Anthony Rizzo

New York Yankees Analysis: The Yankees can still win the AL East

by
anthony rizzo, yankees

The New York Yankees are 8-2 in their last ten games. If the Yankees continue at the same pace they can forget about the Wild Card berth, they will win the East! The Yankees are 16-9 since July 6th.

There have been some major changes from mid-July to now. The Yankees have been excelling, and the rival Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays have been faltering. At the beginning of the season, I predicted that the Yankees’ major stumbling block to winning the East would be the Tampa Bay Rays, and I still believe that. I also said the Red Sox would fall apart. Although they haven’t fallen apart, they are not playing good baseball recently.

In the past ten games, the Yankees are 8-2, the Red Sox are 3-7, and the Tampa Bay Rays are 5-5. The Yankee record is impressive because they have done it minus three of their starting pitchers. Ace Gerrit Cole, starter Domingo German, and Corey Kluber. Looking forward, all of these pitchers will be coming back shortly. In addition, near the end of the month, they will also get the 2018 19-8 winner, Luis Severino, back into the fold. If he doesn’t immediately return to form, he can still be a powerful arm out of the bullpen.

During this period the New York Yankees have also gotten some help from the minors. Nestor Cortes Jr. and Luis Gil have uplifted the Yankees with some really good replacement pitching. The likes of Rougie Odor, Greg Allen, and Tyler Wade have also helped the Yankees during a time that the Yankees have been without their gold glove-like third baseman Gio Urshela and 2020 home run leader Luke Voit.

There is no question that the New York Yankees acquisitions before the trade deadline have boosted the Yankees’ fortunes of possibly winning the AL East. The Yankees can now put out a lineup that is right-left, making it much harder for opposition pitchers to navigate the powerful Yankees lineup. The Yankees added three pitchers, lefty contact hitter Anthony Rizzo and power-hitting lefty Joey Gallo. So far, contenders can’t keep Rizzo off the bases, and last night Gallo hit his Yankee leading 26th home run of the season, lifting the Yankees over the Mariners.

The addition of Rizzo and Gallo has also strengthened the Yankee defense; both are excellent defenders. As a result, the Yankees are finally getting the offense out of first base for the first time in years, not since Mark Teixeira have the Yankees had a healthy offensive defender at first base.

For the first time this season, the Yankees can look forward to an offense that can consistently win games. With 54 games left to the season, the Yankee season will be determined by how the pitching holds up and if they can escape further Covid problems. They will also have to rely on less than stellar play from those teams ahead of them and the rising Toronto Blue Jays. It won’t be easy, but the Yankees can pull out a division win in the East.

New York Yankees: 3 Major takeaways from the Yankees big day

by
anthony rizzo, yankees

After two lopsided victories by both teams, the New York Yankees entered into the rubber game last night to see who wins the series. The Yankees hoped they would be victorious with Jameson Taillon on the mound for the Yankees and Matt Harvey of the Orioles trying to put down the Yankees. Instead, the Yankees ended up with a statement winning the game and the series 10-3. It was a big night for the Yankees, but it didn’t end there. All of the Yankees affiliates also won their games.

Pitcher of the month shows his stuff

The New York Yankees July Pitcher of the month, Jameson Taillon, carried his stuff into August last night. Taillon had a shaky first inning giving up 1 earned run. Another run scored on an E7 by Joey Gallo, but he was lights out from then on, holding the Baltimore Orioles to just three runs working into the seventh inning. He stuck out 10 Orioles while walking just one.

After Taillon left the game, the combination of Jonathan Loaisiga, who got the win, Clay Holmes, and Albert Abreu held the Orioles to just one hit striking out three.

The “Riz” does it again

Newly acquired first baseman Anthony Rizzo put on quite a roadshow in Miami; he hit two home runs and drove in the winning run in the Yankees’ sweep of the Miami Marlins. Now he has brought his roadshow home to Yankee Stadium. Last night he homered again in the fourth for his third homer in just six games played. It’s called “Puttin on the Riz.”

Anthony Rizzo has had an RBI in every game he has played, being the first Yankee to do that in a hundred and seventeen years. In game one, he homered; in game two, he homered. in game three, he drove in the go-ahead run. In game four, he had an RBI, in game five, an RBI, and last night his third homer. Over the 6 game span, he has had 6 RBIs while going 8 for 20.

