Disturbing Minor League News

Our friends at the BBD blog state that Austin Romine may be going to a back specialist. He hasn’t played at all this year, and could need six more weeks of rehab. That throws a 2013 MLB arrival out the window (he was up briefly at the end of 2011).

Even worse, Jose Campos, the 19 yr. old that the Yanks got in the Montero/Noesi deal along with Pineda, will have an MRI done. Campos started hot, 3 starts, 3-0, 1.23 ERA, but then got lit up in start #4, increasing his ERA to 4.01. It’s elbow pain. You hope he doesn’t need TJ surgery. If so, after losing Pineda for the year, it would be the ultimate worst-case scenario post-trade.

Yanks rotation could be decided on experience, options

The NY Post is reporting that Freddy Garcia is all but in the rotation, along with Phil Hughes, thus leaving Ivan Nova and Michael Pineda fighting for the last spot… for now (Pettitte on the horizon).

For today, it looks as if Ivan Nova will pitch in the minor league game while in S.T. Game #27 tonight, it’ll be Garcia.

This report from the Post goes against what the general consensus has been in the past couple weeks—that Garcia would be the long man, and that Pineda would be in the rotation.

It appears that experience, as well as who has options, has won the day along with perfomance.

Hughes, Nova and Pineda have options and can be sent down. CC (32 this summer), Pettitte (40 this summer), Kuroda (37) and Garcia (35) have the experience and the track record. Hughes has more MLB time than Nova and Pineda do.

So, if we go by that reasoning, what can we expect? Well, maybe something like this: Pineda gets sent down. Cashman will take the heat for that, being that he traded Montero for Pineda, and Pineda wouldn’t be producing from the get-go. There is concern that Pineda’s arm strength isn’t where it should be, that instead of hitting 96-97, he’s in the low 90′s. Sending him down would let Pineda hopefully work it back up…or for the Yanks to see IF he can work it back up. Pineda has options, and it appears as if the Yanks will have to use them. It’s tough to send someone down that was on the All-Star team last year and had a 3.74 ERA but… let’s consider someone ELSE…

… because this scenario would leave Nova to be the #5 starter… for NOW. Once Pettitte is ready in early May, Nova would then drop down to be the long-man out of the bullpen, as well as a spot starter. Should something happen to one of the other starters (and two of the five would be 35 or over, three of the five when Pettitte returns), either Nova would be ready to step back into the rotation for a spot start (and a AAA kid like Warren could be temporarily brought up to fill the long man role) or Pineda could be brought back up to start. Either way, Nova would be bounced from #5 starter to long-man/spot starter. I don’t see him going down…but he DOES have options and COULD go down. Now, if you think it’s hard to send down an 2011 All-Star in Pineda (9-10, 3.74), then how hard do you think it’ll be to drop Nova from the rotation into a long-man role or even send him to the minors after he went 16-4, 3.70 last year?

So, if I’m following the Post story correctly, Opening Day should see CC, Kuroda, Hughes, Garcia and Nova in the rotation, with Wade (who has had an awful spring… more on that in a bit) in the bullpen as a long-man. Right now it looks as if Clay Rapada could make the team as a second lefty in the bullpen along with Logan. So the BP would have Wade, Logan, Rapada, Robertson, Soriano, Mo… and a seventh member. I don’t know who that seventh member could be. If not Pineda, it wouldn’t be surprising to me to see maybe Adam Warren make it to be a mopup guy for a bit, until Pettitte is ready.

THEN, when Pettitte is ready in early May, he joins the rotation. Now you have CC, Kuroda, Hughes, Pettitte and Garcia, with Nova dropping down into long man/middle relief and maybe Warren (if he makes the team) then going back to AAA—or, maybe doing something with Wade. This is just my reading of the tea leaves provided by the NY Post.

A lot depends on what the Yanks will be doing with Pineda.

But it appears as if experience will win out…as well as who has options. It’ll be an interesting week of news regarding the rotation. Stay tuned.

In other Yankees related news: Bartolo Colon had a good debut for the A’s today over in Japan. 8 IP, 1 R, and the win. The A’s and Mariners are opening the season with a couple of games in Japan, then will come back to the U.S., resume S.T. for a week to get readjusted to the time change/jet lag, then pick up the regular season again. But a good game for Colon. Cespedes hit his 1st MLB HR today, and Montero, I believe, has started out 1 for 8.

