Game 124. Tanaka Time! Yanks edge Tribe, 3-2.

After a really rough stretch, the Masahiro Tanaka we have seen the last two times out is the Tanaka that Yankees’ fans are hoping to see in October.

The Yanks assured a winning season with win #82. Their last non-winning season was in 1992. 27 years ago. An impressive stretch, but still a long ways away from the stretch of 1925 to 1965 without a losing season.

Since 1925, the only times the Yankees have had a losing season were 1965-1967, 1969, 1973, 1982, and 1989-1992, with the worst year being 1990.

Only ten losing seasons in 94 years. Not bad.  Not bad at all.

At 82-42, the Yanks now have a 10 1/2 game lead over Tampa Bay in the AL East and the magic # for clinching the division outright (barring any tiebreaker scenario) is down to 29.

The Yanks scored first, getting two in the bottom of the first. With one out, Aaron Judge and Gio Urshela singled. After a force out, putting runners on first and third with two out, Gary Sanchez singled for one run and Gleyber Torres singled for another.

Tanaka gave up a solo HR in the top of the second that cut the Yanks’ lead to 2-1.

In the bottom of the second, Yasier Puig threw out Cameron Maybin at the plate to keep another Yankees’ run from scoring. This would make the Yanks justifiably gun-shy of Puig’s cannon the rest of the game. I’ll get to that in a minute.

With two out in the fifth, Aaron Judge doubled, and Gio Urshela singled. Judge was going to be held at third (Puig’s arm) but Puig bobbled the ball for an error, enabling Judge to score. It turned out to be the decisive play in the game.

Tanaka gave up a solo HR to Puig in the seventh. 3-2 Yanks. Tommy Kahnle came in with a man on second, one out, and got two strikeouts to maintain the Yankees’ lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Yanks loaded the bases with no one out but couldn’t score. Two balls were hit to Puig but were too shallow for D.J. LeMahieu to score. Puig’s arm would have been too much.

Having wasted a huge scoring opportunity like that, I feared the worst. But the Yanks held on.

They held on because of Brett Gardner. With a man on second and one out in the top of the eighth, Gardner made a fine running catch to rob Cleveland of a double and the tying run. It saved the game.

Before the game, Chance Adams was sent down and recently acquired Ryan Dull was added.

Judge 2 hits.
Urshela 3 hits, .342. If he qualifies for the batting title, his .342 tops D.J. LeMahieu .337.

Tanaka (W, 9-6, 4.56) 6 1/3 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 2 HR.
Kahnle (H, 22) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.  2.88
Britton (H, 26) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.  2.13
Chapman (S, 34) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K.  2.40

 

Advertisements

Game 123. Ugh. Yanks get hammered, lose 19-5.

Now the Yanks (81-42) know how Baltimore felt. They lost to Cleveland, 19-5, giving up seven homers in doing so. The lead in the AL East got cut to 9 1/2 over the Rays, and the magic # remains at 31. They still lead Houston by 2 1/2 for best record in the AL, and are tied with the Dodgers for best record in baseball.

When you have 162 games, you will have a game where you win like this, but one where you’ll lose like this.

The opener, Chad Green, didn’t open very well.

One out, five runs. Back-to-back HR. Grand slam and solo HR. Six batters into the game, the Yanks were down 5-0 and they didn’t even come to bat yet.

Ugh.

Jonathan Loaisiga came in. He had spent half the season on the IL. He got an out, but then gave up a hit then a HR. 7-0, and the Yanks didn’t come to bat yet. Double Ugh.

Loaisiga has electric stuff, but hasn’t channeled it at the MLB level yet. Injuries have also set him back.

The Yanks tried to come back in the bottom of the first. D.J. LeMahieu singled, Aaron Judge was called out on strikes, then Didi Gregorius and Gio Urshela each singled, Urshela driving in D.J. 7-1.  But they left the bases loaded. A couple hard-hit outs, but no luck. At least they got one back, but still, a long row to hoe, and a deficit they couldn’t overcome.

And that deficit grew larger.

