The New York Yankees have yet to find an answer at the second base position. Stephen Drew has been among the worst in the MLB, but Jose Pirela has not done anything to set himself apart to earn the starting job.
So what will manager Joe Girardi do?
"I'll go day by day," he told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. "Anyone can earn playing time. That's the bottom line in this game, and that's the way it's always been. Have we made a position switch? No, not necessarily."
Girardi's words came in response to Pirela getting the start on Saturday night while Drew sat on the bench. Drew is batting .157/.225/.301 with 11 runs scored, 5 home runs and 15 RBIs in 46 games this season (170 plate appearances), and Feinsand notes the veteran is technically the worst hitter in baseball because his average is last among those who qualify for a batting title. Drew's struggles have been a glaring issue since last year when he slashed .162/.237/.299 with 18 runs scored, 7 home runs and 26 RBIs in 85 games with the Yankees and Red Sox.
Pirela got the start again on Sunday and speculation suggests Girardi could be making a permanent switch at the position. The 25-year-old Pirela is batting .222 through his first 14 games (36 plate appearances) this season, but his performance in the minors has given the Yankees some hope.
"Before Friday's game, a team source told Marly Rivera of ESPNDeportes.com that a switch was in the works and that Pirela, a right-handed hitter, was likely to play in place of the lefty swinging Drew on Saturday, even though the A's were starting Jesse Hahn, a right-hander," Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com wrote on Saturday.
"Saturday's move might not be an official passing of the torch, but should Pirela begin to produce, it could result in a reduced role for the 32-year-old [Drew]. As a veteran with experience at multiple positions, Drew could ultimately prove to be the perfect utility infielder," Feinsand added.
While Girardi continues to be non-committal in regards to who will be the team's starting second baseman, it's hard to believe he's going to stick with Drew for much longer if these offensive struggles persist. He signed late last season, which likely played a role in his .162 batting average, but his performance this year has been downright unacceptable, especially since New York has the fourth-ranked offense in the MLB.
Pirela has had limited playing time, so it's too early to tell whether he can take over at second base on a full-time basis, but it looks as if Girardi will at least give him a chance to see what the youngster is capable of.
"I'm here, man, and everybody here has a chance to play," Pirela told Brendan Kuty of NJ.com. "So I just thank the Yankees for giving me the opportunity to get one here. It's a big chance right now so I've been working hard for when the opportunity comes and I can go forward.
"I keep working a lot. I put in more work so I hope they give me the opportunity to keep playing."
We'll see who Girardi decides to keep in the lineup this week, starting with their three-game set tonight against the Seattle Mariners.