DETROIT — Alex Rodriguez
and Curtis Granderson were still out of New York's starting lineup for
Game 4 of the AL championship series on Thursday, a day after the game
was postponed by rain.
The slumping Yankees trailed 3-0
in the AL championship series against Detroit. Manager Joe Girardi has
juggled his lineup throughout the postseason, trying to find the right.
New York kept their lineup the
same as it would have been Wednesday — with Rodriguez on the bench for
the third time in nine postseason games. A-Rod is 3-for-23 with no RBIs
in these playoffs.
Granderson joined him on the bench after another hitless night in Game 3
dropped the center fielder to 3-for-29 with 15 strikeouts. Granderson hit 43 homers with 106 RBIs
this season.
Nick Swisher, who was benched in
Game 3, returned to the lineup in right field. Eric Chavez started at
third base in place of Rodriguez. Brett Gardner started in Granderson's
normal spot.
Rodriguez has looked particularly
overmatched against right-handers, going 0 for 18 with 12 strikeouts in
the postseason. Detroit's entire playoff rotation is right-handed,
including Game 4 starter Max Scherzer.
New York ace CC Sabathia was slated to take the mound Thursday against Scherzer.
In Game 3, Girardi let Raul
Ibanez hit against left-hander Phil Coke in the ninth inning, and Ibanez
ended the game by striking out. The switch-hitting Swisher — not
Rodriguez — was in the on-deck circle preparing to pinch hit.
"I was ready to hit, and I was
just waiting for my number to be called," Rodriguez said Wednesday. "Any
time I'm in any lineup, I think that lineup is better and has a better
chance to win. … Any time I'm in the box, the game can change, and
everyone knows that."