Kei Igawa has gone back to Japan, signing a two-year deal with the Orix Buffaloes.

Neither Austin Romine and Russell Branyan have played an inning in S.T. due to back problems. Branyan could be released. Romine won’t be able to start the season for Empire State.

Update: I mentioned Warren above, could have said Kontos… but you know what I mean. I can’t see Pineda going to the bullpen, but think they rather would keep him stretched out as a starter—thus AAA or extended spring training. What they do with Nova… anyway, one thing I DID NOT mention above is the trickle down effect. You have the good rotation of youngsters at AAA—how does THAT get affected if Pineda or Nova is sent there? What do you do then? Bump one of THOSE guys (Warren, Phelps, Betances, Mitchell, Banuelos) down to AA? There is a lot to think about here.

BTW, my friends over at the BBD blog have a post up reporting that Banuelos has now added a fourth pitch— a cutter. Let’s hope he, at age 21, gains command. He’s coming along…

Young pitching?

Ok. So the Yanks gave up Montero for Pineda. They also gave up Noesi for Campos. What does this mean?

First, the catchers. Apparently the Yanks built up Montero (22) knowing he never could catch. They also recognize that with A-Rod and Jeter aging, that they couldn’t have a 22 yr. old DH. Alex and Jete both need to DH… and often.

Montero. 61 AB. .328-4-12. OPS+ 159.

So… they still have at catcher:

Russell Martin. Just 29 in Feb. Yanks Starter in 2011; .237-18-65 in 2011. OPS+ 92.

Francisco Cervelli. 26 in March. .266-4-22 as a backup in 2011. OPS+ 89.

Notice the ages.

Austin Romine remains.  The 23 yr. old probably starts the year at AAA. He had a brief (3 for 19) stay with the Yanks in 2011. In 89 games, mostly AA in 2011, .286-6-47.

Now for after Romine…. Gary Sanchez. 19. Low A in 2011. .256-17-52. 82 games.

20 year old J.R. Murphy spent 2011 at low A and High A. .287-7-46, 86 games.

Meaning that if the Yanks felt that Montero could not catch, he was gone.

You can see the depth that the Yanks had in C in the minors, esp. if they believed that all were better defensively than Montero. In return for Montero, they got not one, but TWO pitching studs in Pineda and Campos.

So pitching-wise, what did Cashman bring us?

Ok . Kuroda, 37 next month, is a stop-gap. 13-16, 3.07 in 2011.

Pineda. 23 next week. 9-10, 3.74 for Seattle in 2011.
Campos. 5-5, 2.32 at age 19, low A, 81 1/3 IP, 85 K, 13 walks.

So who is left?

Betances. 24 in March. 2.2 IP Yanks 2011. Minors 2011 4-9, 3.70. 142 K/126.1 IP.

Banuelos. 21 in March. 6-7, 3.75 in minors 2011. 125 K in 129 2/3 IP.

Dave Phelps. 25. 7-7, 2.99. Minors.

Adam Warren 24. 6-8, 3.60.

D. J. Mitchell. 24. 13-9, 3.18 in AAA 2011.

Phil Hughes 25. 5-5, 5.79. Majors.

Joba. 26. 2-0, 2.83 before arm injury in 2011.

D-Rob. 27 in April. 4-0, 1.08 in MLB last year.

Noesi dealt. Wade brought back. 28. 6-1, 2.04 in 2011.

Lastly, Nova. 16-4 with the big club in 2011. 3.70 ERA.
He was 25 yesterday.

There is young talent here, be it in relief (Hughes/Joba/D-Rob or a prospect.) Much as I hate losing Montero, you can see there are catching prospects. (Bat not as good, but better D, handling of pitchers?)

Give Ca$h some credit. He is stocking up on some top-quality arms.

Game 146. Yanks beat King Felix 9-3. 4 up, 16 to go.

A late night, and after a 10-hr. work day I have 10-hr. tomorrow. Recap tomorrow.

Yanks 88-57, + 3 1/2 in AL East over Boston. Magic #’s 14 for div. 11 for WC.
4 games worse than Pythagorean. OPS+ 109, ERA+ 118.

Tonight’s lineup; Dickerson in RF, Swish back but at 1B (elbow) Teix gets a 1/2 day; Dh-ing. Romine’s 1st MLB start.

