Gleyber Torres

New York Yankees 9/25: 3 Major takeaways from win over the Red Sox

by
New York Yankees, Nestor Cortes Jr.

Last night the New York Yankees entered one of their most critical series of the season to hold on to a wild-card berth in the postseason. The New York Yankees opened a three-game series with their traditional age-long rivals Boston Red Sox, at Fenway Park in Boston. The Yankees put ace Gerrit Cole on the mound to face one of the Red Sox’s most successful pitchers Nathan Eovaldi in that effort. The effort came up big as the Yankees beat the Red Sox 8-3.

Gerrit Cole gets the job done

New York Yankee ace Gerrit Cole took the mound at Fenway Park last night against one of the best Red Sox pitchers, Nathan Eovaldi, with the hope of bouncing back from one of his worst losses of the season. He did that, although certainly not with dominance. Instead, he had a lot of run support right off the bat with the help of Eovaldi, who just didn’t have it.

Cole went six innings giving up three earned runs and walking 3 for an ERA in the neighborhood of 4.50, not anything to brag about. What should be somewhat disturbing to the Yankees is that Cole had his best months during April and May. During June and July, he was just okay. Unfortunately, September hasn’t been as good pitching really well in only two of five games started. Going into a possible postseason, the Yankees and fans can only hope he can rise to the occasion and has not tired.

It takes a team to support a pitcher

Last night a phenomenon took place that has been absent in so many games this season. The pitchers and players acted like a complete team, with everyone doing their job. And that became evident very early in the game. The Yankees in so many games have relied on late rallies to win nail-biting games. Last night the Yankees made a quick statement by scoring 3 runs in the first inning.

What was so impressive was the Yankees got those three runs with energetic, aggressive play and not via the home run. It’s called small ball. The Yankees did get their homers in the game. The increasingly hot Giancarlo Stanton got a two-run shot in the third inning, and Gleyber Torres got his in the seventh inning. Those runs counted for 3 of the Yankees 8 runs. These rest were achieved by old fashion good baseball. Each Yankee got at least one hit, with Stanton and Torres leading the attack with three apiece.

The Yankees inch closer to the postseason

With the win last night and the Toronto Blue Jays loss, the Yankees inched closer to a sure berth in the wild-card round. With the win over the Rangers in the last game of that series and the win last night, the Yankees are now in sole possession of the second wild-card berth. Also, with the win, the Red Sox are just one game up on them for home-field advantage. If the Yankees can sweep the Red Sox on their own turf, they will have that number one spot and home-field advantage, going into a three-game series with the Blue Jays that are lagging by 2 games with only 8 games remaining in the regular season.

Notes: Game number two of the Red Sox series will be today at 4:10 pm at Fenway Park. Nestor Cortes Jr. will be on the mound for the Yankees and Nick Pivetta for the Red Sox. The game will be televised on the YES Network, NESN, and MLBN out of market. Join me today in the Facebook Yankees group “Yankee fans R US!!” and chat about the game in our live game thread. So Check-in early and hit join!

The New York Yankees nine games will decide their season, if they fail who should go? Poll results

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New York Yankees, Aaron Boone, Brian Cashman

The New York Yankees have a day off today to reflect on their whole season and what lies ahead of them. The Yankees rose to the occasion this week and, with great urgency, swept the Texas Rangers, keeping them in the running for a wildcard berth. But what lies ahead is far more daunting and will decide the whole season. After the sweep, the Yankees now hold the second wild-card berth.

In the final nine games of the regular season, the Yankees will face the most challenging situation they have faced all season long. They will only face teams that are statistically better playing teams. Starting tomorrow, they hit the road to face the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. It doesn’t get easier after that when they play the Blue Jays at Rogers Center in Toronto.

Finally, the last three games of the season will be played back at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. The problem with this schedule is that the Yankees have not prevailed over these teams all season long and now must be able to do that if they have any hope of a 28th World Championship.

This season the Yankees have won 6 of 16 games against the Toronto Blue Jays. They have won only 7 of 16 against the Red Sox. They have won 7 of 16 against the Tampa Bay Rays. All three of these teams do not have the challenging last nine games that the Yankees have, making it even more difficult to succeed.