You can’t mention Rizzo without giving an honorable mention to outfielder and DH Giancarlo Stanton. During Rizzo’s run, Stanton has had 7 RBIs; however, his RBI’s came in just two games.

It’s not just at the Stadium

The New York Yankees had a big win last night at the Stadium, winning over the Baltimore Orioles 10-3, but it was also a big day/night for the Yankee affiliates, too, as each won their game.

Scranton RailRiders beat the Worcester Red Sox 7-3. CF Estevan Florial 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 R, 2 K. 2B Andrew Velazquez 2-4, 2 R, 1 K, SB. Pitcher JP Sears 5 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 6 K — Triple-A debut. Nick Nelson pitched 3 innings of scoreless relief.

Somerset Patriots over the Bowie Baysox (Orioles) 6-2. SS Oswald Peraza 2-4, 1 R, 1 K. 1B Dermis Garcia 2-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 K, he leads the Patriots with 22 homers this season. Pitcher Hayden Wesneski 5 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 7 K, he got the win.

Hudson Valley Renegades over the Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) 3-2. LF Pat DeMarco 1-4, 1 2B, 1 K. 2B Oliver Dunn 1-3, 1 3B, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K. Pitcher Mitch Spence 6 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K, he got the win.

Tampa Tarpons over the over the Jupiter Hammerheads (Marlins) 2-1. CF Jasson Dominguez 1-3, 2 K. C Carlos Narvaez 1-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R. Pitcher Beck Way 6 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 H, 8 K, he got the win.  Minor league games are 6 inning games. Extra innings may be played under the league time and other game completion rules.

Note: Tonight at the Stadium, the Yankees start a three-game series with the Seattle Mariners. Nestor Cortes Jr. will take the mound for the Yankees and Tyler Anderson for the Mariners.

New York Yankees Recap: New York Yankees win the series over the Orioles 10-3

by
New York Yankees, Aaron Boone, jameson taillon

After two lopsided victories by both teams, the New York Yankees entered into the rubber game tonight to see who wins the series. The Yankees hoped they would be victorious with Jameson Taillon on the mound for the Yankees and Matt Harvey of the Orioles trying to put down the Yankees. The Yankees must win over the teams they should win over to be successful in the season. Tonight was a test of that theory. The Yankees ended up with a statement winning the game and the series 10-3.

Cedric Mullins led off by hitting a single to right field for his 13 games with a hit. Ramon Urias reached second of an E7 by Joey Gallo, Mullins went to third. Trey Mancini stuck out for a big out for Taillon. Ryan Mountcastle flew out to Judge. Judge threw in but not in time as the O’s scored first. Mountcastle when to third on the throw. Auston Hays blooped to left in front of Gallo for the second Oriole run. DJ Stewart struck out for the final out, giving up two runs in the inning. Baltimore Orioles 2 New York Yankees 0. At the bottom, with Harvey on the mound, DJ Lemahieu popped out to second. Anthony Rizzo walked. Aaron Judge hit into a double play all too familiar for the Yankees to end the inning.

Pedro Severino led off the top of the second by Severino struck out. Franco struck out for Tiallon’s fourth strikeout of the game. Richie Martin struck out for a strikeout of the side. Joey Gallo ground out to first. Giancarlo Stanton struck out. Gleyber Torres popped directly back to Harvey for the final out of the inning. A quick inning for both pitchers. Orioles 2 Yankees 0.

The third inning was led off by Cedric Mullins, who tapped out into Sanchez’s glove. Urias ground out to Odor at third. Mancini struck out for Taillion’s seventh strikeout in just three innings. At the bottom, Rougie Odor flew out to right-center. Kyle Higashioka, sporting just a .190 batting average, hit a long one for an out at the left-field warning track. Brett Gardner flew out to center and went down in order against Harvey. Orioles 2 Yankees 0.

The top of the fourth inning was led off by Mountcastle, who homered to right for Oriole’s third game run. Hays ground out. Stewart ground out. Severino went down looking. The top of the Yankee lineup led off the bottom of the fourth. LeMahieu ground out. Rizzo hit a home run to center, becoming the first Yankees to have an RBI in his first six games since 1903. Aaron Judge hit a single into no man’s land in center field. Joey Gallo hit into a failed double play. Giancarlo Stanton, with one on and two out, singled. Gleyber Torres singled to right scoring Gallo for the one-run deficient. Rougie Odor flew out to center, but the Yankees drew two runs closer. Orioles 3 Yankees 2.

