Aaron Judge

New York Yankees Recap: Yankee homers win a hard fought game against the Blue Jays

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New York Yankees, Aaron Judge

With new urgency, tonight, the New York Yankees entered the last game of the Toronto Blue Jays series at Roger’s Center in Toronto with a need to win the rubber game of the series. The Yankees won the first game  7-2 but lost the second game in a 6-5 squeaker. The must-win would allow the Yankees to keep the wild card home field advantage even if the Red Sox win their game with the Orioles. The Yankees relied on Corey Kluber to get the win over the likely Cy Young award winner Robbie Ray. At the end of the night, the Yankee homers powered the way to a 6-2 win in the game.

DJ LeMahieu led off the first inning against Ray and went down on strikes. Anthony Rizzo ground out into the shift. Then, Aaron Judge had a monster home run 455′ into the Roger’s restaurant. Giancarlo Stanton walked. Gleyber Torres flew out to the warning track in  center as the Yankees got on the board first. At the bottom, George Springer led off and singled to no man’s land in center. Marcus Semien hit into a 6-4-3 double play. Vlad Guerrero ground out to short. New York Yankees 1 Blue Jays 0.

Gary Sanchez led off the second by walking. Brett Gardner ground out to second. Gio Urshela was called out on strikes. Kyle Higashioka flew out to the warning track in right. At the bottom, the bothersome Bo Bichette that homered twice last night singled up the middle. Bichette stole second. Teoscar Hernandez flew out to Stanton in left field. Corey Dickerson hit a long one for a double scoring Bichette to tie the game at one. Alejandro Kirk ground out to third. Santiago Espinal flew out to a diving Judge in right, but the Jays tied the game. New York Yankees 1 Toronto Blue Jays 1.

The third inning was led off by LeMahieu, who popped out to shallow center. Rizzo launched one to right for a fly-out. Judge flew out to right-center for three flyouts for Robbie Ray. At the bottom of the inning, Randel Grichuk flew out for the first out. Springer popped out to Torres. Semien singled on a soft line drive. Guerrero struck out on an excellent curveball from Kluber. Game tied at 1.

Giancarlo Stanton led off the fourth inning by grounding out to third Torres ground out up the middle. Sanchez went down swinging. At the bottom, the dangerous Bo Bichette led off by popping out to Urshela. Hernandez went down on strikes. Dickerson got a single on a hit cut-off by Judge. Dickerson stole second. Kirk walked. Espinal with two outs and two on ground out to short to end the inning and leave two on base. The game tied at 1 in the fourth.

The fifth inning was led off by Brett Gardner, who flew out to second. Urshela flew out to right-center. Higahioka struck out to end the half scoreless for the New York Yankees. At the bottom, Randal Grichuk led off by striking out. Springer ground to short for a single. Semiem struck out. Dickerson doubled driving in Springer for a Blue Jays run. Corey Kluber left the game in the fifth, giving up two earned runs, walking one, and striking out 2. Micheal King replaced him to finish out the fifth. Toronto Blue Jays 2 New York Yankees 1.

The sixth inning was huge for the New York Yankees. The inning produced four runs for the Yankees. First, Anthony Rizzo hit the 250th homer of his career. Then, Aaron Judge got his second homer of the game. Then, Gleybor Torres homered. Those homers led to the end of the night for Jay’s pitcher Robbie Ray. Luis Severino pitched a scoreless bottom of the inning. New York Yankees 5 the Toronto Blue Jays 2.

The seventh inning was scoreless for both teams. Anthoney Rizzo led off the eighth inning and struck out swinging. Judge walked. Stanton struck out. Gleyber Torres flew out to center to end the half. At the bottom Bichette against Chad Green singled. Hernandez stuck out swinging. Dickerson struck out swinging. Kirk also struck out with one-on and two outs, giving Green three strikeouts in the inning. New York Yankees 5 Blue Jays 2.

Gary Sanchez led off the ninth inning against Julian Merryweather by striking out looking. Brett Gardner homed for the New York Yankees’ fifth homer of the night. Gio Urshela singled up the middle. Higashioka, with one run in and one on with one out, struck out for the second out of the inning. Tyler Wade struck out to end the half. At the bottom, with last licks on the line for the Toronto Blue Jays Santiago Espinal against closer, Aroldis Chapman singled beyond short. Breyvic Valera pinch-hitting for Randal Crichuk with one on and no outs went down looking on a 99 mph fastball. George Springer, with one out, struck out for Chapman’s 1,000th strikeout. Marcus Semien, with two outs, ground out to Tyler Wade for the final out for the Blue Jays.

The New York Yankees won the rubber game and the series from the Blue Jays, keeping their number one berth in the wild card. The final score was the New York Yankees 6 and the Toronto Blue Jays 2. The winning pitcher was Michael King, and the loser was Robbie Ray.