There are many things the Yankees can’t control. For instance, all three opposing teams could go on a nine-game losing streak, which is unlikely. However, the one thing the Yankees can control is how they play over the next nine games. If the Yankees win more games, then they lose the whole season could come down to the last three games at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees will be playing the Rays; the Red Sox will be playing the Blue Jays. The Yankees will also have to scoreboard watch the Oakland Athletics that are just 2.5 games back in the wild card standings.

With any team being able to beat any team on any given day and the unpredictable nature of baseball, one thing is for sure. Scoreboard watching will become a new art form in the coming days. Each and every game is so important to every team in contention. It sure will be exciting and hopefully rewarding for the New York Yankees.

If the Yankees fail to reach the postseason, there will be many questions to be answered. In the words of George Steinbrenner, if the Yankees don’t win a World Series, it is a failed season. However, I am not sure Hal Steinbrenner, Brian Cashman, and Aaron Boone share that same feeling. As exhibited by manager Boone’s constant praise of the team even when not winning. Boone says he is not worried about his future with the Yankees, but with the season on the line, you can’t but wonder, tucked back in his head if he may wonder if his job is on the line.

Recently I conducted a poll of several Facebook Yankee groups, asking who should be fired if the season does not end well for the Yankees. Getting the pulse of a large group of Yankee fans was eye-opening. The choices I gave were Aaron Boone, Brian Cashman, Gary Sanchez, and Gleyber Torres. I must say the results were not unexpected.

First, a little about the poll, it is certainly unscientific and doesn’t represent the view of all Yankees fans, only of those responding to the poll. There were 1,526 responses, with some only commenting and not voting. All of the responses from the different groups were similar. However, one group really targeted Boone compared to the others, and one group really didn’t believe Sanchez should remain the Yankee catcher. One thing that was universally true was that Yankee fans are not ready to give up on Gleyber Torres.

Aaron Boone: 38% of respondents want Boone gone at the end of the season. Some mentioned his lack of ability to motivate, while others criticized him for not being his own man. Some mentioned his inability to manage the bullpen. A few offered that he can’t win in the postseason. Some said to bring back Girardi or Showalter. Two said to give Phil Nevin a chance. (third base coach)

Brian Cashman: 23% think his time should be over. Several mentioned that Hal Steinbrenner tied his hands; others complimented him on giving the team what they needed this season.

Gary Sanchez: 24% think Gary Sanchez will not carry the team into the future and should be replaced. Some sighted his passed balls and inconsistent hitting, while others praised his arm. A few said he was clueless.

Gleyber Torres: 14% think Torres has had his chance but failed. But most that commented stated that he is still young and will improve.

Marcus Thames: 1% although not on the ballot, 12 respondents added him for his lack of getting a powerful team hitting.

Other comments said all of the above. A few said none of the above. Some had a defeatist attitude and said whatever they do, it won’t make a difference.

After reviewing all of the votes and comments, it leads me to believe that the Yankees win or not need a shakeup or even a complete overhaul top to bottom. However, some suggest the Yankees need a new owner.

New York Yankees: 3 Major takeaways from the sweep of the Rangers

by
corey kluber, new york yankees

Last night the New York Yankees completed a job they urgently needed to do; they swept the Texas Rangers with a game three win of 7-3. The sweeping need was caused by the Yankees slipping out of a wild card berth and only playing teams statistically better than them in the remaining games of the dwindling regular season.

Kluber is still a work in progress

Last night stater Corey Kluber proved he is still a work in progress to return to the form he had before a 3 month IL stint when he pitched the Yankees only no-hitter since David Cone’s perfect game in 1999. Kluber didn’t pitch badly and did keep the Yankees in the game, but with only one more likely start, it appears he is not postseason ready.

He pitched into the fifth inning using 84 pitches. He gave up three earned runs while walking no one and striking out 4 Rangers. But the problem that beset him as he allowed an average of two hits an inning, which could have put the game out of reach for the Yankees. But, somehow, he located some pitches well, keeping out of huge trouble.

