Joe Girardi called Steve Pearce’s eighth-inning takeout slide of Kelly Johnson at third base “malicious” and was clearly upset the umpiring crew chose not to call interference on the force play that led to two unearned runs when Johnson threw the ball away.
“That was pretty malicious,” Girardi said after the 8-0 loss to the Orioles. “I don’t have a problem with playing hard … [but] that’s a pretty dangerous one. That’s how you hurt your knees.”
Girardi argued the call, but was told Pearce could have gotten to the base. The manager disagreed.
“You have to make an attempt for the bag and there was no attempt for the bag,” Girardi said.
Pearce, a former Yankee, admitted he tried to take Johnson out, but added there “was nothing malicious about it. … Personally, I was not trying to hurt the guy. I was just trying to break up the double play.”
Johnson wasn’t thrilled with the play, either.
“It could be dirty,” Johnson said. “As a base runner, I’d have a hard time saying I wouldn’t slide the same way. I would try to maybe make sure I’m closer [to the bag].”
Johnson left the game in the ninth, but not because of the slide into his ankle.
“I don’t think he intentionally tried to hurt him, but it’s a pretty violent and dangerous slide,” Girardi said.
Mark Teixeira feared the worst when he was hit by a pitch on the left foot during the eighth inning, but wound up only bruising the last two toes and said he will be able to play Monday in Toronto.
“I was breathing a sigh of relief,” Teixeira said after X-rays were negative.
As he left the field, he slammed his helmet down, thinking the news would be worse.
“I did it in 2010 and thought it was broken again,” Teixeira said.
Hideki Matsui gave Derek Jeter some retirement advice before Sunday’s Old-Timers’ Day.
“He’s got to find a wife, I think, first and foremost,” Matsui said with a laugh through a translator.
When asked about what Matsui told him, Jeter smiled and said: “Everyone’s so concerned about marriage. Everyone should be happy with the wives they have.”
Girardi said again Vidal Nuno would stay in the rotation.
“He’s going to make his next start,” Girardi said. “You could look at [Saturday’s] game and say he gave up the four runs in 6 ¹/₃ [innings], but it could have been three. Yeah, he gave up the home runs. For him, it’s keeping the ball in the ballpark and getting some quick outs.”
Adam Warren, whose name has most prominently been mentioned as a possible replacement for Nuno, gave up four runs in Sunday’s loss and Girardi reiterated that by the time he would be built up enough to be a full-time starter, the Yankees hope to have CC Sabathia back.
Girardi said the Yankees are “pretty confident” Michael Pineda would be able to play catch Saturday after his latest setback and that he shouldn’t need another MRI on his strained muscle near his right shoulder.
“Our doctors felt it won’t be necessary,” Girardi said. “It’s a fairly minor amount of inflammation in there compared to what it was. Another week should be plenty sufficient.”