At the top of the fifth, Franco ground out. Martin popped out to Odor in the left-field foul territory. Mullins flew out to Gardner in center to end the half. At the bottom, Higashioka led off against new O’s pitcher Cesar Valdez and hit a double. Gardner ground out, with Higgy reaching third. LeMahieu singled, driving in Higashioka to tie up the game at 3. Rizzo flew out to right. Judge ground out to third to end the inning. But the Yankees tied it up in the inning. New York Yankees 3 Orioles 3.

The sixth inning saw Urias at the plate against Taillon in his sixth inning: he struck out Mountcastle. Hays struck out, and Mountcastle struck out for Taillon’s 10th of the game. At the bottom, Joey Gallo went down on strikes. Stanton hit a bullet single to right. Torres popped out for the second out of the inning. Odor flew out to the warning track in center for the final out of the inning. Yankees 3 Orioles 3.

The seventh was led off by Hays, who ground out to Gardner. Stewart walked, and that was the end of the night for Taillon. Severino faced the new Yankee pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga and singled to right. Franco hit into a 5-4-3 double play to end the half. At the bottom, Higashioka led off by walking. Jonathan Davis was brought in to pinch run. A pitching change brought in Fry to pitch to pinch hitter Gary Sanchez. Sanchez walked. LeMahieu, with two on and no outs, got an RBI single, scoring Davis from third for the Yankee lead in the game. Rizzo with men on the corners and no outs flew out to left. Judge faced new pitcher Dillon Tate and struck out. Gallo walked. Giancarlo, for the second night in a row, brought it open with a base clearing double. Torres got an RBI double scoring Stanton. Rougie Odor ground out to first, but the Yankees picked up five runs in the inning. New York Yankees 8 Orioles 3.

Clay Holmes led off the eighth inning on the mound against Martin; he was called out on strikes. Mullins called out. Urias went down on strikes. At the bottom Rizzo gound out. Judge popped out.  LeMahieu doubled. Gallo struck out, but the Yankees scored another two runs. With both pinch runner Davis and Sanchez scoring. New York Yankees 10 Orioles 3.

Mancini struck out at the top of the ninth with the last licks on the line for the Orioles. Mountcastle struck out. Hays ground out against Albert Abreu for the final out and the New York Yankees win of the series. The winning pitcher was Jonathan Loaisiga, and the loser was Cole Sulser.

 

New York Yankees: Takeaways from new look same ole Yankees loss to the Orioles

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What going on with the New York Yankees? The Yankees themselves spoiled what was to be a triumphant return to Yankee Stadium. The Yankees have taken another step backward after the exciting debut of new players and a sweep of the Miami Marlins. After an exuberant start by Anthony Rizzo in Miami, it seems that he, too, has caught the Yankee flu. That has nothing to do with Covid; it’s a flu that the Yankees haven’t been able to shake all season, not being able to hit a baseball even against a lousy team with a subpar pitcher.

Andrew Heaney flopped and flopped big time

After last night the new New York Yankee pitcher Andrew Heaney is saddled with the worst debut of a Yankee pitcher in the franchise’s history. It’s the first time a Yankee pitcher gave up four home runs in a debut start. Heaney was horrible.

Heaney took to the mound for the first time as New York Yankee facing Cedrick Mancini, who flew out to left. Austin Hays popped out to LeMahieu. Trey Mancini flew out to end a perfect half for Heaney. At the second, Ryan Mountcastle led off by doubling down the left-field line. Anthony Santander struck out. Ramon Urias flew out to Stanton playing right field for the first time this year. Pedro Severino tapped back to Heaney for the final out. So far, so good.

Then came the third inning when Heaney turned into Dr. Jeckle, and Mister Hyde wrapped up in pinstripes. Mullins homered to center for the Orioles lead. Austin Hays hit a back-to-back homer this one to left field. The fourth inning was led off by Mountcastle, who got the third Oriole home run. Urias hit another home run, and just like that, Heaney had forgotten how to pitch. With the Yankee’s lack of hitting, Yankee fans saw the all too familiar behind four runs in the fourth, blown out early in a game. The Yankees lost 7-1.