In the fifth inning, Hernandez led off by doubling to center. Kiner-Falefa singled, with Hernandez scoring from second. Ibanez lined out to a diving Urshela. Lowe coming up knocked Kluber out of the game. Wandy Peralta came into the game and prevented further damage. In the 7th, 8th, and 9th, Clay Holmes, Chad Green, and Aroldis Chapman kept the Rangers scoreless.

Gleyber Torres rises to the occasion

Gleyber Torres has been oft-criticized for his poor defense and lack of power that allowed him to lead the team in home runs in 2019. In 2020  he hit only three and only seven this season. But last night, he came up big for the Yankees; it wasn’t a homer but a timely double when the game was tied at three. Torres’s double led to a four-run inning that put the Yankees over the top in the eighth inning.

At the bottom of the eighth, Judge popped out. Stanton struck out swinging. Gallo doubled. Torres doubled to score Gallo and the Yankee lead in the game. Urshela singled with Torres safe at home for the Yankee two-run lead. Sanchez homered, driving in two more runs. Gardner walked. LeMahieu grounded out to third. New York Yankees 7 Rangers 3.

Aroldis Chapman looked really good

Aroldis Chapman, who was so good in the first half when the New York Yankees were playing poorly, became shakey at best during the second half when the Yankees finally started to win more games than lose. It was so bad at one point that manager Boone was afraid to insert him into close games.

But more recently, Chapman seems to be making a turn to being more predictable. In his last two outings, he actually seems to have both his confidence and swagger returning. In Monday night’s game with only a one-run lead, Boone sent Chapman to the mound, he struck out two and got his 28th save. He almost gave his signature stare in upon the save. Last night that same swagger was on display in a non save situation. He again struck out two, allowing no runs, no hits, and no walks.

New York Yankees: Coming alive in the eighth the Yankees sweep the Rangers

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New York Yankees, Gleyber Torres

Tonight after taking the series from the Texas Rangers, the New York Yankees looked for the sweep of the Texas team as they continually looked for a place in the wild card series. With the win last night and Toronto’s loss, they are tied for that second spot. So, the Yankees sent Corey Kluber to the mound with great urgency to face the Ranger’s Taylor Hearn looking for their third must-win in a row. The Yankees won the game 7-3.

Yonny Hernandez opened the game facing Kluber and struck out looking. Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled to no man’s land in left-center. Falefa stole second. Andy Ibanez struck out looking. Nat Lowe struck out, tapping into catcher Higashioka’s glove. At the bottom, DJ LeMahieu led off for the Yankees and flew out to left. Luke Voit ground out to third. Aaron Judge struck out in order. No score.

The second inning was led off by Adolis Garcia, who reached on a hit to short. Willie Calhoun singled with Garcia scoring on the play. DJ Peters reached on a fielder’s choice. Brock Holt reached on another fielder’s choice. Jose Trevino singled. Hernandez ground out to first, leaving two on base. At the bottom Giancarlo Stanton singled off the right-field wall; he hit it so hard he had to stay at first. Joey Gallo walked. Gleyber Torres, with two on and no outs, ground out to third with the runners advancing. Gio Urshela had a broken-bat out to left-center. Kyle Higashioka flew out to the right-field wall. New York Rangers 1 Yankees 0.

.Isiah Kiner-Falefa led off the third inning by flying out. Ibanez flew out. Lowe flew out to Gardner, going 1-2-3 for Kluber. Brett Gardner led off the bottom by singling to left. LeMahieu flew out to right. Voit ground into a double play to end the inning. Rangers 1 Yankees 0.

Adolis Garcia led off the fourth ground out. Calhoun ground out to first. Peters doubled. Holt singled to left on a ball that LeMahieu couldn’t corral it, scoring another Rangers run. Trevino ground out to end the inning. At the bottom, Judge struck out swinging. Stanton ground out to short. Gallo popped out to third to end the inning. Rangers 1 Yankees 0.