 

 

 

 

Yankees News, 9/29: One player who has brought the Bombers back to life, Judge, Taillon injuries

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yankees, giancarlo stanton

The New York Yankees are making waves in the Wild Card ever since adopting a pet turtle named Bronxie. With the turtle roaming the clubhouse and sparking confidence within the Yankee players, they have been unstoppable as of late. With the post-season in mind, the Yankees have taken a healthy two-game lead over the Boston Red Sox for the first place spot in the WC. Just last week, they were sitting below the Wild Card, and now they lead with a cushion as the Red Sox fell to the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday.

The Yankees have five games left in the regular season, but they aren’t out of the woods yet as Boston or Seattle could go on a winning streak. Boston is finishing up a series against Baltimore with two more games, having lost their last four contests; Boston is playing themselves right out of the playoffs.

However, a big reason the Yankees are playing well is slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who has been an absolute menace at the plate lately. Over his last five games, Stanton has recorded 10 hits over 28 bats, including four homers and 13 RBIs. His performance hasn’t been against lowly teams either, taking on Boston, Toronto, and Texas.

“We’re playing for keeps, we’re playing for a lot, and I think G is embodying that right now,” manager Aaron Boone said.

“Like I say all the time, he’s a unicorn,” Boone said of Stanton. “We just kind of shake our heads sometimes.”

Even Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoya was taken aback by Stanton’s three-run blast in the 7-2 victory over Toronto on Tuesday.

“I don’t know how you can hit a ball like that,” Montoyo said. “That ball was almost in the dirt, and he went and hit it out.”

The Yankees have also relied on another slugger, Aaron Judge, who hosts a .287 average this season. He recorded two hits and two RBIs in the victory but has been dealing with a slight injury, dislocating his pinky over the weekend.

“I felt like it was going to be OK,” Boone said, “but to see him go out and have immediate success and hit the ball like he did, that was certainly encouraging.”

Aside from Judge, starting pitcher, Jameson Taillon re-aggravated his ankle injury after pitching just 2.1 innings on Tuesday. He was replaced by Michael King, who gave up two hits and one run over 2.2 innings pitched. The bullpen was solid, helping get the Bombers out of any trouble, but Taillon leaving the game is undoubtedly a big problem with the postseason just around the bend.

“I could tell right away that he had re-aggaravated it,” Boone said of Taillon. “It was a quick decision for me to get him out of there.”

Hopefully, the Yankees can get some of the more prominent players healthy in the coming days, as Luis Severino has been working his way back diligently from consistent injuries over the past two years. He pitched one inning in the win, striking out one batter and not allowing a hit. Severino has looked solid so far, so if he continues to impress, he could earn a start down the road.

New York Yankees 9/29: 4 takeaways from the Yankee win over the Blue Jays

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The New York Yankees were in Toronto, Canada, last night for the first game of three against the Toronto Blue Jays in a three-game series that may decide if they go to the postseason or not. The Yankees miraculously swept the Red Sox in a three-game series with their rival. The Yankees have won their lasts six games in a row. Coincidentally ever since Nestor Cortes Jr. bought the Yankees a pet turtle that they named “Bonxie” the Yankees have won. Bronxie or more likely Anthony Rizzo,  Giancarlo Stanton, Gio Urshela led the Yankees to their seventh win in a row. The score was the Yankees 7 and the Blue Jays 2.

Bad luck for Taillon, but Michael King picks him up

Jameson Taillon has been rehabbing from a strained tendon in his ankle for 22 days missing four of his normal starts. The ankle problem affected his delivery and ability to pitch effectively. But last night, he made his return off the IL to pitch game one of a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays in this crucial run for the postseason. Unfortunately, things didn’t go well for the righty. At the bottom of the third inning, Danny Jansen struck out looking. But after that out, Taillon signaled the medical staff and left the game apparently with another ankle problem. Michael King came into the game to replace him.

So far this morning, the status of that injury is unknown, other than they know he reinjured it. It’s a bad break for Taillon because this late in the season, it has probably ended his pitching for the rest of the season, and should the Yankees reach the postseason. Taillon had so been looking forward to pitching in the postseason.

The Yankee bullpen is stellar

When Jameson Taillon left the game, apparently reinjuring his ankle Michael King was called in to replace him. King pitched the end of the third inning, the fourth and fifth allowing only an additional run. Clay Holmes, Chad Green, and Luis Severino combined for three scoreless innings. At the bottom of the ninth inning, in a non save situation, Wandy Peralta came in to close out the win.

At this point in the season, the New York Yankees need the bullpen to be good if they hope to play in the postseason. The bullpen was stellar, giving up just one run in 6.1 innings. Most encouraging was the close by Peralta. Also, it seems that in recent games, when Chapman pitched, his confidence seemed to be back, and his dominance resurrected. Yankee pitching only allowed 3 hits in the game.

Is there any stopping Giancarlo Stanton?