Yankees still can’t consistently hit the leather

Yesterday the Yankees faced a Baltimore Orioles pitcher that was sub-par to be polite. Jorge Lopez had an ERA of 6.19. The Orioles had lost 14 of his starts. With a right-left, right-left power-hitting lineup, the Yankees couldn’t get a single hit off Lopez until the fifth inning. After that, it would be the only hit the Yankees would get off of Lopez. It’s not that they didn’t have their opportunities; they did; he walked five Yankees hitters as the Yankees went 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

What has dogged the Yankees all season is their inability to hit the ball in the air. Instead, they continually hit ground balls into the infield and hit into double plays. As a result, they have hit into more double plays than any other team. If there was a Yankee star yesterday, Joey Gallo made some amazing defensive plays and hit a double in the sixth inning.

With all the opportunities the most exciting moment of the game was a cat running across the field that a battery of ground crew and security took several minutes to shoo off the field.

Yankees now have a big pitching problem

To add an even bigger downer to the Yankee’s loss, the Yankees announced that pitching ace Gerrit Cole has tested positive for the coronavirus. As a result, he will miss his start today and at laest another one or two starts. In the best-case scenario, he will have two negative tests and miss only two starts assuming he has been vaccinated; if not, he could miss three starts or more if the virus hits him hard.

Add to that that Domingo German has been put of the 10 day IL with shoulder inflammation. With those two pitchers out for at least two starts, the Yankees have a big pitching problem. They have at least four slots to fill and no one to fill them. Their best chance to win a game is with Nestor Cortes Jr. on the mound today, replacing Cole; beyond that, they are in an uncharted area. Micheal King is on the IL, Deivi Garcia is pitching horribly with an ERA over 7 at Scranton. Clarke Schmidt, Luis Severino, and Corey Kluber won’t return to the team before August 20th. This means that the Yankees will probably have to use Heaney again, Holmes, and likely have to piece together at least a game or two from the bullpen.

Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman earns glowing trade deadline reviews from MLB Insider

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New York Yankees, Brian Cashman

The Yankees were very active at the trade deadline trying to solve a major efficiency in the batting order, having too many righties and not enough left-handed hitters.

Looking to add a bit of diversity in the lineup, general manager Brian Cashman executed brilliantly, trading for Texas Rangers outfielder Joey Gallo and first baseman from Chicago, Anthony Rizzo.

Both players bring slugging ability from the left side of the plate, and Rizzo has already hit two homers wearing pinstripes. In the Yankees’ series sweep over the Miami Marlins, Rizzo recorded five total hits as Gallo managed to get on base three times. The first baseman has elevated the offense tremendously, earning Cashman glowing reviews for his moves.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic raved about Cashman’s work at the trade deadline:

Best job of getting other teams to pay players’ salaries: The Yankees. That’s right, the biggest-market-in-baseball Yankees. They got the Rangers and Cubs to pay the full 2021 salaries of Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo, and the Yankees also didn’t have to part with any of their best prospects in those trades. They also received cash considerations from the Angels to help cover some of Heaney’s salary.

The most impressive part is that Cashman managed to get their salaries paid for so the Yankees could stay underneath the $210 million luxury tax threshold. The Steinbrenner’s were reportedly understanding if they had to push over, but Cashman managed to find a way to add great talent without having to pay for it.

Gallo is earning $6.2 million and Rizzo is on the books for $16.5 million this season, accounting for $22.7 million the Yankees managed to displace. A brilliant piece of managing by Cashman to improve the roster, not that it should’ve needed it in the first place. Luckily, both Gallo and Rizzo are traditionally healthy players, so the Yankees can feel confident depending on them and relying on their skills to be available on a daily basis.

As the Yankees crawl their way back into the AL East race, currently sitting seven games behind the Tampa Bay Rays, their best bet is competing for the Wild Card. They sit 2.5 games back from the Oakland Athletics. They’re within striking distance, and these new additions should provide them the firepower to make a full comeback.

Have the New York Yankees original offseason plans changed due to Anthony Rizzo?

by
anthony rizzo, yankees

Last week the New York Yankees surprised everyone at the trade deadline. While many were talking about the team going after Trevor Story, Brian Cashman was working behind the scenes on acquiring a new first baseman.