In the fifth inning, Hernandez led off by doubling to center. Kiner-Falefa singled, with Hernandez scoring from second. Ibanez lined out to a diving Urshela. Lowe coming up knocked Kluber out of the game. Lowe faced new Yankee pitcher Wandy Peralta and reached on a fielder’s choice, Falefa reached third on a bad throw. Garcia popped out, and Calhoun ground out to first to end the half. At the bottom, Torres walked. Urshela singled. Higashioka doubled to left field, scoring Torres and Urshela. Gardner ground out. LeMahieu hit into a double play. Higashioka was called out as he tried to reach home. Texas Rangers 3 New York Yankees 2.

Peters led off the sixth inning flew out to center. Holt tapped back to Peralta for the second out. Trevino ground out. Luke Voit led off the bottom by striking out. Judge walked. Stanton walked and knocked Hearn out of the game. Gallo faced the new pitcher Dennis Santana and walked to load the bases with only one out. Torres went down on strikes. A ball got away from the catcher, and Judge scored to tie the game. Urshela went down looking but stranding two; the Yankees tied the game. New York Yankees 3 Rangers 3.

Hernandez led off the seventh inning against new pitcher Clay Holmes and struck out looking. Kiner-Falefa struck out looking. Ibanez ground out. At the bottom, Higashioka singled to center. Speedy Tyler Wade replaced him as a pinch-runner. Gardner at the plate, Wade stole second. Gardner struck out. Wade stole third. LeMahieu struck out. Anthony Rizzo flew out to center, stranding Wade at third. Yankees 3 Rangers 3.

The eighth inning was lead off by Lowe facing new pitcher Chad Green and flew out to short. Garcia singled on an E6. Garcia tried to steal but was called out at second. Calhoun lined out directly to LeMahieu. At the bottom, Judge popped out. Stanton struck out swinging. Gallo doubled. Torres doubled to score Gallo and the Yankee lead in the game. Urshela singled with Torres safe at home for the Yankee two-run lead. Sanchez homered, driving in two more runs. Gardner walked. LeMahieu grounded out to third. New York Yankees 7 Rangers 3.

With last licks on the line for the Rangers, DJ Peters came to the plate in the top of the ninth against closer Aroldis Chapman and popped out to third. Culberson pinch-hitting struck out.  Trevino stuck out swinging.  The final score was the New York Yankees 7 and the Texas Rangers 3. The winning pitcher was Chad Green, and the loser was Spencer Patton.

 

 

 

Yankees could pass on crazy shortstop market in favor of star prospect

by
yankees, trevor story

Despite giving Gleyber Torres plenty of opportunities to lock down the shortstop position, the New York Yankees have finally come to the conclusion that he can no longer be their long-term option. Torres, who started out as a second baseman and transitioned to shortstop, has struggled mightily this year, posting a .962 fielding percentage. With a league average .982 percentage at SS, the 24-year-old infielder will head back to second base, shifting DJ LeMahieu to third base and Gio Urshela to SS.

With that being the case, the Yankees are preparing for the likelihood they will be active in the free-agent market, trying to fill the spot. There will be multiple big names available, including Corey Seager, Carlos Correa, Javier Baez, and Trevor Story. These are four options that would immediately upgrade the spot, providing solid defense and adequate offensive production.

Lately, Correa has been linked as a potential option for the Bombers, and considering the season he’s having, he would be a phenomenal addition. Over 137 games this year, Correa has 24 homers, 85 RBIs, and is hitting .280. Correa could avoid the Yankees given their complicated history, but there is an alternate route the Bombers could take that would avoid paying big money to another free agent.

With Gerrit Cole and Giancarlo Stanton both on $300+ million contracts, general manager Brian Cashman might not have the authorization to hand out another behemoth deal. In that scenario, they could look to star prospect Anthony Volpe, who’s having a fantastic season with the A+ Hudson Valley Renegades.

Waiting for him to be ready could be a necessity, as he’s currently hitting .286 with 15 homers and 37 RBIs over 20 games. He’s absolutely destroying offensively, turning into a legitimate slugger.