Jeter 6 .297-5-56  15sb/21att  OPS+ 97  3073 hits.
Granderson 8 .265-39-111  24/34  143   leads MLB in R, AL in RBI
Teixeira DH  .247-36-103  4/5  118
Cano DH .301-25-106  8/9  126
Swisher 3  .262-22-80  2/4  120
Chavez 5  .282-1-22  0/0  90    had two 30 HR seasons, where has the pop gone?   131 AB
Gardner 7 .261-7-35  43/56  93     leads AL in SB
Dickerson 9           9 for 29, 0 HR, 4 RBI 
Romine 2          1st MLB start, no plate appearances yet.

Hughes 1   4-5, 6.41  ERA+ 69

Cervelli has been diagnosed with a concussion.

No score after two.

Gardner leads off the third with a hit, Dickerson singles him to 3rd. Romine (where’s the squeeze here in his first MLB plate appearance?) flies out but it doesn’t advance the runners. Dickerson SB. Jeter a groundout to get the run in.   1-0 Yanks after 2 1/2.

Sterling rightfully rips Hughes. With a man on second, 2 out in the 3rd, Hughes gives up a run as Ichiro singles in a run on an 0-2 pitch. Tie game.

Teix gives the lead back to the Yanks in the 4th with #37. 2-1 Yanks.  Cano doubles, Swish singles him to third, and Chavez (who, despite just 1 HR, has come up huge lately) gets a SF. 3-1 Yanks. Swish to second, and  Gardner gets an RBI single. 4-1? On King Felix? Hey, you take it.

….and what did I say in yesterday’s post about playing some players who are FRESH to give some tired players a day off? Dickerson hits a 2-run HR and the Yanks are now up 6-1!

End of four, 6-1 Yanks. Recap tomorrow. Bedtime. …

Recap: The Yanks go 4 up on Boston with 16 to go. The 9-3 win lowers the magic numbers to 13 for the division, 10 for the wild card.

The Yanks got three in the seventh to extend their lead to 9-1. Romine got his first MLB hit, a single. Singles by Jeter and Granderson loaded the bases. After Teix whiffed, Cano cleared the bases with a double.

Hughes went six, 1 R, 5 H, 3 walks, 3 K. 5-5, ERA 6.00.

Proctor (why the Yanks love of him lately?) went two (and if you are going to use him, now is the time, with a 9-1 lead: save the rest of the bullpen) went two, 2 R, 3 H, 1 walk, 3 K. He gave up a two-run HR in the 8th for the final score of 9-3. ERA 6.49 combined, Atlanta/NY. Like I said, why the Yanks recent love of him? I’m still ticked the Yanks signed him and DFA’d Pendleton. It makes no sense.

Ayala a scoreless 9th. 1-2-3, ERA 1.80.

Game 145. Yanks snap skid, go 3 1/2 up with 17 to go with 6-5 win. Save #599 for Mo.

Jeter SS .296-5-56  15/21  OPS+97
Granderson CF .266-38-109  24/34  143   see yesterday’s post. Slumping.
Teixeira 1B .248-36-102  4/5  119
Cano DH .300-24-105  8/9  125   2 for last 19
Montero C   8 for 23, 3 HR, 6 RBI
Chavez 3B .276-1-21  0/0  86   where is his power?
Jones RF .242-11-29  0/0  117
Nunez 2B .259-4-29  19/25  78   3 for last 31
Gardner LF .261-7-35  43/55  93   see yesterday’s post. Slumping.

Garcia P  11-7, 3.50  ERA+ 125

Yanks 87-57, + 2 1/2 in AL East. Magic # 16 for division, 12 for wild card.
4 games worse than Pythagorean record. OPS+ 109, ERA+ 119

Granderson still leads MLB in R, AL in RBI. Gardner leads AL in SB.

Austin Romine has joined the team because of the catching woes. Martin thumb, Cervelli (back in NY) concussion symptoms. Montero gets his 1st mlb game at catcher. This should be interesting with the running Angels.

Recap: I was volunteering at my parish picnic today.

Yanks get a much needed win, and with Boston’s loss, go 3 1/2 up with 17 to go. The Magic #s drop to 14 over Boston and 11 over the Rays.

Not a good start. Two batters in, Garcia gives up a 2-run HR.

The Yanks got one back in the second thanks to a WP and Chavez’ single. 2-1.