Out of no where, the Yankees acquired the Cubs star first baseman Anthony Rizzo. The movement immediately paid off over the weekend as the Yankees swept the Marlins and Rizzo had one of the best first weekend’s you can imagine.

Rizzo slugged two mammoth homers and came up clutch in all three games. It wasn’t just with his bat, Rizzo showed off the leather yesterday when he turned a crucial double play in the eighth inning.

After the sweep, the Yankees are just 2.5 games out of the second wild card and now they’re only 5.5 games behind Boston for the first wild card. Rizzo and Joey Gallo’s acquisition really put some life into this team.

Yankees change of direction?

While Joey Gallo was a big acquisition, the Yankees needed someone like Anthony Rizzo. Rizzo also swings from the left side, but he rarely strikes out. You have to go back to 2016 to find a season where Rizzo struck out more than 100 times.

His elite defense at first is going to make everyone in the infield better. The Yankees had a good first baseman in Luke Voit, but in reality, Anthony Rizzo is better for this club all the way around.

With that said, has Rizzo already altered the Yankees offseason plans? By all indications, the Yankees were going to be looking at the star-studded shortstop market in free agency this year.

It looked like the Yankees were poised to make another big splash. However, Anthony Rizzo could be changing those plans. Instead of using a ton of money to sign a star shortstop, the Yankees could save a ton and keep their first baseman.

Rizzo would likely command a similar deal if not a little more than the team gave to DJ LeMahieu last off season. Would be pennies compared to some of the figures that are being thrown out there by shortstops like Corey Seager.

If the Yankees were to sign Rizzo, they could keep him at first and save a ton of money. That would also allow them the flexibility to trade Luke Voit. If they still wanted to sign a new shortstop, they could also look at Gerrit Cole’s brother-in-law, Brandon Crawford.

That would allow the Yankees to potentially trade Gleyber Torres for additional pitching help. One thing I know, Anthony Rizzo just looks like the perfect Yankee in every way. The way he answers questions, the leadership, and the play on the field. Don’t be shocked if he wears pinstripes the rest of his career.

New York Yankees: 4 Major takeaways from Yankees sweep of Miami

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The New York Yankees entered last night’s game in Miami against the Marlins, hoping for a sweep after only being able to sweep four of ten possibilities. Instead, they got that sweep as they head into long homestand tonight. The Yankees won the first game 3-1, the second 4-2, and last night Jordan Montgomery led the Yankees in another 3-1 win to complete the sweep. The Yankees are now 56-48, 7 games behind the East-leading Tampa Bay Rays. They have won 6 of their last 10 games and are 2.5 games out of the second wild-card slot.

Will Yankee fans show the love?

By the trade deadline, most industry analysts believe that the New York Yankees were the AL winners in improving their team by the deadline. This deadline is different from previous years, where teams could still trade after the deadline to acquire players off of waivers. However, that is not the case this year; the team they have at the deadline is the team they will live with for the rest of the season.

The Yankees picked up three new pitchers and two lefty hitters to add to the lineup. As a result, the Yankees can now produce a lineup with five lefty hitters, should the need arise. Two of those new Yankees are Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo. Gallo, who the Yankees got from the Rangers, has had a solid defensive start for the Yankees, but only last night did he get his first hit, a double in the seventh that almost topped the centerfield wall for a homer.

The other new New York Yankee hitter is Anthony Rizzo; he has been nothing short of amazing, almost single handily winning all three Marlin games for the Yankees in his Yankee debut weekend. He homered in the first game, homered in the second game, going five for five at the plate, and last night although not homering, he, with the Yankees scoreless to start the eighth inning, supplied the go-ahead run for the Yankee lead that they would not relinquish.

Today the New York Yankees return to Yankees Stadium in the Bronx to face the Baltimore Orioles. Yankee fans are some of the toughest fans in baseball, showing their disappointment when the team or a particular player is not playing well, but at the same time, they are not shy of showing their love. So when Anthony Rizzo takes to the field at first base, he will surely be welcomed; the only question is how loud a welcome he gets when he walks to the plate at the bottom of the first inning.

Montgomery has another good outing

Poor Jordan Montgomery struggled to find his way in the first inning, giving up a run, but then settled in and gave the Yankees a shot at winning the game. He pitched well as he found his curveball. In the end, he went five innings giving up just that one run while striking out six. But again, he got no runs support at all. The Yankees didn’t score until the eighth inning.

