The Yanks and Mets were rained out last night. They will play a separate admission, day-night DH today, weather permitting.
There was one piece of bad news. Tampa Bay won last night, and that pushed the Yanks into second place, 1/2 game back.
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The Yanks and KC are rained out today (Friday). It’ll be made up tomorrow as a split DH, 2:15 pm and 8:15 pm Eastern Saturday.
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With all of the injuries, the Yanks still hit the quarter-pole of the season at 24-16 after a 7-1 win over Tampa Bay today. With the win the Yanks climb back to within a 1/2 game of the Rays.
They won despite striking out 17x. In return, Yankees’ pitchers struck out 12 Rays.
It started out as a pitcher’s duel between Masahiro Tanaka, who was great today, and last year’s CYA winner Blake Snell. Snell early on was mowing down the Yanks.
But with two out in the fifth, Austin Romine and Mike Tauchman doubled, Romine scoring on Tauchman’s double, and Tauchman scored on a single by D.J. LeMahieu.
Tanaka’s only mistake came when he gave up a HR in the bottom of the sixth that cut the Yanks’ lead to 2-1.
The Yanks made it 3-1 in the eighth. Luke Voit led off the inning with a walk, and one out later, Brett Gardner, who didn’t start the game, singled. Miguel Andujar bounced into a forceout, but Voit then scored on a WP.
In the ninth, after a long delay due to a power outage, Thairo Estrada hit his second HR of the season to make it 4-1. Romine and Tauchman both singled. LeMahieu bunted the runners over and Voit was intentionally walked. Gio Urshela, who up until that point was 0 for 4 with 4 strikeouts for the game, singled in two runs. Gardner followed with a SF to make it 7-1.
Chad Green, just back from SWB struck out the side in the ninth. Good to have the old Chad Green back and not the guy who was struggling so badly earlier in the season that he had to be sent down to straighten himself out.
LeMahieu 2 hits, RBI
Voit 0 for 2 (1 for last 26) but walked 3x, scored 2x.
Urshela 2 RBI (see above; tough day until that last at bat)
Gardner 1 for 1, SF, RBI
Andujar 0 for 5, 3 strikeouts. You wonder if that shoulder is really OK. Down to .128
Estrada solo HR. Prior to that, he was like Urshela. 0 for 3, 3 strikeouts. Both came through in the ninth.
Romine 2 hits
Tauchman 2 hits, RBI
Tanaka (W, 3-3, 3.44) 7 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 0 W, 7 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Britton (H, 7) 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.12
Green 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. 14.54
UPDATE: FROM THE NY POST:
In case the injuries continue, the Yankees added some infield depth Sunday.
The Yankees announced they had claimed Breyvic Valera off waivers from the Giants, and they’ll send the 27-year-old from Venezuela to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. To make room for him on the 40-man roster, they moved Greg Bird to the 60-day disabled list. Bird, who has said timetables are “pointless,” last played a game April 13.
Valera, a second and third baseman, adds some depth to a farm system that has graduated Gio Urshela and Thairo Estrada, valuable contributors since injuries forced their call-ups.
Valera, who has appeared in 37 big-league games since his 2017 debut, has played in the majors for the Cardinals, Dodgers and Orioles. At Triple-A this year, the switch-hitter was slashing .257/.396/.338 with a home run and two steals in 24 games. He rarely strikes out, having K’d 10 times and walked 16 times.
Valera in his 37 MLB games is 16 for 74, .216, with 0 HR and 8 RBI.
This will be brief, because I was out of town Friday night and all day Saturday.
The Yanks lost Friday night 9-6. J.A. Happ (0-2, 8.76, took the loss Friday) and Chad Green (0-2, 11.81) have been disappointing so far and both didn’t pitch well at all Friday night. They have to improve.
Greg Bird has to also. 6 for 35, 16 whiffs. Only one hit for extra bases. James Paxton is 1-2, 6.00.
As for Bird, when guys get healthy, then someone has to be sent down, and if your numbers aren’t there, then….
It’s just the nature of the business. If he wants to stay in the majors, he’ll have to pick it up. Voit is only hitting .200, but Voit does lead the Yanks with 13 RBI.
The Yanks are in 2nd in the AL East, but 4 1/2 back of the Rays. It’s early but don’t discount Tampa Bay. Boston, like the Yanks, has been struggling so far. (5-10). For the Yanks to get better, some players (see above for an example) must play better, as well as others have to get healthy.
The Yanks (6-8) snapped their four-game losing streak on Saturday. CC Sabathia returned from the DL (Stephen Tarpley sent down) and combined with three relievers on a one-hit shutout as the Yanks won 4-0.
Aaron Judge hit his 4th HR of the year in this game.
