TORONTO (AP) - New York manager Joe Girardi said he walked out of Friday’s post-game media session because he was upset by questions about his bullpen usage, not because the slumping Yankees lost ground in the AL wild card race and were eliminated from the AL East.
“That’s a sign of some of the questions I was asked,” Girardi said before Saturday’s game. “There’s some things I don’t like. If I don’t like it, I’m not going to deal with it, bottom line.”
The Yankees lost 9-0 in Toronto on Friday, their ninth defeat in 12 games following a seven-game winning streak. Girardi got up and angrily walked out after being pressed on his decision to use right-hander Blake Parker in the seventh inning with his team trailing 3-0. Toronto scored four runs in one-third of an inning against Parker to blow the game open.
Girardi denied his move was a sign he didn’t believe the Yankees still had a chance to make the playoffs.
“I’m trying to win the game,” Girardi said. “Parker has gotten some big outs for us. It wasn’t like I went to someone who didn’t have any experience. To insinuate that I’ve quit is ridiculous. I never quit.”
New York began Saturday four games behind Detroit for the second wild card spot with nine games remaining.
Third baseman Chase Headley (back) and first baseman Mark Teixeira (neck) were not in the starting lineup Saturday.
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