Yankees manager Joe Girardi benched $153-million man Jacoby Ellsbury in favor of Chris Young and Brett Gardner against Houston lefthander Dallas Keuchel for Tuesday night's wild-card playoff game at Yankee Stadium.
Ellsbury, a career .301 hitter in the postseason with two World Series rings while with the Red Sox, has struggled in his second year in pinstripes. He finished with a .257 average, his lowest in a full regular season.
Girardi said he chose to sit Ellsbury "because we felt we had to get Chris Young's bat in there against the lefthander."
Also, Girardi said, "I think when it came down to it in the end it was Gardy's numbers against lefthanders this year compared to Jacoby's.