Dizziness, balance issues keeping Stephen Drew out of the lineup

As New York Yankees second baseman Stephen Drew has mightily struggled during the 2015 season, many felt that his recent absence from the everyday lineup was manager Joe Girardi's way of "passing the torch" to other players to fill the position.

Little did everyone know, Drew has been dealing a cold that has caused him to have dizziness and balance issues.

While talking to reporters, Drew admitted that the dizziness and balance issues were a result of an inner ear infection that he has been dealing with for more than two weeks. Drew did mention that the inner ear nerve could be affected by the ear infection, as it is the likely cause as to why he has been having these issues lately.

Drew was also tested for a concussion, as he was hit above the eye by a ground ball that tipped off his glove during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays. He is no stranger to concussions, as he suffered one during the 2013 season, as he was hit in the head with a pitch.

The second baseman has not played since September 22, as Dustin Ackley has been getting the majority of the playing time at the position. Although he's been out of the lineup for almost a week, Drew has been taking batting practice and ground balls, as he hopes the dizziness will go away soon to allow him to regain his balance.

With Ackley's recent contributions since coming off the disabled list, Girardi is in no rush to force Drew back into action. As Drew is dealing with these ailments, Ackley has proven to be a solid mid-season addition to this team, as he's posted a slash line of .300/.326/.650 in his 18 games in pinstripes.

Once Drew is healthy again, it remains to be seen how Girardi handles the second base position, especially as the club is still vying for their postseason spot. With the way Ackley has been playing as of late, it will be very hard for Girardi to take him out of the everyday lineup at this point in the season.