Why Yankees are using Shane Robinson more than you'd like

The Yankees have turned to light-hitting Shane Robinson more than they ever expected, thanks to Giancarlo Stanton’s …

NEW YORK — Jacoby Ellsbury, Clint Frazier and Billy McKinney.

That’s to say nothing of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Brett Gardner.

When Shane Robinson signed with the Yankees in the offseason, he knew he’d be at least seventh in line to get a shot in the outfield in the Bronx.

Yet, here the 33-year-old is, getting regular at-bats in August as the Yankees push to secure the top Wild Card spot.

On Friday, he was set to play his seventh straight game for manager Aaron Judge when the Yankees were to take on the Rangers at Yankee Stadium.

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With Giancarlo Stanton nursing a tight left hamstring, Robinson has been in right field in six of the last seven games. He’s started the last four.

Entering Friday, Robinson was hitting .077 (1-for-13) with a single, a walk and an RBI in his previous six games.

The Yankees didn’t add an extra outfield bat at the trade deadline, despite the absence of Aaron Judge (fractured right wrist), because, general manager Brian Cashman said, because the prices were too high. The Yankees were reportedly in talks with the Blue Jays for ex-Yankee Curtis Granderson and Miami’s Cameron Maybin, who was eventually traded to the Mariners.

A bunch of other setbacks have forced the Yankees to go with Robinson, who’s a fine fielder but a poor hitter for his career: Ellsbury’s year-long injury saga, which just concluded with season-ending hip labrum surgery; Frazier’s post-concussion symptoms; and the trading of McKinney to Toronto in a deal that brought back J.A. Happ.

At Triple-A, Robinson was hitting .296 with 0 home runs, 14 RBI and nine stolen bases in 50 games.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.