Rodriguez back in Yanks' lineup, dropped to 6th

Rodriguez was 2 for 16 with no RBIs in the division series against Baltimore, going hitless in 12 at-bats against right-handed pitchers with nine strikeouts. Manager Joe Girardi pinch hit for him in Game 3 and 4.

"This is a guy we know can do a lot of damage," Girardi said. "I talk about sometimes going with my gut and evaluating what I see and different things you take into account when you made the lineup up, talk to people, and I think he's raring to go."

The 37-year-old third baseman had not hit as low as sixth since Joe Torre batted him eighth in the fourth and final game of the 2006 AL division series against the Tigers, according to STATS LLC. He went 0 for 3. A-Rod last hit sixth in Game 2 that year against Detroit, going 0 for 4 with three strikeouts.

Detroit has four right-handers in its rotation. Rodriguez entered the series 1 for 9 in his regular and postseason career against Game 1 starter Doug Fister, 0 for 3 against Anibal Sanchez, 8 for 30 with three homers against Justin Verlander and 1 for 12 against Max Scherzer.

Rodriguez is 10 for 66 (.152) with no homers and six RBIs in postseason play over the last three years. He hasn't homered in 84 at-bats since Sept. 14.

"We need this guy to be Alex," Girardi said. "That's the bottom line. If we want to make some noise, we need this guy to be Alex."