Montgomery has now given up 10 runs in his last 32.5 innings with absolutely no run support at all. Over the span, he has a .057 ERA. Last night, new Yankee pitcher Joely Rodriguez (J-Rod) got the won after throwing just one pitch for the Yankees to add insult to injury. Life isn’t fair.

Yankees lose a starter to the IL

Last night it was announced that Yankee starter Domingo German was being put on the 10 IL for right shoulder inflammation. Manager Aaron Boone said German would get an MRI exam in New York on Monday. After the Yankees did not make any significant pitching upgrades by the trade deadline, this is just another blow to the rotation this season. However, this type of injury is not totally unexpected as pitchers all over baseball adjust to playing a 162 game season after only going 60 games last season.

New New York Yankee starter Andrew Heaney, a lefty with a 6-7 record with an ERA of 5.27 and 113 strikeouts, will start tonight’s game against the Baltimore Orioles. German’s next scheduled start is for the first game at the Stadium against the Seattle Mariners; on August 5, Nestor Cortes Jr will most likely be started.

Yankees made the plays

Although the Yankees did not score until the eighth, mostly due to Sandy Alcantara’s superb pitching, the scoreless innings still supplied some excitement. Although Brett Gardner was overshadowed by the play of Tyler Wad and Anthony Rizzo, Gardner has an excellent game; he ran down fly balls and even climbed the wall once getting an out. He also led off the rally in the eighth that eventually got the win for the Yankees.

At times during the night, Tyler Wade and Anthony Rizzo put on a show, making challenging plays. Tyler Wade, who is not a natural third baseman, completed an almost impossible play that a Gold Glove third baseman might not make. At the Marlins, half of the eighth Chisholm hit into a double play to end the inning. Rizzo made a spectacular scoop, fired to second, and made the catch to complete the double play. Rizzo is the real deal.

In the pitching department, Aroldis Chapman got his 22nd save of the season.

New York Yankee Recap: Rizzo roadshow continues as Yankees sweep the Miami Marlins

by
anthony rizzo, yankees

In the matinee today, the New York Yankees went for the sweep of the Miami Marlins at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida. The Yankees won the first game 3-1, the second game 4-3 with new Yankee Anthony Rizzo hitting a home run in each and going five for five. The Yankees today had five lefties in the starting lineup. The Yankees are 4 for 10 this season when trying to accomplish a sweep of a series. The matchup today was Jordan Montgomery vs. the Marlins Sandy Alcantara. The Yankees swept the Marlins with the 3-1 win today.

Anthony Rizzo led off for the Yankees with Alcantara on the mound and popped out to shallow left. Aaron Judge struck out swinging. Joey Gallo struck out as the Yankees went down in order. At the bottom, Miguel Rojas led off by doubling off the left-field wall. Jazz Chisholm got an infield single moving Rojas to third. Brian Anderson got an RBI out to third, scoring Rojas. Jesus Aguilar popped out to a charging Judge. Lewis Brinson struck out, but the Marlins went on the board first. Miami Marlins 1 Yankees 0.

Gary Sanchez led off the second inning by grounding out to third. Rougie Odor ground out to second. Gleyber Torres hit back to Alcantara to end the scoreless half. Bryan De La Cruz led off the bottom by flying out to Gallo in left. Sandy Leon flew out to Gardner in center. Mangneuris Sierra ground out. Marlins 1 Yankees 0.

The top of the third inning was led off by Brett Gardner, who struck out. Tyler Wade walked and stole second. Jordan Montgomery went down looking. Rizzo flew out to center to end the half. The bottom was led off by the pitcher Sandy Alcantara who struck out. Rojas flew out to Judge in right. Chisholm reached on a ball three infielders couldn’t catch. Rizzo got the error on the play. Chisholm went for the steal but was called out. Upon review, the call was upheld. Marlins 1 Yankees 0.

Aaron Judge led off the fourth inning and singled through the right side. Gallo flew out to third. Sanchez struck out on a pitch way out of the box. Odor struck out as the Yankee stranded their only base runner of the game. At the bottom, Anderson went down on strikes. Aguilar struck out. Brinson popped out to Torres to end the inning. Marlins 1 New York Yankees 0.