If the Yankees are willing to fill the SS spot in the short term while they wait for him to reach the MLB level, it could be a positive move. They could cement Urshela at the position and LeMahieu at third base, which would cover them defensively. That would indicate an extension for Anthony Rizzo at first base and Torres taking over the second base spot full-time. Eventually, they can move Gio back to the hot corner, LeMahieu to first base, and Volpe at shortstop.

Nonetheless, management has a difficult decision to make at one of the most critical positions in the infield, but knowing the Yankees, they will be looking to splash the cash before they wait for a prospect.

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

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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.

 

Yankees News: Gleyber Torres responds to losing shortstop job, Nestor Cortes continues to dominate

by
New York Yankees, Nestor Cortes Jr.

The New York Yankees are currently on a three-game winning streak as they try to retain their spot in the Wild Card. However, both Toronto and Boston emerged victorious on Wednesday, leaving the three teams in a tie at the top of the WC standings.

Both Boston and New York barely emerged victorious, as the Red Sox went into extra innings, eventually beating Seattle 9-4, and the Yankees required a 9th inning single by Brett Gardner to take the lead. However, there are changes and shifts being made to the Yankees team, especially with a lack of starting pitching talent currently available.

Thankfully, one of the team’s most underrated players, Nestor Cortes Jr., pitched 6.1 innings against Baltimore, allowing just three hits and one run, striking out 11 batters. Cortes currently holds a 2.60 ERA and has established himself as a primary starter for the team. The bullpen has struggled at times — Chad Green allowed two hits and two runs over 1.1 innings.

It required a bit of luck to steal a win from Baltimore on Wednesday, as Gardern’s single blooped into shallow left field in the pouring rain, making the play even more problematic.

The Yankees are making moves in the infield:

The Yankees have been experimenting with different combinations in the infield, as they have permanently moved Gleyber Torres back to second base. To supplement that move, the Yankees moved DJ LeMahieu to third base and Gio Urshela to shortstop. Torres admitted that he struggled at SS, and he would do whatever it takes for the team to win more games, even if that means changing positions. He’s made 18 errors this season at arguably the most important infield position, which has hurt the Yankees on multiple occasions.

“Everything for the team,” Torres said before Tuesday night’s game at the Baltimore Orioles. “I didn’t really do a good job at short. I made too many errors and I feel the way we are right now we can’t make any errors. So, I feel really good to move to second and I just want to be part of the team.”

With one more contest against Baltimore on Thursday evening, the Yankees will closely be watching Boston and Toronto, who continue to win as well. Jordan Montgomery will feature on the mound, hosting a 3.71 ERA over 138.1 innings pitched this year. He’s allowed 127 hits and struck out 137 batters. On the other side, Baltimore will start Chris Ellis, who has a 2.08 ERA this season but has only pitched a small sample size of 21.2 innings. This is a must-win game for the Yankees as they prepare to host Cleveland on Friday night.

Yankees News, 9/15: The Yanks have a serious infield problem, Aaron Judge is in MVP form

by
New York Yankees, Gleyber Torres

The New York Yankees overcame the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, taking another big step forward and hopefully securing a Wild-Card spot. Currently, the Yankees are in a three-way tie with the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox for the final spot in the WC, and with two more games against Baltimore coming up, they have a great opportunity to tally on a few wins. Currently, Boston is taking all the Seattle Mariners, and after having won on Tuesday, they will be eyeing a second consecutive win over Marco Gonzalez, who hosts a 4.03 ERA this season.

Thankfully, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole looked phenomenal in his return after suffering a slight hamstring injury last week. Over 5.0 innings, Cole allowed four hits and just one run, striking out seven batters over 108 pitches. This season, Cole hosts a 2.75 ERA, representing one of the best starters in baseball.

“Every win is big, obviously,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “This is the fun time of the year. This is where you want to be, chasing October baseball. It’s good to get this first one here, especially after they took two out of three from us at our place.”

