Yanks trade Abreu and minor league P to Texas for catching depth in Jose Trevino.

While most of us were consumed by the Final Four last night, Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman was busy making a trade. With Ben Rortvedt most likely missing the start of the season due to an oblique injury, Cashman wanted more catching depth other than David Freitas, Rob Brantly and Max McDowell. He traded RHP Albert Abreu and minor league LHP Robert Ahlstrom to Texas for C Jose Trevino.

In 30 games as a Yankee in 2020 and 2021, Abreu was 2-1, 5.68, ERA+ 77 in 38 IP. He is 26.

Ahlstrom, 22, hasn’t pitched in a minor league game yet, spending last year at the University of Oregon, where he was 9-3, 2.50 in 14 starts.

Trevino, 29, has been with the Rangers from 2018-2021, appearing in 156 games, hitting .245-9-55, OPS+ 70. He bats righty.

S.T. Game 15. Yanks beat Tigers 6-2. Higashioka stays hot.

You hope he doesn’t leave it in spring training. Kyle Higashioka is red hot.

Higashioka had 2 hits and 2 RBI, including his FIFTH HR of spring training as the Yankees (6-8-1 in spring training) beat Detroit 6-2 Friday afternoon.

Anthony Rizzo had 2 hits and 2 RBI, Isiah Kiner-Falefa had 2 hits, and minor leaguer Carlos Narvaez had a 2-run Double.

The Pitching Line

Cole 3 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 W, 5 K
Marinaccio 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K
Holmes 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K
Green 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 0 K. Gave up HR
Loaisiga 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Abreu 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.

S.T. Game 12. Yanks crush Phils, 14-2.

The Yanks (5-6-1 in Spring training) crushed the Phils, 14-2, in Spring training on Tuesday.

After Clarke Schmidt started, the rest of the pitching was of guys who all should be bullpen to start the season.

Marwin Gonzalez continued to crush the ball, hitting a 3-run HR, driving in 4 runs, and going 3 for 3. The swtich-hitter who can play six different positions appears to have mde the team in my eyes.

Kyle Higashioka also continued to be hot this spring, crushing his fourth HR of spring training.

Minor Leaguer Max Burt hit a grand slam, and minor leaguer Ben Cowles also homered.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa had 2 hits.

Pitching line:

Schmidt 3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 W, 3 K.
Luetge (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Peralta (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Holmes (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Green 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Loaisiga 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Abreu 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K.

Hopefully nothing serious. Luis Severino with some arm soreness. The rotation to start the season is Cole, Severino, Montgomery, Taillon, and Cortes.

S.T. Game 10. Cole struggles, but Yanks win 7-4 behind 5 HR (2 by Judge)

The Yankees (3-6-1 in spring training) hit 4 HR, two by Aaron Judge, in beating Pittsburgh 7-4 Sunday afternoon.

Judge was 3 for 3 and drove in 3 runs. Besides Judge, Josh Donaldson had a solo HR leading off the bottom of the first for the Yanks, and Kyle Higashioka and Marwin Gonzalez (2-run HR) also homered.

Gerrit Cole struggled in his first spring training outing, but others, especially Jordan Montgomery, did well.

The Pitching Line:

Cole 2 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 W, 5 K. Gave up 2 HR.
Loseke 1 IP, 09 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K
Montgomery 2 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 5 K.
Mauricio (H) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Loaisiga (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Abreu (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Greene (S) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.

S.T. Game 7. Yanks falter late, lose 5-3 in rain-shortened game.

In a game delayed then shortened by rain to 7 innings, the Yankees (2-4-1 in spring training) lost to Detroit 5-3 Thursday afternoon.

Clarke Schmidt, J.P. Sears and Jonathan Loaisiga pitched five scoreless innings, but Joely Rodriguez only got two outs, and gave up 5 runs, including 2 HR.

Marwin Gonzalez hit a 2-run HR for the Yanks, Miguel Andujar was 2 for 2 with a walk, and Jose Peraza had two hits and an RBI.

