MLB

Brian McCann starting to show he’s worth the money

It was back at the end of June and Brian McCann, the seven-time All-Star with the Braves who signed a five-year, $85 million free-agent deal with the Yankees, summed up his offensive season in one word.

“Horrible,” McCann said.

No one would have argued back then.

Now? Well, you would get a real and valid debate.

McCann tied his career high with four hits —including his 17th home run of the season and 15th at Yankee Stadium – to lead the Yankees offense out of its slumber and into a 5-1 victory over the Red Sox on Wednesday night.

“It seems like it was a long, long time ago,” McCann said. “I feel like I’ve put a couple good months together. That’s the plan. It’s such a long season. It took me a little bit longer this year to get going with the bat than normal.”

Since July 1, McCann has hit .283 (45-of-159) with eight homers. That has lifted his season mark to .244 with 17 homers and 61 RBIs, three of them coming Wednesday. In his final two seasons with the Braves, McCann averaged .242 with 20 homers and 62 RBIs. So why the return to normalcy over the past two-plus months?

“I haven’t tried to dissect it,” McCann said.

“I know there’s a month left and we’re fighting for a playoff spot. Stats are out the window at this point. It hasn’t been the season offensively I’ve hoped for, but at the same time we have a month to win games.”

Like they did Wednesday with a huge help from the catcher.

McCann homered in his first at-bat then singled in his next three — giving him six hits in the first two September nights of the Yankees homestand. It was the 11th four-hit game of McCann’s career and left his season average at its highest mark since July 26.

When he drilled an 0-2 fastball from Boston starter and loser Anthony Ranaudo (3-1) into the second deck in right field for a two-run homer in the second inning, it represented just the second time all season McCann homered in back-to-back games. McCann hit a homer in his last at-bat Tuesday then added another in his first at bat Wednesday.

Yeah, he has taken full advantage of the Yankees’ porch in right.

“I felt good. I felt like I was covering both sides of the plate. Working counts and swinging at strikes,” said McCann, who joined Joe Sewell and Oscar Gamble as the only Yankees to hit 15 of their first 17 homers at home, according to Elias Sports Bureau. “It just good to contribute. We’re at that point in the season where we need to win as many games as possible. … Obviously the short porch in right helps. To have so many at home and not many on the road is strange.”