With everything boiling down as the season winds to an end, the infield is going through somewhat of a shift. Regular second baseman DJ LeMahieu has been moved to the hot corner and Gio Urshela has shifted over to shortstop. The Yankees were forced to make a move due to Gleyber Torres’s problems at SS, but it seems they are following him to second base when he fumbled a potential double play in the bottom of the sixth inning against Baltimore. His continuous errors have become a serious issue for the Bombers, resulting in a change.

The Yankees feel strongly enough about Torres’s hitting that they refuse to put him on the bench, and rightfully so. Gleyber’s traditional spot is second base, to begin with, so he should see more success with a bit of continuity, and Urshela at shortstop makes plenty of sense with LeMahieu’s versatility.

In addition to the defensive changes, one player who as been standing out as slugger Aaron Judge, who has a .292 average this season. Judge has 8 hits, 4 HRs, and 9 RBIs over his last 25 at-bats.

New York Yankees 9/13: 5 Major takeaways from another Yankee loss

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New York Yankees, Gleyber Torres

The New York Yankees entered last night’s rubber game with the Mets hoping to win the game and take the series after losing their last four series. It was not to be as they lost 7-6. The Yankees are now 3-12  in their last 15 games and have fallen out of a wild card berth.

Clarke Schmidt to the rescue

With Gerrit Cole’s start date pushed back after leaving a game against the Blue Jays with a strained left hamstring, the Yankees had no one to start last night’s game at Citi Field. So the Yankees called up Clarke Schmidt, who had been rehabbing with the Rail Riders.

Schmidt had started 7 games in the minor leagues en route to his return. He was 0-1 with a 2.96 ERA. With the Yankees short on dependable pitchers, they were hopeful he could give them three or four innings. He was not stretched out, pitching a total of 27.1 innings. In his last four games at Scranton, he had 20 strikeouts over 15 innings of work.

He gave the Yankees more than they could have hoped for; he threw 90 pitches into the fifth inning, giving up two earned runs. But he was victimized by errors causing him to give up 5 runs. Chad Green took the loss in the game as he allowed Franciso Lindor’s third homer of the night in the eighth inning.

The dizzy New York Yankees

Dizziness reared its ugly head again for the Yankees last night. Aaron Judge appeared to get something in his eyes requiring the trainer to add drops to his eyes. After his second at-bat, he felt dizzy and was removed from the game. This is not the first time a Yankee has felt dizzy. Clint Frazier dealt with it and vertigo, allowing him to only play in 66 games this season.

After the game manager, Aaron Boone said of Judge. “I didn’t want him to be in a position where he put himself in danger, hopefully, it’s something that subsides here over the next little bit, and get him back in there tomorrow.” In the same conversation, he indicated that Clint Frazier would not return to the team this season.  These problems that Frazier has been enduring may reach back to his concussion. So there is some conversation that suggests that he may never play again.

Gleyber Torres and Giancarlo Stanton homer

It is always said that when the New York Yankees hit home runs, they win games. Normally when you hit two home runs in a game, the likelihood hood with three RBIs, you are on your way to a win. Both Gleyber Torres and Giancarlo Stanton homered in the game. But this was not the Yankee’s night. Francisco Lindor had a career night hitting three home runs for the first time in his career, driving in five runs.

Gleyber Torres led the New York Yankees in 2019 with 38 home runs but in this and last season, he seemed to have lost his power stroke. With his two-run homer last night the Yankees are hopeful that is behind him, and can again contribute.

The Yankees may get some pitching help

In the very long rehab of starting pitcher Luis Severino he may be becoming close to a return to the team, it may not be in time for the regular season, but he could be used out of the bullpen when and if the Yankees get to the postseason. After several setbacks, Severino is scheduled to throw another bullpen session today as he continues to work his way back from Tommy John surgery. He was working off the mound last week and will throw against hitters during his expected session today.

Starter Domingo German may also soon become available. He will have a rehab assignment on Tuesday. He has been away from the club since July 31st with shoulder inflammation.

The Yankees fight to stay in Wild Card contention

With the loss, last night, the New York Yankees fell out of the wild card berths. The Toronto Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox are tied for the first spot in the one-game playoff that is the wild card game.