Obviously, Giancarlo Stanton will not keep hitting a home run in every game, but his August and September had been nothing short of amazing. His recent run can only be described as both shocking and fantastic. Stanton has now hit a home run in every one of his last four games in a row. That has seldom been done in baseball. The only Yankees to hit four or more home runs in consecutive games are Babe Ruth (1930), Lou Gehrig (1931) Joe DiMaggio (1937), Yogi Berra (1956), Roger Maris (1961), Don Mattingly (1987), and Alex Rodriguez (2007). That is some Yankee royalty to join and  Stanton may not be done; he hit 6 straight in 2017 with the Marlins.

In the top of the fifth inning, Anthony Rizzo put the New York Yankees ahead 3-2 with a single driving in Gio Urshela; it would be a lead that the Yankees would not relinquish. Then in the top of the seventh, Giancarlo Stanton came to the plate with two on and crushed one into the second deck of left field at Roger’s Center. It was his fourth homer in four games for Stanton, making him hitting .500, 8 for 16 with 13 RBIs over the span. Stanton also doubled in the game.

Aaron Judge in the third inning also homered for his 37th of the season. When both Judge and Stanton homer in the same game, the Yankees are 17-1. Gio Urshela tacked on a homer of his own at the top of the ninth.

The Yankees advance in the wild card race

With the Yankee win, the Red Sox loss last night, the Yankees are now two games ahead of the Red Sox for the coveted home-field advantage in the one-game winner takes all contest. But there is a new wrinkle to be considered. Well, not really I have been reporting on it for the last ten days. The Seattle Mariners have been creeping up in the standings. With their win last night, they are now just a half-game behind the Boston Red Sox.

While the Red Sox have gone 6-4 in their last ten games, the Mariners have gone 9-1. The Yankees in the same period have gone 8-2 and have won their last seven in a row. With the loss last night, the Toronto Blue Jays are now one half-game behind the Mariners, with two more games against the Yankees.

Notes: Tonight, Yankee ace Gerrit Cole looking for his 17th win of the season, will face Jose Berrios in game two of the Toronto series. Corey Kluber will face Toronto co-ace Robbie Ray in the finale. Tonight’s game will be televised on SNET in Canada, WPIX and its affiliates in the New York area, and ESPN out of market only.

 

 

Yankees’ Aaron Judge discusses contract extension: ‘The ball in in their court’

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New York Yankees, Aaron Judge

The New York Yankees are currently in possession of the first Wild Card spot in the American League after sweeping the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park over the weekend. Much of the team success this season can be attributed to a particular position player: outfielder Aaron Judge.

Judge, together with Giancarlo Stanton, has been carrying the Yankees in 2021. For the season, the slugger is hitting .284/.370/.533 with 36 home runs, 92 RBI, and a .903 OPS in what has been one of his finest years.

The Yankees know that payday is approaching for the hulking slugger. He will play the 2022 under the arbitration rules for one last time before hitting free agency in the fall of next year… unless the organization has something in store for him.

It’s only logical that the player’s camp and the Yankees find the time to sit down and hammer out the details of a contract extension, presumably right after the 2021 World Series is over so negotiations don’t represent a distraction for him.

Will the Yankees and Judge reach a deal?

The New York Post talked to the player to get his impressions about where the two sides are in negotiations, if there is any.

“No,” Judge told The Post over the weekend (link to NJ Advance Media article here). “The ball is kind of in their court. I’m just a player. I just do my job every day. I’m not going to go running to anybody and say ‘Let’s talk about this.’ That’s their job to do. That’s what they get paid for. I’m getting paid to be out here on the field.”

It’s likely that the Yankees will have to offer a boatload of money to lure Judge into staying for the long-term. Financial flexibility is a problem, since they already have two $300+ million deals in Gerrit Cole and Giancarlo Stanton.

Judge is the Yankees’ best position player, so it makes sense for them to find a resolution and keep him in the Bronx until he retires.

New York Yankees: 4 takeaways from “Who’s your daddy” sweep of the Red Sox

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New York Yankees' Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.

The New York Yankees, entered last night’s game at Fenway Park, looking to sweep the rival Red Sox as they looked for the home-field advantage in the wild-card race. The age-old rivalry was in full force as they looked to shame their rivals with a sweep this late in the season and knock them out of the number one spot in the wild card. In that effort, they sent Jordan Montgomery to the mound at Fenway to face the supposed ace, Eduardo Rodriguez. At the end of the night, the Yankees had achieved their goal. The Yankees won 6-3.

“Monty’ did what he needed to do

Yankee pitcher Jordan Montgomery who has suffered from a lack of run support all season, continued that trend last night. He didn’t have the luxury that Cortes Jr. had Thursday night when the Yankees scored three runs in the first inning. He got no run support through his first four innings of work. Finally, he got some in the fifth. Nevertheless, Montgomery did his job holding the Red Sox to just one run.

