BALTIMORE — Joe Girardi plans on playing Chase Headley and Jacoby Ellsbury in one of Saturday’s doubleheader games against the Orioles at Camden Yards.
Though the Yankees manager said the third baseman and center fielder were available Thursday night when the Yankees clinched an AL wild-card spot, Girardi explained he really didn’t want to use them and didn’t.
That Girardi believes Headley and Ellsbury will be ready Saturday is a sign their back issues aren’t that serious.
“They are both better,’’ Girardi said. “Right now I plan to play each one in one game [Saturday].
Headley said his back tightened up after Wednesday night’s game. Ellsbury ran into the center-field wall making a catch the same night in the sixth inning chasing David Ortiz’s double.
“It feels a lot better. I think it was a lot of games in a row and the change in the weather,’’ said Headley, who started 20 of the previous 21 games before sitting out Thursday night’s clincher. “Who knows? It got a little tight, nothing crazy. Wanted to make sure it didn’t turn into something [more].’’
With three games remaining before Monday’s workout and the wild- card game Tuesday night, Headley doesn’t want to be idle going into Tuesday.
“I want at-bats this weekend,’’ said Headley, who has an eight-game hitting streak going; batting .310 (9-for-29) in those eight games. “Obviously there is a little bit to be decided. Hopefully we take care of that first thing [Saturday] I want a few at-bats Saturday and Sunday.’’
Listening to Girardi explain Stephen Drew’s health issue, it appears the middle infielder won’t be able to help in the wild-card game or possibly thereafter if the Yankees advance.
“He has vestibular concussion,” Girardi said. “That’s over my pay grade and that could be caused by a number of things.”
Asked if he expected to have Drew after Tuesday, Girardi said, “Right now it’s doubtful because he still has the symptoms.’’
Drew, who hasn’t played since Sept. 22 and hasn’t started since Sept. 15, had a ball glance off his glove and graze his head on Sept. 20 against the Mets at Citi Field. He had a similar concussion in 2013.
Ivan Nova will start Saturday’s first game and Luis Severino is scheduled to work the second, but that could change depending on whether the Yankees already had clinched home-field advantage for Tuesday night’s wild card game.
“[With] Sevi, we might do something different,’’ Girardi said.
An Astros loss Friday night would have given the Yankees home-field for Tuesday night.
Girardi said getting Tuesday night’s game in The Bronx is the most important assignment this weekend, but he isn’t going to tax a player Saturday to get it.
“I don’t have plans of playing one person in two games [Saturday],’’ Girardi said. “To me that doesn’t make a lot of sense.’’
Girardi is waiting to see who the wild-card opponent will be before announcing his roster.
“You have a pretty good idea of what you are going to do but to some degree it depends on who you are going to play,’’ Girardi said. “The real question is how many pitchers to you carry. And that is something we have to re-evaluate.’’
With Masahiro Tanaka ready to start, the Yankees will carry at least two starters and possibly more.
“It will be more than one, I can tell you that,’’ Girardi said.
Because Michael Pineda is scheduled to start Sunday, it likely won’t be him.
If Severino doesn’t start Saturday’s second game, he is a candidate.
No one likes two games in one day, but after celebrating Thursday night’s wild-card clincher Girardi admitted a few of his players benefitted by Friday night’s game being washed out.
“Probably, there are a few boys who could use [Friday night] off,’’ Girardi said.
Pinch-running specialist Rico Noel is likely to be part of Tuesday night’s roster.
“He is definitely on our radar,’’ Girardi said of Noel, who is 5-for-6 in stolen-base attempts.