Here is how it’s shaping up after the Yankees owned that first game spot for almost six weeks before their slide. The Tampa Bay Rays lead the AL East ten games over the Yankees. In the Central, the White Sox owns the division, and in the West, it’s the Houston Astros.

With only 19 games left to the season, the Yankees are now one game out of the wild card looking in. Right behind them are the Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners that are 3 games out. The Yankees can no longer hope to win the division, but according to how they play, they still can regain a wild card berth if they start winning again. If not they will fall further out of contention and have their worst season under manager Aaron Boone.

Note: Today was supposed to be a day off for the Yankees, but due to a rainout they will play a makeup game with the Minnesota Twins. Luis Gil will be on the mound for the Yankees and John Gant for the Twins. The game will be at 2:05 pm EDT at Yankee Stadium and will be broadcast on the YES Network and Bally Sports North.

 

New York Yankees Recap: Francisco Lindor homers three times in Mets win over the Yankees

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Last night at Citi Field the Queens, New York, the New York Yankees met up with the New York Mets in the rubber game of a three-game set. The Yankees took a bashing in game one 10-3, but the Yankees bounced back in game two with an 8-7 win, but taking the series was not meant to be; the Yankees lost last night 7-6.

With no one to start last night’s game, the Yankees called up Clarke Schmidt to start the game. Schmidt, not being fully stretched out after a season-long injury. He gave the Yankees more than they could have hoped for; he threw 90 pitches into the fifth inning, giving up two earned runs. But he was victimized by errors causing him to give up 5 runs.

The game started well for the Yankees, who scored 2 runs in the first inning. After DJ LeMahieu doubled to start the game, Giancarlo Stanton hit one that bounced off the centerfield wall scoring LeMahieu. Then, with Anthony Rizzo already on base Joey Gallo got a sac fly scoring Rizzo. Mets got one back in the bottom of the frame.

The Yankees were scoreless in the second. In the bottom, Francisco Lindor hit a long three-run homer to center for his first homer of the night. With the game remaining at 4-2, Mets in the fifth inning. The Mets picked up another run, but that’s when things got really interesting.

The New York Yankees got back into the game in the sixth when Gleyber Torres hit a two-run homer. Sanchez walked. Urshela stuck out. Luke Voit came in pinch-hitting and struck out swinging. At the bottom, Villar faced new pitcher Wandy Peralta and flew out to third. Lindor homered for his second home run of the game. Conforto lined out. Alonso lined out to Stanton in left. Mets 6 Yankees 4.

The seventh inning was led off by LeMahieu, who singled to right-center. Rizzo faced new pitcher Brad Hand and ground out, but LeMahieu went to second. Gardner struck out. Stanton hit a long ball into the second deck of the left-field stands tying up the game. The game was halted as it appeared Lindor had something to say to Stanton as he rounded the bases and both dugouts emptied. Things cooled off, and Gallo struck out swinging, but the Yankees tied it up at 6. At the bottom, McNeil struck out. Pillar flew out to Gallo in right. McCann walked, Dominic Smith, pinch-hitting struck out swinging. New York Yankees 6 Mets 6.

The eighth inning was led off by Gleyber Torres, who struck out on a foul tip. Sanchez struck out looking. Urshela flew out to the warning track in right. At the bottom, Villar against Chad Green popped out to short. Lindor hit his third homer of the game to give the Mets again the lead. Conforto out on strikes. Alonso popped out to the infield with Rizzo crashing to the ground. Mets 7 Yankees 6.

Rougie Odor led off for the Yankees in the top of the ninth and struck out swinging. LeMahieu singled to center. Tyler Wade was pinch-running for LeMahieu. Rizzo walked. Gardner struck out. Stanton, with two on and two outs and the game on the line, a pitch got away, moving the runners up. Stanton popped out to left to end the game. The final score was the New York Mets 7 and the Yankees 6. The winning pitcher was Seth Lugo, and the loser was Chad Green, with the save going to Edwin Diaz.

Francisco Lindor had his first three-homer game driving in 5 of the Mets runs.