TORONTO — Three years ago, the Yankees’ pursuit of Dustin Ackley started. On July 30 they finally convinced the Mariners the former first-round pick in the 2009 draft was worth moving for outfielder Ramon Flores and right-hander Jose Ramirez.
“He has a left-handed bat with lift,’’ general manager Brian Cashman said of Ackley before the Yankees’ 4-2 loss to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Monday.
Acquired with the idea the 27-year-old who never lived up to being that draft’s second pick was going to add depth to Joe Girardi’s bench, Ackley muscled his way into the lineup.
Even though lefty David Price started for the Blue Jays Monday night, Girardi said he felt comfortable enough to use Ackley at second base and bat him ninth, despite him being 3-for-17 (.176) against lefties going into the game. Ackley was 1-for-3 Monday.
“He has been swinging a great bat and we continue to give him opportunities,’’ Girardi said of Ackley, who hit a three-run homer in Sunday night’s 11-2 Subway Series win over the Mets at Citi Field. “He has gotten a lot of big hits for us and will continue to get opportunities.’’
Girardi and Cashman stopped short of saying Ackley, a career .244 hitter with an OPS of .677, is the Yankees’ regular second baseman, pushing fellow left-handed hitter Stephen Drew and right-handed-hitting Brendan Ryan aside.
However, Ryan was 4-for-14 (.286) against Price and Ackley was 2-for-9 (.222) against the Blue Jays’ ace, so the hot bat got him the start.
In 14 games for the Yankees, Ackley is batting .357 (10-for-28) with two homers and six RBIs after batting .232 (49-for-211) with eight homers and 25 RBIs in 98 games for the Mariners.
When Ackley arrived, the Yankees looked at him as a possible first-base option and someone who could possibly play left field. Second base, where he played one game this year for the Mariners, wasn’t in the picture until after he went on the DL Aug. 4 with a right lumbar strain. When Ackley was ready to begin a minor league rehab assignment, he played second base twice.
Of the seven games Ackley has started for the Yankees, four — counting Monday night — were at second base. And since Girardi has Ryan and Drew to play defense, the manager hasn’t hesitated to replace Ackley with the Yankees leading in the middle innings. Drew took over for Ackley in the sixth inning Saturday and Sunday against the Mets.
“I probably won’t play him against every left-hander, but David Price has been tough on right-handers this year,’’ Girardi said of Ackley. “So, I decided to go with Ackley.’’
How far Girardi will go with Ackley will depend on how he hits. As for beyond this year, Cashman wouldn’t commit after such a small sample size.
“We like his versatility. We will look at [our] second-base situation, but I can’t see finding anything out this season,’’ Cashman said of Ackley, who is eligible for arbitration this winter and can be a free agent following the 2017 season.
With Drew and Ryan free agents and not expected back, there will be a vacancy at second, where the Yankees haven’t acted like Rob Refsnyder will be the answer next season.