Following Montgomery, the amazing Clay Holmes came in and pitched a clean sixth, striking out the side in order. Joely Rodriguez fumbled in his outing, being completely wild and giving up two runs. Chad Green pitched 1.2 scoreless innings. Aroldis Chapman closed out the game with this not-so-familiar dominance.

Stanton/Judge led the Yankees to sweep

Last night in the top of the eighth inning Aaron Judge hit a double that put the Yankees ahead of the Red Sox. After the Yankees’ best defenders dropped two balls and Tyler Wade was caught stealing, LeMahieu walked. Anthony Rizzo doubled for the Yankees extra-base hit, with LeMahieu moving to third. Aaron Judge faced the new Red Sox pitcher Adam Ottavino with two on and one out and doubled, scoring two runs for the Yankees, taking the lead once again.

Giancarlo Stanton crushed another home run over the green monster in the eighth, driving in Judge for another two runs in another highlight of the night. Stanton joined Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Micky Mantle as the only Yankees to hit 3 home runs in one three-game series at Fenway Park. For Stanton, that was joining baseball Royalty. Stanton has been white-hot since August 3rd with a .289 average and hitting 18 home runs.

Red Sox shamed by Yankees late-season run

The Boston Red Sox must have been scratching their heads at the end of last night’s shame game outcome. The Yankees shamed the Red Sox in their last meeting at their own home field. The Yankees pulled out an eighth-inning win in the final game of the series for the sweep. However, the Red Sox still has the bragging rights for taking the season from the Yankees.

To add to the humiliation, In this three-game series, Giancarlo Stanton acted like a one-person team as he drove in 11 Yankee runs all by himself. The Red Sox in the three-game series only scored 9 runs total.

Yankees own the #1 wild card berth

With the win, last night the New York Yankees now own the number one berth in the wild card race knocking the Red Sox out by one run in the loss column. But the fact of the matter is that the Yankees can’t over celebrate that feat; they have a lot of work to do to hold on to it. The Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays, who are just one game behind, have an elementary schedule in the last week of the season; the Yankee have the most challenging schedule.

The Red Sox play the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays. Then, the Blue Jays play the Red Sox and the Orioles. Then, the Yankees have to play the Toronto Blue Jays at Roger’s Center starting tomorrow and finally the Tampa Bay Rays to close out the season at Yankee Stadium. The bottom line is that the Yankees will have to play their hearts out, win almost every game if they have any hope of reaching the AL Championship series, and even more to obtain their long-awaited 28th World Championship.

 

New York Yankees Recap: Super hot Stanton powered the Yankees to sweep of the Red Sox

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New York Yankees, Giancarlo Stanton

The New York Yankees, greedy as ever, entered tonight’s game at Fenway Park looking to sweep the rival Red Sox as they looked for the home-field advantage in the wild-card race. The age-old rivalry was in full force as they looked to shame their rivals with a sweep this late in the season and knock them out of the number one spot in the wild card. In that effort, they sent Jordan Montgomery to the mound at Fenway to face the supposed ace, Eduardo Rodriguez.

In a highly entertaining and three-hour and 42 minutes long game, the Yankees came away with the 6-3 win and the sweep of the Red Sox.

In the first inning, Rodriguez faced DJ LeMahieu, who singled up the middle. Anthony Rizzo ground out into a double play for the most in the American League this season. Aaron Judge struck out for a 1-2-3 inning for Rodriguez. At the bottom, Kiki Rodriguez led off against Montgomery and singles to center. Hunter Renfroe flew out to Judge in right field. Rafael Devers flew out to Gallo in left. Xander Bogaerts struck out to end the scoreless inning.

The second inning was led off by the hot Giancarlo Stanton, who struck out. Joey Gallo popped out to second. Gleyber Torres popped out to the infield. At the bottom of the second, JD Martinez struck out. Bobby Dalbec went down on strikes. Christian Arroyo tapped back to Montgomery, who could not make the out. Alex Verdugo flew out to Judge in right to end the scoreless inning.

The third inning was led off by Gary Sanchez, who struck out looking. Brett Gardner was called out on strikes. Gio Urshela singles to left field. LeMahieu struck out on a bad call to end the Yankee’s half. At the bottom, Christian Vazquez flew out to left. Hernandez ground out to Gio Urshela at short. Renfroe ground out to third to end another scoreless inning.

Anthony Rizzo led off the fourth inning and ground out to first. Judge waved at one for the second out of the half. Stanton singled past second. Gallo struck out to end the Yankees fourth. In the bottom of the inning, the Red Sox got on the board, scoring a run. Red Sox 1 Yankees 0.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Yankees took the lead, scoring two runs. With the bases loaded, the Yankees hit into a double play, but Torres scored from third. Then, LeMahieu singled, scoring Gary Sanchez, and it was the New York Yankees 2 and the Red Sox 1.

