MLB

‘Nicked’ Johnson prompts Girardi to shuffle lineup

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The combination of struggling Nick Johnson’s cranky back and manager Joe Girardi’s desire to give Alex Rodriguez a day as the designated hitter led to an overhaul of the Yankees’ lineup yesterday.

Prior to 7-1 win over the Angels at Angel Stadium, Girardi said Johnson was “a little nicked up” with a back issue. Afterward, Girardi admitted Johnson was “more sore” than he had said and that he didn’t anticipate having the ice-cold DH back in the lineup until Tuesday in Baltimore.

“He didn’t tell us completely how sore he is,” Girardi said of the oft-injured Johnson, whose recent back problems are in an area lower than those in spring training. “We have to make sure he is right.”

Johnson’s bat may be in worse shape than his back.

Johnson stopped a 0-for-21 slump with a fourth-inning single in Friday night’s 6-4 loss to the Angels, but has one hit in his last 23 at-bats, dropping his average to an embarrassing .135 (7-for-52), though he has walked 18 times for a .375 on-base percentage. Most alarming is that of Johnson’s 18 strikeouts, 12 have been looking.

Johnson said he felt discomfort during extra batting practice Friday and that the pain was “closer to my rear end. I got some pills and I feel better. I hit a lot [Friday] to try and figure some stuff out and I felt a little something.”

Yesterday was the first time this season Rodriguez didn’t start at third base.

“I think it’s important to give him a DH day,” Girardi said of his cleanup hitter, who went 1-for-5. “He is swinging the bat too well to give him the whole day off.”

Girardi revamped his lineup, which had scored nine runs in the previous three games.

Gardner (3-for-5) went from ninth to second and Ramiro Pena played third and was hitting eighth. Since it was a day game following a night tilt, Francisco Cervelli caught Andy Pettitte and delivered a clutch, two-out, two-run single in the fourth.

“I welcome it, Joe is trying to keep everybody fresh,” Rodriguez said of the DH duty. “I hate days off, I absolutely hate them.”

A year ago, when he was coming back from hip surgery, Rodriguez received DH at-bats as part of the plan to reduce the stress on his hip. In nine games as DH last season, he was 9-for-30 (.300) with four homers and 10 RBIs. In his career, Rodriguez has DHed 28 times with a .316 (25-for-121) average, 10 homers and 29 RBIs.

“You take the benefits from it,” said Rodriguez, who is riding a 12-for-35 (.343) hot spell.

As for his hip, Rodriguez said: “It feels good, no complaints. There is no pain or anything like that.”

Johnson isn’t the only slumping player in Girardi’s lineup. Mark Teixeira, the No. 3 hitter, is batting .123 (8-for-65) overall and 2-for-14 (.143) with runners in scoring position after going 1-for-2 with an RBI double yesterday.

With lefty Scott Kazmir going for the Angels today, will Girardi stay with the lefty swinging Gardner between Derek Jeter and Teixeira? Or will he insert switch-hitting Nick Swisher into the No. 2 spot?

“It’s something we will talk about,” Girardi said. “We have options.”

george.king@nypost.com