The top of the fifth was led off by Gleyber Torres, who went down swinging. Gardner ground out to second. Wade went down on Alcantara’s 8th strikeout of the game. De La Cruz led off the bottom by singling for his first major league hit. Leon walked on four pitches. Sierra reached on the force out at second. De La Cruz went to third.  Sierra stole second. Alcantara chopped to third, holding the runner while being thrown out at first. Rojas went down on a Monty curveball, and the Marlins don’t score. Marlins 1 Yankees 0.

Pinch-hitting for Monty was Greg Allen, who struck out for Alcantara’s 9th strikeout. Rizzo ground out. Judge struck out to end the half and give Alcantara his 10th strikeout. At the bottom, Chisholm faced the new Yankee pitcher Clay Holmes. Monty only gave up 3 hits in the game. Chisholm struck out swinging. Anderson ground out to third. Aguilar hit down the third baseline, but Tyler Wade made a spectacular throw for the out. Marlins 1 Yankees 0.

Joey Gallo led off the seventh inning and got his first Yankee hit with a double that was almost a homer. Sanchez ground out to third. Odor chopped out to first. Torres, with the game-tying run just 90′ away, ground out to second to strand Gallo. At the bottom, Brinson led off for the Marlins, and he gound out. De La Cruz, ground to Wade, was originally called a single, but he was out at first on review. Leon found a hole for a two-out single. Sierra faced the new Yankees pitcher Joely Rodriguez and ground out to end the inning. Marlins 1 Yankees 0.

Brett Gardner led off the eight with a lead-off single off new pitcher Anthony Bass. DJ LeMahieu pinch-hit for Wade. He struck out. Giancarlo Stanton pinch hit for J-Rod. He reached with Gardner going to third. Against new Marlins pitcher Richard Bleier, Rizzo got a base hit to left, scoring Gardner and tying the game at 1. Judge singled and scored Stanton. Rizzo was out at third on the play. Gallo struck out but not before the Yankees scored two runs for the lead in the game. New York Yankees 2 Marlins 1

At the bottom of the eight against Zack Britton, Alfaro pinch hit for Bleier; he ground out. Rojas walked on four pitches. Chisholm hit into a double play to end the inning. Rizzo made a spectacular scoop, fired to second, and made the catch to complete the double play. Rizzo is the real deal.

At the top of the ninth inning, Sanchez against Dylan Floro stuck out. Odor flew out to the center-field wall. Torres got a base hit single to center. Gardner who started the eighth-inning rally, singled on a double-booted ball that scored Torres all the way from first base. LeMahieu grounded out, but the Yankees picked up another run. At the bottom with last licks in the game, Aroldis Chapman came on to close it out for the Yankees. Brian Anderson went down on a Chapman slider. Jesus Aguilar was called out on strikes. Lewis Brinson flew out to Gardner to end the game and get the sweep for the Yankees.

The final score was the New York Yankees 3 the Miami Marlins 1. The winning pitcher Joely Rodriguez throwing only one pitch. The loser was Anthony Bass. Aroldis Chapman got his 22nd save of the season.

 

 

 

 

 

Yankees already proving they crushed the trade deadline, but what now for Luke Voit?

by
anthony rizzo, yankees

In just two games, the New York Yankees are already enjoying new acquisition Anthony Rizzo and his talents. Wearing pinstripes, Rizzo has four hits and two homers, exactly what the Yankees needed and desired when they traded away several high-profile prospects in return for the slugging first baseman.

On the season, Rizzo is hitting .256 with a .470 slugging percentage, including 16 homers and 42 RBIs. However, he seems to be reinvigorated, smashing homers to help the Yankees climb back in the AL East standings. His future on the team is in question since he’s in the final year of a seven-year contract, but after Saturday’s victory, the Bombers are just 2.5 games back in the Wild Card, well within range of a playoff appearance.

In the AL East, the Bombers are 7.0 games back, as the Tampa Bay Rays have stolen first place from the Boston Red Sox. Boston and Tampa are going head to head, with one more game in a series to determine who retains the first spot in the division.

As for the Yankees, they have several players working their way back from injury, one of which is Luke Voit, who is traditionally their first baseman.

Luke Voit is currently on his third injured list stint this year, which is what sparked a move by the Yankees to bolster first base.

“There’s no question,” Boone said. “But in the end he’s a pro. I know he’s worked his tail off the last couple of days to make sure he’s continuing to physically get ready and prepared to take his at-bats. I’m sure there’s some frustration there because I know he wants to be here right now. But that’s all part of things you’ve got to deal with that are sometimes out of your control as a pro.”

