McKinney's marvelous game helps get Yanks back on track

NEW YORK -- The Yankees declared their dismal West Coast trip to be “rock bottom” for their 2023 season, promising their next nine innings would showcase a cleaner product.

So far, so good.

Billy McKinney belted a three-run homer and contributed a pair of excellent catches in center field as the Yankees snapped their four-game skid on Friday evening, opening their homestand with a 5-4 victory over the Royals at Yankee Stadium.

“I’ve always felt like I could play center,” McKinney said. “I’m not Byron Buxton out there, tracking stuff down, but I think I can play well enough whenever a guy like [Harrison] Bader needs a day. I’m here to help fill in when an opportunity arises.”

Filling in for Bader, who sustained a bruised rib after a hit-by-pitch in the Yanks’ loss at Anaheim on Wednesday, McKinney made a sliding grab on a Kyle Isbel liner in the third inning, then scaled the wall to take away a Drew Waters hit in the seventh.

“That was impressive. I didn’t know he was a center fielder like that,” said Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt. “I guess that’s his true position now. Two big plays right there and a big swing; it was an all-around night for him. It was fun to watch.”

McKinney cracked his fifth homer of the season in the fourth off Kansas City’s Alec Marsh, who also served up homers to Franchy Cordero and Gleyber Torres in his fourth Major League start.

A home series with the last-place Royals -- who are on pace for 116 losses -- should represent an opportunity for the Yankees to regain some footing, coming off their stumbles in a 1-5 trip to Colorado and Anaheim.

“Everybody has been pushing each other, helping each other out, and everybody wants to win,” McKinney said. “We’re trying really hard to do so. I’m glad we got one tonight.”

It has been “a whirlwind” of a season for the 28-year-old McKinney, who returned to the Yankees organization this spring after five years bouncing between the Blue Jays, Brewers, Mets, Dodgers and Athletics before finally getting to play a home game at Yankee Stadium.

Aaron Judge’s expected return, as well as the current Minor League rehabs for outfielders Jake Bauers and Willie Calhoun, could complicate McKinney’s place on the roster.

But manager Aaron Boone said that McKinney “has certainly played well enough to merit continued consideration, whether it be in the lineup or on the team,” and McKinney does not appear to be stressing over what could happen in the next few weeks.

“This isn’t my first crazy season,” McKinney said. “I know it’s a cliché, but one day at a time. I really do take it like that.”

The homers from the Yankees helped support Schmidt, who permitted three runs and five hits over 5 2/3 innings as he picked up his sixth win of the season. All three runs came on Michael Massey’s first homer of the game. Schmidt was also the winning pitcher in the Yanks’ most recent victory on Saturday at Coors Field.

“The big swing got me tonight with a three-run homer, but I was able to keep my team in the game,” said Schmidt, who is 5-2 with a 3.02 ERA in his last 12 games (11 starts) after starting the year 1-4 with a 6.30 ERA over his first nine starts.

Schmidt had tossed only 64 pitches when Boone elected to go to left-hander Wandy Peralta, explaining that he felt the two-on, two-out situation “was the game right there.” Peralta retired Nick Pratto on a routine flyout to McKinney.

“I get it. They played the matchup right there, and Wandy came away with a big out,” Schmidt said.

Massey added his second home run of the game facing Tommy Kahnle in the eighth inning, setting up a tight conclusion. With Clay Holmes on the mound in the ninth, Waters stole second base, a play that the Yankees unsuccessfully challenged.

Bobby Witt Jr. chopped a two-out grounder to shortstop Anthony Volpe, who spotted Waters attempting to advance and alertly fired to third baseman DJ LeMahieu, a play that Royals manager Mike Quatraro called “extremely heads-up.”

Third-base umpire Jordan Baker quickly ruled Waters safe, but Boone requested a crew chief review, which overturned the call.

“I didn’t know if we could challenge it after we just challenged,” Volpe said. “I was kind of surprised and happy when they put it on the board.”