CLEVELAND — According to the statistic fraternity, Brandon McCarthy’s numbers indicate he is better than a 3-10 pitcher with a 5.01 ERA.
Stats are like toy soldiers: You can do anything you want with them. The bottom line is the Yankees acquired the 31-year-old right-hander from Arizona Sunday to upgrade a suspect rotation that still needs more help before the July 31 trade deadline because CC Sabathia is likely done for the season and who can count on Michael Pineda?
“It’s been a really, really weird year. I feel like I have done everything I need to do and the results have been terrible,’’ McCarthy said Tuesday, a day before making his Yankees debut against the Indians at Progressive Field.
The subject of trade rumors for weeks, McCarthy said he was happy he landed where he did.
“Once I heard where it was I got pretty excited,’’ McCarthy said. “It’s the Yankees, a team that is in contention and a team that his known for winning. There is really no other answer than it’s the Yankees.’’
Carlos Beltran said the hamstring tendon problem in the back of his right knee felt better than it did Monday but not good enough for him to play against the Indians. The designated hitter hopes to play Wednesday.
“It’s a lot better,’’ Beltran said of the injury he suffered Sunday when a cleat caught in the dirt around the batter’s box. “I woke up and felt better.’’
Beltran, who said he was available to pinch hit, is hitting a disappointing .216 with nine homers and 28 RBIs in 61 games.
With Beltran unavailable, manager Joe Girardi used first baseman Mark Teixeira as the DH and started Kelly Johnson at first in Tuesday’s 5-3 loss.
Despite Beltran’s brutal numbers, Girardi believes the Yankees’ lineup is better with him in it than out.
“He is a big bat, we miss him,’’ Girardi said of the switch-hitter who is hitting a paltry .156 (10-for-64) with runners in scoring position.
Shane Greene’s six-inning effort Wednesday night in his first major league start was good enough for Girardi to give the rookie right-hander a start Saturday night against the AL East-leading Orioles in Baltimore. The decision sends struggling starter Chase Whitley to the bullpen and Bruce Billings to the minor leagues.
“He did a really good job [Monday],’’ Girardi said of Greene, who gave up two runs and four hits and was the winner in a 5-3 victory.
Jacoby Ellsbury was the last Yankee to reach base Tuesday when first baseman Nick Swisher committed a fielding error on a grounder.
With the Yankees up 3-1 and Ellsbury on second with two outs, he attempted to swipe third and was an easy final out and broke the cardinal rule of base running: don’t make the last out of an inning at third base.
“I am not sure of what happened there,’’ Girardi said. “You can’t be the third out at third. We all know that.’’
Ellsbury stole third in the first and second in the second to hike his total to 25 which is second in the AL.
A dining table in the Yankees’ clubhouse after the game looked like an ice house. Teixeira sat with his right wrist packed in ice. Ellsbury had the same on the left wrist and Brian Roberts stopped by with ice packs on both ankles.
Roberts fouled a ball off the right foot in the third. Ellsbury took off the ice to eat and Teixeira left his on to dine.