Schmidt 2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 3 K.
Sears 2 iP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 W, 4 K.
Loaisiga (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Rodriguez (L) 2/3 IP, 5 R, 5 H, 0 W 1 K. Gave up 2 HR.
Loseke 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K.
Abreu 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.

Game 161. The “Lowe”-down. It’s a mess. Yanks 12-2 loss causes Sunday scramble.

How to be nice. I turned the game off in the middle of it, it was embarrassing. Later I read that Gleyber Torres had to have a talking-to by Aaron Judge and Brett Gardner for lack of hustle—which is unacceptable, but even more so in the last weekend of a pennant race scramble.

Jordan Montgomery had nothing, while Tampa Bay’s Brandon Lowe hit 3 home runs and drove in 7 runs. Tampa Bay got 19 hits to the Yankees’ 4, and crushed the Yankees, 12-2. The Yanks struck out 13x.

Boston’s win put Boston in the driver’s seat to host the wild card game. A 4-way tie for the two wild card spots is still possible. A 3-way tie is also possible. A Game 163, and even a Game 164 is still possible.

Wild Card Standings.

Boston 91-70 —- Top wild card seed for now.
YANKEES 91-70 2nd wild card seed for now.
Seattle and Toronto. 90-71 -1

If all teams win, or all teams lose Sunday, the Yanks head to Fenway for the wild card game.

If the Yanks win, they are in. Simple as that. If they win and Boston loses to Washington, the Yankees host whomever in the wild card game. If Boston wins, they host whomever in the wild card game.

If the Yanks lose on Sunday, then they are still in as long as Seattle (vs. Angels) and Toronto (vs. Baltimore) both lose. The Yanks must win and Boston lose for the Yanks to host the wild card game.

And not to go any further, there are still the possibilities of a three or four-way tie, as mentioned above. There will be a lot of scoreboard watching since all games start at approximately the same time.

Jameson Taillon will start for the Yanks today. With that ankle, I’m not sure that is a good idea. You don’t know how it will respond or how long he can go. I think I would rather start Luis Severino (who has been great since returning off the IL), see how long he can go (he isn’t stretched out) then go to the bullpen.

Obviously the Yanks are saving Gerrit Cole (who hasn’t been that good lately) for Game 163 or the wild card game.

The Yanks, before yesterday’s game, brought up Andrew Velazquez and sent down Albert Abreu. D.J. LeMahieu has a sports hernia which requires surgery after the season. He will try to play through it. He couldn’t go Friday or Saturday.

Montgomery gave up a 3-run HR in the first inning to Lowe. Anthony Rizzo homered (22) in the bottom of the first to cut the Rays’ lead to 3-1.

Tampa Bay got four runs in the third, knocking Montgomery out, and the game was basically over at that point. Lowe hit another 3-run HR. Mike Zunino followed with a solo shot. 7-1.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, Joey Gallo singled and Gio Urshela tripled and it was 7-2.

A single, a couple of SB (with a 7-2 lead, kind of rubbing it in) and another single made it 8-2 Rays in the sixth. Anyone notice runners are stealing more bases off the Yanks in the past week?

In the seventh, Lowe led off the inning with his third HR of the game. 9-2. Then a single, another single, and a 3-run HR by Austin Meadows. 12-2. Ugh.

As for the Yanks, forget the scoreboard watching. Just go out and win today and then see if you stay home or pack for Boston. Lose and things have to get sorted out. Just win, baby.

Depending on how things work out, this could be 38 year old Brett Gardner’s last home game. We hope not.

Yankees’ broadcaster Ken Singleton made it official. Today will be his last game. He is retiring.

Rizzo solo HR (22; Cubs/NYY)

Montgomery (L, 6-7) 2 2/3 IP, 7 R, 6 H, 3 W, 3 K. gave up 3 HR. 3.83. Bad time for a bad game.
Luetge 3 IP, 1 R, 4 , 0 W, 4 K. 2.74
King 1/3 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR. 3.55
Rodriguez 3 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 1 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.66 (Tex/NYY).