Garcia gives it back on a WP of his own in the third, 3-1 Angels.

Cano’s 25th in the 4th makes it 3-2.

Ouch. Garcia gives up a two-run shot in the fourth. 5-2 Angels, not looking good.

Granderson gets a 2-run HR (39) in the 5th. 5-4 Angels.

Garcia went 5, 5 R, 7 H, 3 walks, 3 K. ERA to 3.71.

Wade a scoreless 6th (5-0, 1.93). A 1-2-3, no K.

The Yanks caught a break in the seventh to win the game.

Gardner and Jeter singled. 1st and 3rd, no out. Granderson struck out. Teix hit a deep fly ball. SF but Bourjos drops it for a 3-base error, both runners score, and that’s how the Yanks won 6-5. Hey, after a 4-game losing streak, anything to break the skid, especially since Boston lost.

Soriano the 7th. Meanwhile, Austin Romine replaces Montero at catcher for defensive reasons. It’s his MLB debut. After an out, two singles, and on  a K, a SB. 2nd and 3rd, two out. Soriano gets out of it.

1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 walk, 1 K, 4.31.

Robertson has a 1-2-3 8th with a K. ERA to 1.19. What a year.

Mo in the 9th. He gives up a one-out hit but then gets a DP for his 40th save, #599 of his career. One from 600, two from tying the record and three from breaking it. ERA 2.09.

It’s the eighth time Mo has hit the 40 save mark, and this year at age 41.

Interesting stat. Mo has an ERA of 2.09. When the season ends, he’ll be the first pitcher in MLB history with an ERA of under 3.16 in 16 consecutive seasons.

I’d love to see him get it under 2.00 for what would be the 11th season.

Game 144. Banged up Yankees limping to the finish line. Lose 4th straight, 6-0.

Swisher has no structural damage in his elbow but is day to day. He’s out today and will be for a few days.

Bet you didn’t think you’d see Nunez in RF.

A-Rod and Martin also out. A very different lineup….with Montero FIFTH. Not exactly encouraging vs. Haren. You have to be worried about injuries, and this kind of lineup in September.

Yanks 87-56, 2 1/2 up on Boston, 1st in AL East. Magic #17 for the division, 12 for the wild card. OPS+ 111, ERA+ 118, Four games worse than the Pythagorean record.

Jeter SS .296-5-56 15sb/21att  OPS+ 98  3070 hits.
Granderson CF .268-38-109  24/34  145  since 8/21, no SB, .167-3-11;
hurting MVP chances?  
Teixeira 1B .250-36-102  4/5  121
Cano 2B .302-24-105  8/9  127
Montero DH    7 for 20, 3 HR, 6 RBI
Chavez 3B .274-1-21  0/0  87   nice, but only 1 HR?
Martin C .240-17-61  8/9  97
Nunez RF .262-4-29  19/25  81
Gardner LF .263-7-35  43/55  95   leads AL in SB
Cervelli C .266-4-22  4/5  90

Sabathia P  19-7, 2.97  ERA+ 146

CC shoots for #20 with a diminished lineup. See above on the Grandy Man, who still leads the majors in R, the AL in RBI.

Cervelli a late scratch again. Concussion symptoms from plays at the plate in Baltimore. A-Rod out 3-4 days. The thumb is healing very slowly.

Jeter leads off with a double (3071). The Yanks strand him. Judging by that, is it any wonder that the Yanks have a three-game losing streak, and that the three losses are all by one run—two in extra innings and the other in the bottom of the 9th? What happened to get them on, move them up, get them in? Last night, three hits (Weaver is good); the day before, just one hit from the 4th to the 10th. One.

CC works out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the first.

Yankees continue to kill themselves. Montero with a leadoff single, Chavez GIDP. Back-to-back two-out doubles give the Angels a 1-0 lead in the 2nd.

The Yanks go down 1-2-3 in the third. Sterling and Waldman make a good point—that the Yanks seem tired what with the no off days. They’ve been like this ever since ending that game at 2:20 a.m. the other day.

…and another one bites the dust. Martin didn’t start because he has a bad hand. That hand takes a beating and Martin has to leave the game. Cervelli was a scratch. Montero is Dh-ing and you don’t want to lose the DH and have the pitcher hit.

So who takes over at catcher? Posada. Yup, Jorge, who hasn’t caught one inning all year. Immediately he is tested and he throws the runner out!