I would expect to see Voit in the designated hitter role when Stanton is featuring in the outfield, which will hopefully be more frequent. There is no reason to leave Voit and his quality bat hanging in the reserves, especially if the Yankees determine he is 100% healthy. We haven’t seen the last of Luke, and he’s likely chomping at the bit to make a return.

New York Yankees: 3 Major takeaways from Yankees series win

by
New York Yankees, Jonathan Loaisiga

The New York Yankees entered last night’s early evening game after a 3-1 win over the Marlins last night when the Yankees saw their newest hitter Anthony Rizzo hit a 449′ foot home run at LoanDepot Park in Miami. He became an instant Yankee favorite. The Yankees had the same lineup featuring 4 lefty hitters, including another new Yankee, Joey Gallo. Domingo German faced the Marlins Trevor Rogers. Rizzo hit another home run, and the Yankees won it 4-2. Just before the game, Marlins manager Don Mattingly although vaccinated, tested positive for the Covid virus, the bench coach James Rowson managed the game.

Rizzo homers again!

No matter how humble, Anthony Rizzo is doing everything he can to gain the hearts of Yankees fans immediately. He wasted no time last night getting his second home run in as many days as a new Yankees. He hit a 449′ monster home run on Friday night, then last night, he scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning in Miami. Then, he hit a really sky-high home run into a maintenance area just left of the foul pole for an insurance run for the Yankees in the seventh. Showing how he is a complete player; he was excellent at defense and got on base in all five of his at-bats. In a momentary scare, he was hit by a pitch in the hand in the second inning of the game but was okay. After the game, Aaron Boone had this to say:

“I think the heat of [the playoff] chase definitely invigorated him,’’ manager Aaron Boone said. “I think he is one of those guys who truly does live for that.”

Without really trying, other than his home runs and defense at first, Rizzo is endearing himself to Yankees fans by his demeanor. In interviews, he is humble, and he carries himself, not demanding respect but earning it. It sure looks like he embraces what it means to be a New York Yankee.

Loaisiga slams the door shut

Yankees manager Aaron Boone did not want to use Zack Britton, who had been used heavily this week. He also wanted to keep closer Aroldis Chapman out of the game; he had been feeling some general soreness. He also had been worked four of the last six games. So in the fifth inning, he went to his bullpen. Luetge, Holmes, and Green who combined to allow just one hit. Then he asked Jonathan Loaisiga to hold the game and close out a win in the ninth.

Attempting to hold the two-run lead, Loaisiga allowed a one-out single from Brian Anderson, then induced a ground ball from Lewin Diaz. That could have finished the game, but Gleyber Torres, lacking focus, tagged Brian Anderson at second; the only problem was that he tagged him with his glove, not the ball, and both runners reached.  Loaisiga put the gaff behind him and struck out Alfaro, and induced a ground ball from De La Cruz for his third save of the season. YES analyst Jack Curry said that he sees Loaisiga as a closer before his career ends after the game.

Stanton is comfortable in left

The New York Yankees have been preparing Giancarlo Stanton to play in the outfield at some point. Being in Miami in a National League Park, manager Boone took the opportunity to play Stanton in left field as there was no DH. Last night for the second night in a row, Stanton was out there looking comfortable. Although he really hasn’t had any immensely difficult plays during both nights, he has looked like he hasn’t missed a beat making common plays. Adding to his comfort level has to be playing in LoanDepot Park, where he spent eight years out in left field.

Boone aims to play Stanton in left field one or two games a week, assuming his body holds up. Now that the Yankees have kept Luke Voit, Stanton’s ability to play in the outfield will give Boone the option for the DH slot with Stanton, Voit, Rizzo, and others. Boone said after the game:

“I was really encouraged,’’ Boone said of what he saw from Stanton defensively on Friday. “Not surprised. He’s always been a very good outfielder.”

Note: Today, the New York Yankees will go for the sweep of the Marlins. The Yankees are 4-10 in sweep attempts. Today at 1:10 pm, Jordan Montgomery will start for the Yankees against a yet-to-be-named Marlins starter. With two Yankee wins and two Red Sox losses, the Yankees are 7 games out of first place and just one game out of the second wild-card slot.