TAMPA — Nick Johnson’s back looked completely healed today when the Yankees’ DH homered twice against the Pirates at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Johnson, who was scratched from a game on March 4 because of lower back stiffness and didn’t play until Monday, hit two homers off Pirates starter Charlie Morton in a 12-7 Yankees loss.
“It feels pretty good,’’ Johnson said of the back he tries to keep warm between at-bats in his first stab at being a DH. “I have to make sure the back is loosened up.’’
Like a lot of Yankees hitters, Johnson has fallen in love with the instruction from hitting coach Kevin Long, whom Johnson visited in Arizona after signing a one-year, $5.75 million deal in December.
“I have been working in the cage on my lower half,’’ left-handed hitting Johnson said. “I have been working with Kevin not to drift and be more direct. I am turning my back foot. If I don’t do that I slide. It allows the ball to come to me and I don’t go get it.’’
Johnson got two at-bats because he will travel to Lakeland, Fla., to face the Tigers and Johnny Damon, the popular player he essentially replaced.