But… the Yanks are limping to the finish line. That is not good.

…and Waldman blasts the Yanks for not playing littleball. When SHE blasts you, … need I say more?

So what do we have here… talk about limping… Nunez in RF and Posada at C.

After four, 1-0 Angels. Yanks looking like a tired team. Someone has to give them a jolt. Montero has been trying, but maybe someone like a Dickerson, Golson, or another of the callups has to come up big. Maybe they are more fresh.

1-0 after 4 1/2. Yanks’ bats dead. Not getting Jeter in in the first is hurting them. See what I have above about Granderson slumping lately.

End of five. 1-0 Angels.

Good point made by Waldman. Starting on 8/17, Gardner has hit .137.

Yanks go down 1-2-3 in the top of the 6th. They have just two hits—the double by Jeter leading off the game and the single by Montero in the second.

I’m not kidding. Right now maybe some fresh players (Golson, Dickerson) might give the Yanks a jolt.

CC gets in trouble in the 6th. Double, HBP, sac, int. walk. Bases loaded, one out and the way the Yanks aren’t hitting, a run would make it 2-0 but it would seem like 12-0. Force at the plate, groundout. CC gets out of it.

Now for some bats to wake up. 1-0 after six. Angels.

Yanks go down 1-2-3 in the 7th. Granderson & Teix striking out….again. This team looks tired and dead.

Tampa beat Boston in 11. Yanks magic # to clinch the division drops to 16, the # to make the playoffs stays at 12 for now.

CC goes six. He can’t get his 20th.  1 R, 8 H, 4 walks and 5 K. ERA 2.93. He was in trouble, but gave up just one run.

Noesi in for the bottom of the 7th. HBP, walk. Not good. Strikeout, but a one-out single makes it 2-0. That’s really bad the way the Yanks are hitting (or not hitting, to be precise).

Uh, oh. Martin taken for X-rays on that thumb.

SF. 3-0. They (the Angels) play littleball. It seems like 30-0.

Forget it now. Mathis hits a 2-run HR. 5-0. Noesi just let the game get away. Now a double.

George Kontos makes his MLB debut. May as well. Save the rest of the bullpen. He gets an out to finish the inning.

Noesi 2/3 IP, 4 R, 3 H, 1 walk, 1 K. ERA to 4.09.

Kontos gives up a HR to Torii Hunter in the 8th.

Kontos goes 1 1/3, 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks, 2 K. 6.75.

Yanks lose 4th straight, 6-0, they get just 4 hits. CC falls to 19-8.

Looks like Romine could be up soon. Cervelli going back to NY for concussion tests, Martin x-rays negative but out for a few days.

Minors.

AAA: SWB lost 4-3. Adam Warren 6-8, 3.60 with 4 R in 6 IP. Russo solo HR. Ramiro Pena up to AAA for rehab. I think he’ll be in the Bronx soon as a a callup. Austin Romine is now at AAA now that Montero is in the Bronx.

AA:  Trenton won 4-1. Corban Joseph 2 rbi. Jeff Marquez 1 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 7 K in 8 IP

High A: Tampa swept, 3-0 and 5-2. Two wins.

Low A: 1-0 Charleston win.

 

Minors. Killer B’s with a good night.

I’m sorry I haven’t updated this in a bit.

AAA: SWB won game 1 of a DH, 3-0. Superb effort by Manny Banuelos. 7 IP (CG) 0 R, 1 H, 2 walks and 6 K. 2-2, 3.03 in AAA. Montero is HOT. 2 for 2, solo HR. .292-18-67. He SHOULD be up by this weekend. (He took an 0 for 3 in Game 2).

Game 2. SWB lost Game 2 2-0. Betances was great, no run support. 7 IP (CG) 2 R, 2 H, 4 walks and 8 K. 0-2, 3.94 in AAA.

AA: 10-4 loss for Trenton. 3 h for Romine, .293.

High A: 13-3 loss for Tampa.

Low A: 16 hits for Charleston in a 9-6 win.

 

 

Yesterday’s minors.

AAA: SWB won Gm. 1 of a DH, 5-4 in 8. Adam Warren (a possible Sept. callup? Maybe even sooner?) 6 IP, 3 R, 3.39. Montero 2-run HR (12).

SWB lost Gm. 2, 3-2.