The Yankees were scoreless in the top of the sixth. At the bottom of the inning, Yankee reliever Clay Holmes came in in relief of Montgomery and struck out the Red Sox side using only eleven pitches. In the top of the seventh, the Yankees were again scoreless.

In the bottom of the seventh, With Joely Rodriguez pitching the Red Sox took the lead in the game a wild pitch and on a bizarre play when LeMahieu drops a ball in left. Chad Green came in to pitch and the Red Sox scored when the second dropped ball by the Yankees let the Sox score, this one by Gallo in left field. Boston Red Sox 3 New York Yankees 2

At the top of the eight, Urshela walked, leading off. Tyler Wade was brought in to pinch-run for Urshela. Wade tried to steal second and was called out. The third Yankee mental error in just fifteen minutes. LeMahieu walked. Anthony Rizzo doubled for the Yankees extra-base hit, with LeMahieu moving to third. Aaron Judge faced the New Red Sox pitcher Adam Ottavino with two on and one out and doubled, scoring two runs for the Yankees, taking the lead once again. Judge appeared to injury his hand on the slide into second, delaying the game as he was checked out. Yankees 4 Red Sox 3.

Stanton followed with a home run over the green monster. Joey Gallo was hit by a pitch and advanced to first as the Yankee medical staff took to the field for the second time in the half. Torres faced new Red Sox pitcher Ryan Brasier and may have injured himself as the medical staff was called in again to check him out. However, he continued his at-bat, flying out to right. Sanchez chopped out to second base to end the go-ahead inning for the Yankees. New York Yankees 6 Red Sox 3.

The bottom of the eighth inning finally started after a half-hour beginning of the inning with Rafael Devers leading off against Chad Green and got a ground-rule double that bounced into the stands in right.  Bogaerts flew out to Judge in right. Martinez singled, moving Devers to third base. Dalbec struck out. Jose Iglesias ground out to Torres to end the inning New York Yankees 6 Boston Red Sox 3.

The top of the ninth inning saw Brett Gardner leading off and grounding out into the shift. Tyler Wade was called out stealing for the second time in as many innings. LeMahieu ground out to end the half. At the bottom, with last licks on the line for the Red Sox Verdugo against Yankee, closer Aroldis Chapman and popped out to Wade at short. Hernandez grounded out to second. Hernandez walked and took second on indifference, ash he did third. Kyle Schwarber pinch-hitting struck out looking to end the game as the Yankees took the outright lead in the wild-card race and the sweep of the Rox Sox.

The final score was the New York Yankees 6 and the Boston Red Sox 3. The winning pitcher was Chad Green, and the loser was Garrett Richards. The save went to Aroldis Chapman for his 30th of the season.

 

New York Yankees: 3 Major takeaways from Yankees series win over the Rangers

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New York Yankees, Jordan Montgomery

The New York Yankees entered last night’s game with the Rangers with the same urgency that they did in game one, knowing that a wild-card berth was on the line in that race that both the Red Sox and Toronto presently own. The Yankees had only 11 games to get back into it. The Yankees came away with their second win over the Rangers 7-1.

Montgomery gets the job done

Yankee pitcher Jordan Montgomery did a fine job last night holding down the Texas Rangers. “Monty” had all his pitches working. Montgomery pitched into the sixth inning, allowing 4 hits and one earned run while striking out six Rangers with only one walk. Montgomery got the win in the 7-1 game.

Yankees reliever Michael King retired cleanup batter Adolis Garcia with a runner on second to hold the Rangers at 3-1 in the sixth and then struck out all three batters in the seventh looking.

The home run is king again

Last week in a game against the Cleveland Indians, the Yankees hit five home runs in the same game. Brett Gardner homered. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton hit homers. However, Joey Gallo topped them by hitting two long balls. Last night Gallo again was among three Yankees to hit homers in the 7-1 win over the Texas Rangers. Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge also hit homers in the game. When Stanton and Judge homer in the same game the Yankees are 15-1.

In the past two weeks, the New York Yankees have hit 33 home runs in 14 games. That’s 2.4 home runs per game. It is often said when the Yankees hit home runs, they win games. Seven of those home runs are from one player, Joey Gallo. If the Yankee power-hitting continues it bodes well for a wild card berth.

The Return of a superstar

Last night was the joyous return of 2018 ace Luis Severino. Severino was 14-6 during the 2017 season and 19-8 in 2018 making him the Yankees best pitcher in those seasons. Then came 2019, the righty pitched in only 3 games before requiring Tommy John surgery. So with the shortened 2020 season, he was expected not to pitch. However, most thought he was to be back to pitch sometime before the All-Star break this year. But that was not to be as he was beset by setbacks.

Last night he made his triumphant return to the Yankees. After being activated on Monday, he appeared in this first game yesterday after not pitching in a major league game for over 700 days. He saved the Yankee bullpen by pitching the final two innings of the game. He allowed two hits, no walks while striking out two. He looked great in his 2021 debut outing and was showered with applause from the Yankees faithful in the stands.

