazed’, Maddon said: “I was really happy he wasn’t hit flush.’’

Informed Headley believed he was hit flush, Maddon responded: “If he was he wouldn’t have been playing [Tuesday].’’

Maddon said no matter how he worded it, his intent was to say he was happy Headley wasn’t seriously hurt.

“It’s all about semantics, how you choose your words,’’ Maddon said before the Yankees’ 3-2 victory over the Rays. “If he is offended about the word grazed, I apologize. My point was that I was happy he wasn’t hurt seriously.’’

Headley went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI double.

Manager Joe Girardi, who was ejected for yelling and pointing at Steve Geltz, who hit Jeter, said pitchers have to learn to pitch inside because of the damage a pitcher can do. He called the ball a “weapon’’ and that inside pitches shouldn’t be up and in.

“It’s about organizational philosophies. Some guys pitch better down in the zone, some guys pitch better up in the zone, but we’re not trying to throw at anybody’s noggins,’’ Maddon said. “When you talk about pitching high and inside, I mean there is elevated “in” and then there is throwing up at somebody’s head. But believe me, man, I would never tell the Yankees how to train their pitchers.’’

With two strikeouts on Wednesday night, Dellin Betances reached 132 strikeouts, passing Mariano Rivera for the most strikeouts in a single season for a Yankees reliever. Rivera punched out 130 over 107 ²/₃ innings in 1996. Betances needed just 87 ²/₃ innings to pass the legendary closer.

Mark Teixeira was back at first base Wednesday after missing Tuesday’s game with left wrist discomfort. After going 0-for-3 with a walk, Teixeira is in a 3-for-30 slide.

MLB announced umpire Joe West was suspended for Wednesday night’s game.

West, who was scheduled to work home plate, was suspended for grabbing reliever Jonathan Papelbon Sunday.

West was replaced by Sean Barber who worked third base instead of the plate where Allen Porter was stationed.