AA: Trenton lost 6-5. Rob Lyerly 3-run HR. Remember, Austin Romine is on the DL with a back problem.

High A: PPD.

Low A: No game.

Game 104. 1st game of d/n dh goes to the Yanks, 8-3.

The Yanks have a day/night DH today. One game is a makeup of a game Dennis and I got washed out of back in April.

Yankees 61-42, 2nd in AL East, 2 1/2 back. They are 5 up for the wild card.
OPS+ 108. ERA+ 120.  Three games worse than the Pythagorean record.

Jeter, Granderson, Martin get the opener off, Teix DHs…

Gardner CF .281-4-21  32sb/42att  OPS+ 105  leads AL in steals.
Nunez SS .272-3-23  15/19   91    lots of speed at the top
Teixeira DH .244-29-77  2/3  126    304 career HR
Cano 2B .290-16-63   6/7  120
Swisher RF .260-12-57  2/4   115
Chavez 3B .275-0-7  0/0  102   11 for 40
Posada 1B .235-9-29   0/2  89
Dickerson LF .292-0-3  1/1  94   7 for 24
Cervelli C .228-1-14  4/4  59

Colon P  7-6, 3.29  ERA+ 127

Tigers get Fister from Seattle today. Fister hopes for more run support. (3-12, 3.33!)

Phils could have interest in the Giambino or Thome. They want a bat off the bench yet. It would be hard to see Thome agreeing to go. Granted he played, and well, in Philly for a few years. Granted there is the chance for a ring. But he would rot on the bench like he did for the Dodgers a few years ago. Not much playing time for a guy four HR short of 600. Would he get the at bats he needs to reach 600 if he went to Philly? Interesting decision.

Brewers get Jerry Hairston.

Yankees updates from Joel Sherman of the Post and YES’ Jack Curry. Yankees and Rockies in staredown. Yanks don’t want to give up three elite prospects for Jiminez. Dodgers asked for Nova and either Montero or Romine for Kuroda. Yanks say no to that. Kuroda would be a tw0-month rental. Also, from Sherman: Yankees, like all teams, have scouts everywhere, but who is where is always key, and trusted Bill Livesey is watching SD relievers…Sense Chisox have really fallen out love with Thornton, would love move $13M owed ’12-’13. Yanks among teams watching the LHR. Thornton, 34, is 0-4, 3.28, 3 saves, ERA+ 126 for the White Sox. He’s 26-27, 3.53 for his career, ERA+ 128.

In the first, a two-out, two-on error by Nunez almost costs the Yanks, but Colon gets out of it with a K. Colon gets a K to get out of a 2nd and 3rd, two-out jam in the 3rd. So far, the Yanks bats have been quiet.

That changes in the third. Posada singles, and is forced by Dickerson. Cervelli doubles, and Gardner singles in two. 2-0 Yankees after three.

Two singles and a forceout give the O’s a run in the fourth. A double follows, and it’s 2nd and 3rd, one out. Colon has been in and out of trouble all game long. A groundout ties the game, and sends the runner to 3d. Colon’s pitch count is getting up there and that’s not good. You don’t want to burn the bullpen with a 2nd game later tonight. SB. Colon once more gets a K to get out of it, but the game is tied at two.

Not for long. Cano walks, Swisher hits #13. 4-2 Yanks. Singles by Chavez, Dickerson and Cervelli make it 5-2 Yanks after four. Even though his pitch count is in the 90s, Colon is out there for the fifth and for a possible win.

Like a bloodhound sniffing out a fox, Colon smells that win. The fifth is his best inning, 1-2-3, 2 K.

The Yanks open it up in the fifth. Teix reaches on an error, Swish doubles. Chavez singles in a run, a Posada groundout makes it 7-2. Dickerson singles to make it 8-2.

Wade in for Colon. Colon: 5 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 2 walks, 6 K.

Wade has a 1-2-3 sixth.

Colon goes to 8-6, 3.30.

If the Yanks big lead continues, they may break in Soriano here on his return.

Wade goes 3, 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks, 2 K. Reynolds homers off him in the 8th to make it 8-3, which winds up as the final score. Wade’s ERA goes to 2.08. He also helped save the rest of the bullpen for tonight’s game.

Logan wrapped up. 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 walks, 1 K. ERA 3.18.

Swisher 3 for 4, Hr, 2 rbi. 2 h, rbi for Chavez, Dickerson, Cervelli.