Loaisiga gave up a 2-run HR in the second to Jose Ramirez, who had hit the grand slam in the first, and it was 9-1. Triple ugh.

As I was saying about Loaisiga. He strikes out the side in the second, showing his potential, but between coming in in the first inning and getting the three outs in the second, he gave up 2 HR before getting five outs. He needs consistency. Goes 2 2/3, gets 4 K, but gave up 4 R on 2 HR.

24, so hopefully he learns.

Chance Adams came in and wasn’t better. Adams had a couple nice seasons in the minors (28-6, 2.39 combined 2016-2017) a few years ago, but has regressed. In AAA for 2018-2019 he’s 8-8, about 4.60 and in 11 MLB games, he is 1-1, 7.36. He gave up five runs, including a HR. Adams just turned 25. We’ll see how he progresses or regresses.

The Yanks will have to make key decisions soon on both Loaisiga and Adams. Are either part of the future?

Things got so bad that 1B/DH Mike Ford had to pitch in order to save the bullpen. He gave up five runs in the eighth. He gave up 2 HR that inning. At that point it didn’t matter whether you lost 14-2, 19-2, 19-5, whatever. It still counts as just one loss, no matter what the margin of defeat was.

Aaron Judge is in an awful slump. He went 0 for 5 with 4 strikeouts and is down to .257. You wonder about that oblique.

The Yanks got solo homers from Didi Gregorius in the fifth that made it 12-2, Gary Sanchez in the sixth that made it 12-3, and Gleyber Torres in the eighth for the final run of the game.

LeMahieu 2 hits, .338
Gregorius 3 hits, solo HR (10)
Urshela 2 hits, 2 RBI .337
Sanchez solo HR (27)
Torres solo HR (27)

Close your eyes. These will be ugly.

Green (L, 2-4, 5.59)  1/3 IP, 5 R, 4 H, 1 W, 1 K.  Gave up 2 HR
Loaisiga 2 2/3 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 0 W, 4 K.   5.94        Gave up 2 HR
Adams    3 2/3 IP, 5 R, 10 H, 3 W, 2 K. 7.48        Gave up 1 HR
Cortes, Jr. 1/3 IP,  0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.   4.41
Ford           2 IP, 5 R, 6 H, 0 W, 1 K.      22.50       Gave up 2 HR.

The Yanks signed David Hernandez after he was released by the Reds to a minor league deal. Hernandez, RHP, 34, has had a bad 2019 (2-5, 8.02 for the Reds in 47 games), and is 38-47, 4.12 (ERA+ 103) in his MLB career. He has spent time with Baltimore (2009-2010), Arizona (2011-2013, 2015), Philadelphia (2016) the Dodgers (2017) Arizona II (2017) and Cincinnati (2018-2019). It’s a flyer. He was 5-2, 2.53 for the Reds in 2018.

 

 

 

 

Game 117; Bullpen doesn’t hold up as Yanks lose, 5-4.

The Yankees (76-41) lost their second in a row, 5-4, to Toronto Saturday.

A few things.

Before the game, Gary Sanchez brought back, Kyle Higashioka back down.

Also, Jonathan Holder on the IL, Stephen Tarpley back up.

Remember when I wondered why Holder was pitching “as the opener” a third inning a few days ago? Well, that third inning may have come back to bite them.

The Yanks got a run in the top of the Fourth on a solo HR by Gary Sanchez (25).

Chance Adams, who had a couple great minor league years a few years ago, but who hasn’t taken it to the next level but instead has regressed, relieved Tarpley with two on and one out in the fourth and gave up a 3-run HR to the first batter he faced. 3-1 Toronto.

Tarpley and Adams are examples of how difficult the next step is. For Tarpley, he had a great spring training, winning the James P. Dawson Award as best rookie in camp this year, and Adams had great seasons at AA and AAA very recently but as you can see by their ERAs below, they haven’t been able to do it in the majors this season.

The Yanks tied the game in the sixth on a 2-run HR by Gio Urshela (17).