Game 160. Yanks lose, 4-3. M’s loss means Yanks magic # to get in is 1. Guarantee Game 163 if nec.

The Yanks lost to Tampa Bay Friday night, 4-3, but did get help as the Angels beat the Mariners 2-1. The Yanks control their own destiny as far as getting into the playoffs. They do NOT control their own destiny as to where the wild card game would be. There are just two games left in the season, with a Game 163 a real possibility.

WILD CARD STANDINGS:

YANKEES 91-69 — top wild card as of now.
Boston 90-70 -1
Seattle and Toronto 89-71 -2, and 1 game behind Boston.

If the Yankees win both Saturday and Sunday, they host the wild card game. That is the easiest way. They can also host it if they win one game and Boston loses one game. They just may not know who they host. If the Yanks and Boston tie with 92 wins, Boston hosts the Yankees. The most Seattle and Toronto can get is 91 wins. Of course if Boston finishes with 92, the Yanks 91 and the other two at 90, Boston hosts the Yankees.

But what if there is a three or four way tie at 91 wins? We won’t go there. Of course (and doubtful, since Boston and Toronto are playing cellar-dwellers) is that the Yanks end with 91 and the others all tie at 90.

One thing we know. The Yanks have at least guaranteed themselves a game 163 tiebreaker if necessary.

Got all that? Easy solution. Just win.

Nestor Cortes is not flashy or dominant, nor does he go deep into games, but he does keep you in them. Nestor did so last night, but the Yankees bats didn’t help him out. Cortes gave up a HR to Nelson Cruz in the first inning and Tampa Bay was up 1-0. It was HR #449 of Cruz’ career.

Gleyber Torres led off the bottom of the first with a double, and scored on a Giancarlo Stanton single as the Yankees tied the game. They wouldn’t score again until the ninth.

A nubber and a blooper helped Tampa Bay score a run in the second and the Rays were up 2-1. It stayed that way until the ninth.

A couple of walks by Domingo German (pitching for the first time in quite a while—just off the IL) led to two Rays’ runs and a 4-1 lead in the ninth.

The Yanks almost came back. With one out, Stanton doubled and went to third on defensive indifference. Joey Gallo did what he had to do. With the Rays putting on the shift and conceding the whole left side, Gallo bunted there to bring in Stanton and bring the tying run to the plate. Gio Urshela singled and was PR for by Tyler Wade. Brett Gardner singled to make it 4-3. But then PH Gary Sanchez and Rougned Odor both struck out to end the game.

Stanton 2 hits, RBI
Urshela 2 hits
Gardner 2 hits, RBI

Cortes (L, 2-3) 4 2/3 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 0 W, 5 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.90
Holmes 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 3.65 (Pit/NYY)
Peralta 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. 1 HBP 3.44 (SF/NYY)
Loaisiga 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 2.21
German 1 1/3 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 2 W, 3 K. 4.58
Abreu 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 5.15

Game 159. Yanks inch closer to WC berth with 6-2 win over Toronto. Smash 5 HR.

The Yankees are thisclose to a playoff berth after beating Toronto 6-2 Thursday night. That, coupled with Boston losing to lowly Baltimore again, gave the Yanks a little cushion in the wild card standings.

WILD CARD STANDINGS

YANKEES 91-68 — Top wild card as of now, game would be at home.
Boston AND Seattle 89-70 -2 (if tied, Game 163 in Boston)
Toronto 88-71 -3; 1 game behind Boston and Seattle.

Hey, as Blondie sang, Dreaming is Free. We can dream the Yankees get the top seed, and that there is a tie for the other wild card game and that that game wears out whoever the Yanks have to play. Nothing wrong with dreaming, right?

The AL has their division winners. The wild cards are unknown. The winner of the wild card game takes on Tampa Bay in an ALDS. The other ALDS is Chicago vs. Houston. The NL has the Cardinals taking on either the Giants or the Dodgers in the wild card game, winner faces Giants or Dodgers. Atlanta faces Milwaukee in the other NLDS.

