KANSAS CITY — After removing Nick Swisher late in Thursday night’s game because of cramps brought on by the oppressive heat at Kauffman Stadium, Yankees manager Joe Girardi decided to rest his right fielder and No. 2 hitter last night.
Because Girardi liked what he saw from Curtis Granderson after the left-handed hitter spent two days working with hitting coach Kevin Long trying to shorten his swing, Girardi put Granderson in Swisher’s spot in the order against Royals right-hander Kyle Davies.
“I liked the way he swung the bat and he has had a lot of success off Davies,” Girardi said of using Granderson between Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira. “It pretty much keeps our lineup about the same, guys are where they are used to being.”
Granderson, who didn’t start the two games in Texas in order to work with Long in extensive sessions, went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI in Thursdays 4-3 win. He was batting .333 (6-for-18) with two homers off Davies when he stepped into the batters box in the first inning last night. He later went 1-for-4 in last night’s rain-delayed 4-3 loss.
Swisher, who went 3-for-4 Thursday night, understood that Girardi was looking out for his best interest since the game-time temperature figured to be in the 95-degree range.
“If Skip thinks a day to relax and get better is good, I’ll take it,” said Swisher, who explained that he was fine to play last night.
Since the Yankees have played four straight games with temperatures in the 90s, Girardi said he will give several other players a rest today and tomorrow.
While Granderson hit in Swisher’s spot, Austin Kearns replaced him in right field. Kearns, who was 1-for-9 (.111) against Davies heading into the game, went 1-for-3 before Swisher pinch-hit for him in the eighth, striking out.
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As if it wasn’t hot enough — the daytime temperature was 100 degrees — the air conditioning on the Yankees’ bus didnt work for the 20-minute trek to the ballpark.
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Lance Berkman was back as the designated hitter for the first time since Sunday. Berkman started at first base Tuesday night. In 10 games the switch-hitting Berkman was batting .176 (6-for-34) as a Yankee.
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Jeter is on two rolls. He has hit safely in 12 of the last 15 games (21-for-62; .330) and scored 15 runs. In the field he hadn’t made an error in a career-high 50 games.