Yankees deal for Headley

PHOTOGRAPHER: The Associated Press

New York Yankees pinch-hitter Chase Headley strikes out in the eighth inning of Tuesday night's game against the Texas Rangers. Headley was acquired in a trade with the San Diego Padres earlier in the day.

Trying to boost one of the weakest lineups in the American League, the New York Yankees acquired third baseman Chase Headley from the San Diego Padres on Tuesday for rookie infielder Yangervis Solarte and minor league pitcher Rafael De Paula.

Headley arrived at Yankee Stadium right around game time Tuesday night, and was in uniform shaking hands with his new teammates in the dugout during the top of the second inning against the Texas Rangers.

The trade didn’t have an immediate impact, as the Yankees and the Rangers were tied, 1-1, after 13 innings. Headley was 0-for-3, including a ground out with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 12rh.

Manager Joe Girardi said Headley will become the everyday starter at a spot that’s been a question mark for the Yankees all year following the season-long suspension of Alex Rodriguez.

“I don’t think we’re getting a big thumper,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “But I do think we’re getting an upgrade and a professional at-bat.”

The 30-year-old Headley, drafted by the Padres in 2005, can become a free agent after this season. The switchhitter was batting .229 with seven homers and 32 RBI, but has a .339 average with six extra-base hits in 13 games since July 4. He was a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner two years ago, when he had a huge second half and hit .286 with 31 homers and an NL-leading 115 RBI.

He moves from a cavernous ballpark in San Diego to a homer haven in the Bronx, and the Yankees think that can help him.

“You look at his last month, it’s been really productive. He’s swinging the bat pretty well,” Girardi said. “We feel that he’s in a pretty good place.”

Cashman said he thinks an epidural injection that Headley had toward the end of June has a lot to do with his recent improvement. Headley had been playing through a herniated disk in his back.

“Once he had the epidural, it seems like it’s had a huge impact,” Cashman said. “He’s a rental for the next two months.”

As part of the deal, the Padres will pay $1 million of the $3,968,443 remaining on Headley’s $10,525,000 salary this year.

“I’ve seen Chase grow up,” San Diego manager Bud Black said in Chicago, where his team was preparing to play the Cubs. “To say farewell is a tough one. He’s meant a lot to the organization.”

With an injury-ravaged pitching staff missing four starters, the Yankees began the day 50-48 and four games behind first-place Baltimore in the AL East. They added Brandon McCarthy to the rotation this month, obtaining him in a trade with Arizona.

But it’s the offense that’s been a major problem — New York ranked 13th out of 15 AL teams in runs with 391.

“We just keep trying to find different ways to upgrade,” Cashman said. “We’re open to anything.”

The punchless Padres (43-55) are selling off pieces and trying to build for the future even as they look for a new general manager after Josh Byrnes was fired June 22. In the interim, senior vice president for baseball operations Omar Minaya and assistant general managers A.J. Hinch and Fred Uhlman Jr. are handling GM duties.

San Diego also traded All-Star closer Huston Street to the Angels on Friday in a six-player deal that netted four minor league prospects.

The 27-year-old Solarte was an extremely pleasant surprise early in the season as Rodriguez’s replacement. The switch-hitter was batting .336 as of May 14 but has hit .180 since and was sent to Triple-A for a week this month.

“He really saved our bacon early this year. When we had a lot of other issues going on, he stepped up and for that we’re thankful,” Cashman said.