Tyler Wade squeezed home a run. I love to see that. With all the injuries, the Yanks have to find different ways to win. With Wade’s speed and bunting ability, this is one of them.
I can’t remember the last time the Yanks squeezed a run home.
If short on power because of the injuries, then pitching and defense and speed.
Dellin Betances’ shoulder isn’t better. Bone spur. Cortisone shot. Shut down 6-7 weeks, probably out 3 months.
Saturday’s pitching line:
CC 5 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K
German (W, 3-0, 1.38) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 4 K.
Britton (H, 3) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 4.05
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.00
CC is now 11 strikeouts short of 3000 for his career.
Before we get to Sunday’s games, some news.
Kyle Higashioka sent down to AAA SWB.
Aaron Hicks will miss Opening Day. He got a second cortisone shot for his back.
This means, for a while (a week?) that Greg Bird AND Luke Voit could be on the opening day roster. Stanton would play LF, Gardner CF, Judge RF. Bird or Voit 1B, the other DH.
Rumors are the Yanks have made an offer to Gio Gonzalez, but are probably far apart. Being over the cap already, I can’t see the offer being substantive, and Gio made $12MM last year. My guess is that the Yanks probably offered half of that to cover themselves in case Severino has more issues and cannot come back in May.
Ok, the Yanks won BOTH split squad games today, hitting 3 HR in each game. So they are 13-6-4 for spring training.
Game 22. Yanks beat Phillies, 7-3.
Troy Tulowitzki 2 hits, a 2-run HR.
Greg Bird solo HR.
Gleyber Torres solo HR.
Tyler Wade 2 hits, 2 SB
Matt Lipka 2 for 2, 2 SB
Great outing for James Paxton. Not so for Chad Green.
Paxton 4 1/3, 1 R, 0 H, 2 W, 4 K.
Green (BS) 2/3 IP, 2 R, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Betances 
1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Kahnle (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Coulombe 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
A. Severino 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 2 K.
Game 23. Yanks beat Orioles, 5-3.
Jonathan Loaisiga needed a good outing to keep up with Luis Cessa and Domingo German as far as filling in for Luis Severino and CC Sabathia in April. He provided it.
Kyle Holder 2 hits, RBI
Miguel Andujar solo HR.
Luke Voit 2 -run HR (the competition remains good and fierce between him and Bird).
Higashioka 2 hits.
Zack Zehner 2 hits, solo HR.
Loaisiga 3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 0 K.
Hale (H) 3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Hutchison (H) 2 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 1 W, 0 K. Gave up 1 HR
Brothers (S) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.
The Yankees had a split squad today, so first, the away squad, who tied, 2-2, with the Tigers today.
Since on the road, mostly the prospects and minor leaguers.
Brandon Wagner solo HR.
Miguel Andujar 2 hits.
Cortes 2 1/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gave up HR (Miguel Cabera).
Coulombe 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K
Adams 2 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Coshow 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Farquahar (H) 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 3 W, 0 K.
Hale (BS) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H. 1 W, 2 K.
Brothers 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Despite the nice story Farquahar presents (the brain aneurysm last season), it is best he start in the minors before a possible call up.
The home game saw a 6-5 win (record 8-6-2).
Gardner 2 hits.
Zack Zehner GW 2-run HR.
Clint Frazier hit, RBI.
Gio Urshela solo HR.
Happ 4 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 0 W, 6 K. Gave up 2 HR. Ok this spring, not great yet. Looking for better. 1 WP.
Ottavino 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. Awesome.
Chapman (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 w, 1 K.
Betances (BS) 1/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 W, 0 K.
Holder 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 1 HBP.
Kahnle 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K.
With the tie and win, the Yanks’ S.T. record is 8-6-2.
The Yanks are bringing back CC for what could be his final yr. at 1 yr., $8MM. It’s a $2MM cut from last year.
CC, like Gardner, is coming back at a reduced rate. That, I am ok with.
Truthfully, I wouldn’t have brought either back. Decisions are made with the brain, not with the heart.
Gardner, 35, hit .260 from the beginning of the season until July 9. About .206 thereafter. If back, he needs LESS playing time (platoon with Clint Frazier, if healthy?). Plus, Gardner has a track record of fading after the all-star break.
CC will be 39 next July. If back, it has to be as the #5 starter. Nothing more than that. I need starters that can give me more than 5 innings. Someone can go into the seventh. CC does not do that anymore. He is pulled before he faces a lineup the third time around, meaning he places further stress on the bullpen.
I don’t want age. Yes, experience helps, but once 35, productivity diminishes.
At least they both took pay cuts.
Yes, they are both big clubhouse presences.
But you have to perform between the lines.
You make decisions with the brain, not with the heart.
Posted in Mike's Musings, Offseason Moves, Players, Uncategorized