I ain’t going into wild card tie scenarios, especially if the AL comes down to three or four-way ties.

Just win, Yanks.

The Yanks hit five home runs in their 6-2 win. Aaron Judge got the Yanks on the board right away in the first inning with a 455 ft. HR, his 38th of the season. 1-0 Yanks, and Judge wasn’t finished.

Thorn-in-the-Yankees-side Bo Bichette started a Blue Jays rally and scored in the second inning to tie the game. Judge made a diving catch for the third out to save another run. Toronto went up 2-1 in the fifth, when Vlad Guerrero’s RBI double just missed being a 2-run HR.

In the top of the sixth, the Yanks dropped the hammer. With one out, Anthony Rizzo and Judge homered back-to-back to put the Yanks up 3-2. For Rizzo, HR #21 (Cubs/NYY) and #250 of his career. For Judge, #39, this one a 441 ft. HR. Giancarlo Stanton then walked, and Gleyber Torres joined the HR party with #9, a 425-ft. blast, to give the Yanks a 5-2 cushion.

Brett Gardner made it 6-2 in the top of the ninth with his 10th HR of the season.

Before the game, Luke Voit to the IL, Albert Abreu brought up. X-Rays on Joey Gallo were negative and he entered the game late as a defensive replacement.

D.J. LeMahieu had to leave the game with a hip injury.

Rizzo solo HR (21; Cubs/NYY) #250 of his career
Judge 2 solo HR; 2 RBI (39) and a fine diving catch to save a run
Torres 2-run HR (9)
Gardner solo HR (10)


Kluber 4 2/3 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 1 W, 2 K. 3.83
King (W, 2-4) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 3.14
Severino (H, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 0.00
Green (H, 18) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. 3.16
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.42

King and Severino could really be weapons out of the bullpen.

Game 157. Yanks and Stanton stay hot, beat Toronto 7-2. Open up WC lead.

The Yankees and Giancarlo Stanton stayed hot, and in so doing, expanded their lead for the top wild card spot. The Yanks won their seventh straight game, beating Toronto 7-2, and Stanton homered yet again.

With the loss, the Blue Jays dropped behind Seattle in the wild card standings, and the Yanks now have a 2-game lead for the top wild card slot. Oakland is all but out of it. Seattle is closing in on Boston, who lost to Baltimore Tuesday night.

Wild Card Standings:

YANKEES 90-67 —
Boston 88-69 -2
Seattle 88-70 – 2 1/2, and just 1/2 game behind Boston
Toronto 87-70 -3, and 1 game behind Boston
Oakland 85-73 -5 1/2, and 3 1/2 behind Boston. All but eliminated.

The Yanks had runners on second and third with one out in the top of the first inning but could not score.

Jameson Taillon came off the IL to start (Albert Abreu going down), gave up a run in the first and had to leave in the third because of re-injuring the ankle. He’s most likely done for the season.

The Yanks tied it up in the top of the third inning when Aaron Judge hit his 37th HR of the season.

Toronto went ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth, scoring off of Michael King, who relieved Taillon.

The Yanks got two runs in the top of the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. With one out, Gio Urshela singled and D.J. LeMahieu walked. Anthony Rizzo singled, scoring Urshela, and both he and LeMahieu moved up on the throw. Judge hit a SF to score D.J.

The Yanks broke in open in the top of the seventh. With one out, LeMahieu singled. One out later, Judge walked. The red-hot Stanton then hit a 3-run HR (35) to make it 6-2, Yanks.

Gio Urshela homered (14) in the ninth for the final score of 7-2.