Although he is not stretched out, he could play a pivotal role out of the bullpen for a spot opening role in the remaining games and in the postseason should the Yankees participate.

New York Yankees Recap: Luis Severino returns, Yankees win 7-1 with three homers

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New York Yankees, Luis Severino

The New York Yankees won the first game last night against the Texas Rangers in a close 4-3 victory. Tonight they were looking to win a second game and create a streak that would regain a wild-card berth in the AL East. Jordan Montgomery was on the mound for the Yankees and Dane Dunning for the Rangers. Montgomery got the job done, helped by three home runs. New York Yankees 7 Texas Rangers 1, as the Yankee took the series.

Leody Taveras led off for the Rangers at Yankee Stadium facing Montgomery to start off the game, and he went down on strikes. Isiah Kiner-Falefa went down looking. Andy Ibanez hit the first pitch to no man’s land in center for a single. Adolis Garcia ground out to short to end the half.

At the bottom, DJ LeMahieu led off for the Yankees and grounded out to third. Anthony Rizzo advanced on a hit by pitch. Aaron Judge doubled to the center-field wall, and Rizzo made it to third. With two on and one out, Giancarlo Stanton ground out to short with Rizzo scoring, Judge held up at second. Joey Gallo went down on strikes, but the Yankees put a run on the board. New York Yankees 1 Rangers 0.

The second inning was led off by Nick Solak, who punched one out to right for a single. Willie Calhoun ground out into a double play. Charlie Culberson ground out to second to end the scoreless half. Gleyber Torres led off the bottom of the inning and walked. Gary Sanchez lined out to short. Gardner doubled, moving Torres to third. Gio Urshela, with two on and one out, couldn’t hold up and struck out. LeMahieu ground out to short to end the inning. Yankees 1 Rangers 0.

Jose Trevino led off against Montgomery and flew out to Gardner in shallow center. Yonny Hernandez stuck out. Kiner-Falefa closed out the inning by grounding out. At the bottom of the inning, Giancarlo Stanton hit his 31st home of the season. It was a line drive to left field that left the bat at 118.5 mph and landed 415′ into the left-field stands. New York Yankees 2 and the Texas Rangers 0.

In the top of the fourth, Andy Ibanez singled off a fly ball to right with Kiner-Falafa going to third base. Adolis striking out. Ibanez went to second on a wild pitch from Jordan Montgomery; Nick Solak ended up driving in the Ranger’s only run of the game. The Yankees were scoreless in the bottom. Yankees 2 Rangers 1.

The Texas Rangers were quiet in the top of the fifth inning. In the bottom, with Gio Urshela on second and DJ LeMahieu on first, Anthony Rizzo singled, driving Urshela as the Yankee tacked on another run. LeMahieu moved to second base but was stranded there. Yankees 3 and the Rangers 1.

The top of the sixth saw Montgomery throw his 93rd pitch of the game and the end of his night for the Yankees. He ended his outing only giving up 4 hits, and one earned run. At the bottom of the inning, Joey Gallo hit his 38th homer of the season to give the Yankees the 3 run lead in the game. New York Yankees 4 Texas Rangers 1.

The sixth inning was scoreless for both teams. With Michael King on the mound in the seventh inning, he continued his hitless outing, pitching a clean seventh. The Yankees blew the game open when Aaron Judge hit his 36th homer of the season, a long fly ball into the center-field stands. It was a two-run shot scoring both DJ LeMahieu and Anthony Rizzo. The New York Yankees 7 Texas 1.

The highlight of the night, home runs aside, was Luis Severino’s joyous return in the eighth inning after not pitching for over 700 games. Severino finally returned from his Tommy John surgery and setbacks to pitch in a major league game. He saved the Yankee bullpen by pitching the final two innings of the game. He allowed two hits, no walks while striking out two. He looked great in his 2021 debut outing.

The final score was the New York Yankees 7 and the Texas Rangers 1. The winning pitcher was Jordan Montgomery, and the loser was Dane Dunning that only lasted 2.2 innings. Unfortunately, the Yankees did not advance in the wild-card standings as both the Toronto team and the Red Sox also won their games.

 

 

 

 

 

 

New York Yankees: Does the hot Aaron Judge deserve a long-term contract?

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New York Yankees, Aaron Judge

The New York Yankee’s slugger Aaron Judge burst onto the Major League scene in 2017.  He played in 155 games, getting 52 home runs and hitting .284 with 114 RBIs. He was heralded as the new Yankee Star, the new Mickey Mantle. He was a Silver Slugger, Rookie of the Year, All-Star, and came second in the MVP voting. However, with all of those accolades, he was never the same again, that is, until the 2021 season.

