KANSAS CITY — Yankees manager Joe Girardi is hoping to jolt his struggling offense by moving Mark Teixeira up to third and dropping Robinson Cano to fifth for their series opener against the Royals on Thursday night.

It is the position the two hit in for most of the 2011 season before Girardi swapped the two before the playoffs. This year the Yankees have mostly had Cano hitting cleanup with Alex Rodriguez hitting third. Teixeira (.226, three homers) and Cano (.255, one homer) have struggled this season.

Jayson Nix will make his Yankees debut, batting ninth and playing left field. He was called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre earlier in the day.

1. Derek Jeter DH

2. Curtis Granderson CF

3. Mark Teixeira 1B

4. Alex Rodriguez 3B

5. Robinson Cano 2B

6. Andruw Jones RF

7. Eduardo Nunez SS

8. Russell Martin C

9. Jayson Nix LF

David Phelps SP