In the midst of one experiment that has not begun well, Ryan McMahon started a second Wednesday.
As he seeks stronger at-bats following a winter overhaul of his batting stance, McMahon’s glove passed a test against the A’s in the Bronx, where he started at shortstop for the first time during his 10-year and 1,075-game major league career.
McMahon — a longtime and excellent third baseman — looked smooth in converting several chances in the Yankees’ 3-2 loss, though his offensive issues overshadowed his glovework.
At shortstop, “he looked great,” manager Aaron Boone said of McMahon, who was tested often and notably backhanded a ground ball from Brent Rooker in the hole during the first inning to record an out. “He had a number of really good plays.”
But as has become the story of the early going this season, his bat stole the attention from his glove.
McMahon — who has adopted a significantly different batting stance this year — went 0-for-3 with a walk, two strikeouts and a double play after which he heard boos.
He is 2-for-26 (.077) with zero extra-base hits in the first weeks of the season.
“If I knew [what was wrong], I don’t think I’d be having a slow start,” said McMahon, who played alongside Amed Rosario at third and moved José Caballero to the bench. “But hey, I’m grinding. I’m not happy about it. I’m sure other people aren’t. … I’ll keep working and try to turn it around.”
His transition defensively has been smoother than his offensive transition.
Shortly after last season ended, Yankees hitting coaches held a video conference with McMahon to go over his swing and suggest adjustments, most notably narrowing the stance of a slugger whose feet were the fourth-farthest apart among all qualified major league hitters.
McMahon has shortened up — according to Statcast, the average distance between his feet had gone from 42.7 inches to 37.4 inches — and stepped back slightly in the batter’s box.
The hope was that the club could extract more out of a hitter who had power and patience but who struggled too often to make contact, striking out 32.3 percent of the time last season between the Rockies and Yankees.
Through his first 33 plate appearances — a tiny sample size but the only one available — McMahon has struck out 13 times.
It is early, which the Yankees want to remind you.
“Mac’s a good major league hitter,” Boone said. “We’re 10 games in. He’s scuffling right now. But the reality is the last three games he’s been on base four times, too.
“He’s off to a slow start right now. But a number of our guys are as well. He’ll get it rolling and trust that he will.”
Some around the Yankees were not surprised that he started slowly given the changes that often take time to feel natural. McMahon was not among them.
“Just not feeling my best,” McMahon said. “But it takes one big game to click and get going.”