From 2018 to 2020, Judge was riddled with a myriad of injuries keeping him off the field and from performing. During those three years, he played only an average of 80 games a season. His home runs were gone, and his strikeouts stood out. He never could regain his 2017 form.

Fast forward to the 2021 season; a new healthy Aaron Judge appeared on the stage at Yankee Stadium. He has played in 137 games missing only a few games due to testing positive for Covid and a few days off. He has been the most dependable and consistent player this season. He will not reach the 52 home runs in 2017, but he does have 35 so far and the highest batting average of his career.  He hits some runs, singles, doubles, and gets on base. His .383 OBP is the best since 2018. Plain and simple, he has carried the Yankees on his back even during the horrid first half of the season.

During the New York Yankees’ consecutive game-winning streak, he really shined. In August, he hit .330 with an OPS of 1.021. The Yankees hoped his performance would carry into the postseason. Since then, the Yankees have stumbled, falling out of a wild-card berth, but that hasn’t stopped Judge. He is still the Yankees’ best player, and his defense and arm in the outfield, whether it’s at right or center, is a huge asset for the Yankees.

During September has 16 hits and has hit a home run in every three games. In 19 games this month, he has six home runs. His batting average has stayed between .287 and .301. With the season coming to a close, that annual question is right around the corner. Should the Yankees give Judge a long-term contract?

It seems like the answer should be simply yes, but it is far more complicated than that.

  • Is one healthy season enough to assume he will stay healthy?
  • The Yankees already have two huge contracts on their hands, will the Yankees be likely to add another?
  • Will Hal Steinbrenner continue to insist on remaining below the luxury tax threshold.
  • Judge is no longer a newbie; he turns 30 in April; how long is a long contract?
  • The Yankees, at the beginning of the season, signed a relatively inexpensive but long-term deal with DJ LeMahieu; it hasn’t gone as planned as LeMahieu hasn’t come close to the numbers that got him the contact.

Based on his performance this year, he should certainly qualify for a contract extension. Of course, he would like to be a lifetime Yankee, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t follow the money. Judge is not Derek Jeter, who made it very clear that he would retire a Yankee.

The big question for both Judge and the Yankees’ front office is what kind of contract will benefit both parties. At the start of the season, Judge settled for a one-year contract for $10.175 million. In 2022 he is arbitration-eligible and will become a free agent in 2023 when he is 32 years old. The Yankees should probably act now.

Mookie Betts earns a base salary of $27M. Bryce Harper $25M. Francisco Lindor $45M. Mike Trout $36M. Examining these deals makes you wonder how much Judge is worth and will the Yankees be willing to handcuff themselves with another huge contract.

Aaron Judge has been asked if there have been any discussions about a long-term deal with the Yankees; he indicated neither he, his agent, or the Yankee front office had had any ongoing discussions. However, with the offseason coming soon, those discussions will be held. The outcome of which we probably won’t know until very late in the winter. It all boils down to if Judge wants to retire a Yankee, how little the Yankees can payout to make that happen. As talks develop, you will read about it on EmpireSportsMedia.com.

EmpireSportsMedia.com’s Columnist is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. Follow me on Twitter @parleewilliam.

 

 

 

 

New York Yankees Report Card: A look at players that could be impactful in the postseason

by
New York Yankees, Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres, Giancarlo Stanton

The New York Yankees have certainly had a roller coaster 2021 season. It’s actually a tale of two different teams when you look at the first half and the last half. If the Yankees don’t make the postseason, they can look back on the first half of the season as the primary reason why.

The Yankees starting pitching other than ace Gerrit Cole was average, although the bullpen was stellar in the first half. The real culprit was the Yankees’ lineup itself. Outside of Aaron Judge trying to carry the team on his back, the rest of the lineup was awol for the most part. The games were boring as the Yankees seemed just to be going through the motions. Fans looked for who to blame, as no one seemed to be able to motivate the team.

Then in two series between the Red Sox and the Phillies in late July when they won four games in a row, a new team seemed to be emerging. So much so that in August, the Yankees were the winningest team in baseball. Since then, they have put themselves in jeopardy, possibly losing a place in the playoffs. But in the past week, the Yankees may be turning things around. But yet their last two games are a microcosm of the whole season; a shut out of the Indians only to be annihilated by them the following night. So here’s a look at how some of the Yankees are playing.

Gerrit Cole: A

Without question, Gerrit Cole has been the best Yankee starting pitcher all season long. He is actually much better than his 15-7 record would suggest. His ERA or 2.75 and 224 strikeouts show that. But suffering from only 3.81 runs of support in his games, he has lost or had no-decisions in games that could have been won.

Corey Kluber: B

After not pitching for nearly two years, Corey Kluber got off to a slow start with the Yankees but gradually got better to the point he had a no-hitter.  But then Kluber went to the IL with a shoulder strain that would keep him out for three months. Since his return, he struggled. . Last night, he showed a huge improvement. He looked like an ace, pitching six full innings only allowing 4 hits in his scoreless outing.