Rizzo 2 hits, RBI
Judge 2 for 2, 2 walks, 2 RBI. Solo HR (37)
Stanton 2 hits, 3 RBI, 3-run HR (35)
Urshela 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR (14)

Taillon 2 1/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. 4.40
King (W, 1-4) 2 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. 3.21
Holmes (H, 12) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 1 K. 2 WP. 3.63 (Pit/NYY)
Green 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.20
Severino 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 0.00
Peralta 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.51 (SF/NYY)

Game 149. In/out, up/down; Yanks’ 11-3 loss knocks them out of playoff picture again for now.

In an ideal world, you wouldn’t want your starting pitcher, in the middle of a pennant race and with 14 games to go, to be a rookie making just his sixth major league start. Nor would you want his reliever to be another rookie, nor the reliever after him to be someone who may be the one pitcher on your staff struggling the most (see the stat below).

But as we know, it isn’t an ideal world, and injuries to the Yankees’ pitching staff forced that scenario yesterday as the Yankees got clobbered by Cleveland, 11-3. The loss was painful because both Boston and Toronto won.

Wild Card Standings.

Boston 85-65 top seed as of now.
Toronto 83-65 2nd seed as of now. -1 from Boston
NYY 83-66 -1 1/2 from Boston, – 1/2 from Toronto
Oakland 81-67 -3 from Boston, -2 from Toronto (- 1 1/2 from Yankees)
Seattle 79-69 -5 from Boston, – 4 from Toronto.

So as you can see, the loss not only has (temporarily we hope) knocked the Yanks out of a wild card spot but don’t look back, Oakland is gaining on you.

Just win, baby.

Starter Luis Gil pitched ok for four innings, giving up a HR in the second. Entering the fifth, the Yanks were losing 1-0. Ok, still in the ballgame.

In the meantime, Yankees’ LF Joey Gallo had to leave the game with a neck problem.

An elephant in the room has to be addressed. In each of the Yankees’ last three losses, crucial defensive mistakes by catcher Gary Sanchez have helped the Yankees lose those games. With Gerrit Cole starting for the Yankees today, expect Kyle Higashioka to catch. But the Yankees should consider catching Higashioka full-time from here out, because of Sanchez’ defense over the past week.

With one out in the fifth, losing 1-0, Sanchez dropped a foul popup that should have been out #2, with no one on base. Instead, it opened the floodgates for Cleveland to put up a seven-run inning and the game was basically over. This after the phantom tag in the Mets game and the WP that Sanchez couldn’t catch in the Orioles’ loss. If the Yanks want to make the playoffs, those plays can’t happen.

Still in all, when Gil left the game, there was two on and one out. Hopefully Albert Abreu could get a DP ball and get out of the jam. Nope. Instead, the dam broke. Double, HBP, double, single. Four runs in. A second out (should have been the third if Sanchez catches the pop up). Then the killer, a 3-run HR that made it 8-0.

The struggling Andrew Heaney came in for the sixth. D.J. LeMahieu made an uncharacteristic error, and Heaney, prone to giving up homers (see below), gave up a 2-run shot that made it 10-0.

Giancarlo Stanton homered (30) in the bottom of the seventh to put the Yanks on the board, but Heaney gave up a HR in the top of the eighth to make it 11-1.

Luke Voit hit a 2-run HR (11) in the bottom of the eighth and the final was 11-3 Cleveland.

LeMahieu 2 hits.
Voit 2-run HR (11)
Stanton solo HR (30)
Sanchez 2 hits but the crucial error.

Gil has great stuff, but needs control. 6 K in 4 1/3 good, but 4 walks and a HBP aren’t.

In just 35 2/3 IP as a Yankee, Heaney has given up 13 HR. Ouch.

Gil (L, 1-1) 4 1/3 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 H, 4 W, 6 K. 1 HBP. gave up 1 HR. 3.07 First MLB loss.
Abreu 2/3 IP, 5 R, 3 ER, 4 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 HBP. Gave up 1 HR. 4.75
Heaney 3 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 H, 0 W, 4 K. Gave up 2 HR. 5.76 (LAA/NYY)
Rodriguez 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 4.64 (Tex/NYY)

Gil was sent down after the game. We will see what move comes next (German? Severino?)