Jordan Montgomery: B

Montgomery is not Gerrit Cole, and because of that, his lack of run support has been more impactful on his record. He has pitched better than his 5-6 record would suggest. He has a respectable 3.63 ERA with 149 strikeouts.

Nestor Cortes Jr.:  B+

Cortes Jr. has been a Godsend for the Yankees; taking over for Kluber when he was on the IL, Cortes did nothing but impress.  The Yankees have won 5 of his 8 starts since August. He has a 2.00 ERA for September.

Luis Gil: B-

The Yankee prospect Gil has been beneficial starting games that the Yankees had no one to start. In his first three starts, he was magnificent, not allowing a single run. But in his last two starts, he has stumbled. First, in a start against Toronto, he lasted only 3.1 innings giving up three runs. Then, against the Twins, he gave up 5 runs, but the Yankees won in extra innings. As Aaron Boone said, Gil may have a bright future, but right now he is not the finished product.

Chad Green: C –

Most recently, the wear and tear of a 162 game season and being overused Green has become undependable in the late going. The transition from a 60 game season to a 162 game season and being overused has been unkind to him through no fault of his own. (see Wandy Peralta).

Lucas Luetge: B

After not pitching in the bigs for nearly six years, the Yankees bet on Luetge to help the bullpen. He has done that and more. The Yankees hit gold in employing him. He has been one of the Yankees’ most dependable relievers, even finishing 13 games for them with one save. He has a .667 winning percentage.

Wandy Peralta: B+

On April 27, 2021, the Giants traded Peralta to the Yankees for outfielder Mike Tauctman. Peralta has been an asset replacing Justin Wilson and Zack Britton. He is the guy Boone goes to most frequently when Chapman fails. He has pitched in 51 games and has five saves. One has to wonder how much better he and Chad Green could have been had the Yankees not traded Luis Cessa away. Cessa was a workhorse and doing marvelously with the Reds with a 2.35 ERA in 48 games.

Aroldis Chapman: C

Aroldis Chapman has been one of the Yankee’s greatest disappointments this season, somewhat of an enigma for the Yankees. After starting the season stellar, his second half has been anything but. Fans cringe when he has to enter a close game. He has lost control of his firebrand fastball. C is not a very good rating for a supposed championship team’s closer.

Aaron Judge: A+

Aaron Judge, for the most part, has carried the team on his shoulders, he has been the best performer in the lineup all season with consistent hitting. He has a .288 batting average, is second in home runs, and leads with 85 RBIs.

Joey Gallo: A-

After being acquired before the trade deadline, Joey Gallo got off to a slow and spotty start with the Yankees. But, most recently, he has really heated up, leading the Yankees with 37 home runs. Last night he hit two home runs; it was the second time he managed the feat this month. He has 7 home runs in 13 games during September.

Giancarlo Stanton: A-

Outside of Aaron Judge, Stanton has been the most dependable hitter this season. He had a .327 average in August and .281 this month. He is third in home runs with 30 and, for a change, doesn’t lead the team in strikeouts. In addition, his excellent play in the outfield has given manager Boone more options.

Brett Gardner: B+

Gardner’s first half was disappointing, to say the least, making the Yankees wonder if resigning him was a wise decision. But his second half has been significantly better. More recently, he, as in past years, has really heated up in the postseason run. This month he has hit two multi-run homers. In addition, his baserunning and excellent defense have made him an everyday player.

Gleyber Torres: D-

Torres has been a disappointment all season long. He has never regained the power that he showed off in 2018 and 2019. But the biggest disappointment is his team-leading number of errors. The Yankees even rearranged the infield for him so he could return to second base. Unfortunately, that hasn’t worked out well either, and he has had two significant errors at second base.

Anthony Rizzo: B-

Anthony Rizzo has been hot and cold since joining the Yankees. He started gangbusters but then cooled off. He has had two home runs during September, but his biggest asset to the Yankees is his excellent defense at first base.

Gary Sanchez: C+

Gary Sanchez has had a somewhat better season than last year. Other than Gleyber Torres, Sanchez is the team’s most controversial player. Although he shows hints of greatness with the fireball arm and powerful home runs far into the stands, he also makes bone head plays, running mistakes, and passed balls. Sanchez has trouble staying focused at some critical times.

I hesitate to rate Luke Voit, mostly because he had had so many injuries that he could never regain the form he had in 2020 when he led all of baseball in home runs. Last night he hit a two-run homer in a failed effort to sustain a rally when the Yankees lost to the Indians. I also have not rated DJ LeMahieu mostly because I don’t know what to make of the second baseman that will be a Yankee for the next five years. His performance this year is certainly average but not close to what Yankee fans expected of him.

There are also several pitchers and relievers that have not been rated, mostly because their injuries have not allowed them to be impactful this season, one way or the other.