They went ahead in the top of the seventh on a walk to Mike Ford, a double by Mike Tauchman, and a SF by D.J. LeMahieu.

But Adam Ottavino gave up a two-run triple to Vlad Guerrero, Jr. in the bottom of the seventh to put Toronto back on top 5-4, and the Blue Jays held onto that lead for the victory.

The Yanks lead over Tampa Bay in the AL East was trimmed to 8 1/2. The magic # for clinching their first AL East title since 2012 remains at 37.

The Yanks got just five hits in the game. You wish Kahnle might have gone another inning.

Sanchez solo HR (25)
Urshela 2-run HR (17) .320
Tauchman 1 for 1,   3 walks.  .305

Green 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.   4.82
Tarpley 2 1/3 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 4 W, 4 K.  8.24  K’s nice, walks not.
Adams (BS, 2) 1 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K.  6.50   Gave up 1 HR.
Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K.   2.98
Ottavino (L, 5-4, 1.73; BS, 5) 1 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 W, 2 K.
Britton 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 2 K.   2.25

Game 114. Yanks pummel O’s again, 14-2. Open up 10 game lead.

Pregame News: Stephen Tarpley sent down, Chance Adams called up for a fresh arm.

Good news on Gleyber Torres. MRI negative, listed as day-to-day. Thairo Estrada was “on call” just in case.

As for the game, the Yanks (75-39) won their 8th straight as they continue to pummel Orioles pitching. This time the score was 14-2, and the Yanks hit 5 HR in the game.

The Yanks have hit 52 HR vs. the Orioles this year, breaking the record of 48 that the 1956 Yanks hit against the Kansas City Athletics. They still have four games against the Orioles—at home, August 12 (Day/night DH), 13 and 14. The Yankees have 11 players with multi-homer games against Baltimore this season, breaking the record of 10 set by San Francisco against the Dodgers in 1958 (I’m sure the LA Coliseum with its 251′ LF line had a lot to do with that). The Yanks also have the record for most homers at a ballpark by a visiting team in one season (43). (Some info from ESPN). They were 10-0 at Camden Yards this year and have won 15 straight there.

How bad has it been for the Orioles? Consider this. Greg Bird has been hurt most of the season. He was 6 for 35 in 10 games. His only HR of the year was against the Orioles.

Troy Tulowitzki got hurt and retired after going 2 for 11 in five games. HIS only HR of the season and the last of his career came against…. the Orioles.

With the win, the Yanks now have a 10 game lead over Tampa Bay in the AL East. They are 41-14 against teams in their own division. Granted Baltimore and Toronto are awful, but they are still 23-9 vs. Tampa Bay and Boston.

With one out in the fourth, Gio Urshela doubled, and Didi Gregorius singled him to third. Cameron Maybin’s popup should have been caught, but fell in for a single and a 1-0 Yankees’ lead. Kyle Higashioka hit a three-run HR (2), his first of two for the game, and the Yanks were up 4-0.

Yanks’ starter James Paxton gave up a HR in the fourth that cut the Yanks’ lead to 4-1, but otherwise was sharp.

In the fifth, Aaron Judge reached on an error and Gio Urshela hit a 2-run HR (13), HIS first of two for the game, and the Yanks were up 6-1.

They got five more runs in the sixth. Mike Tauchman walked and advanced to second on a ground out. He went to third on a WP and D.J. LeMahieu singled to make it 7-1. LeMahieu went to second on another wild pitch, and Aaron Judge singled to make it 8-1. Urshela then hit his second HR of the game (14) to make it 10-1. Didi Gregorius singled and went to third on a single by Cameron Maybin combined with a throwing error. Didi scored on a groundout by Brett Gardner. 11-1.

In the top of the ninth, Maybin led off with his 7th HR of the year, then Gardner doubled and Higashioka hit his second HR of the game (3) to make it 14-1.

Baltimore got a run in the bottom of the ninth for the final score of 14-2.

Urshela 3 hits, 4 RBI, 2 HR (14) .319 …. LeMahieu is at .335
Gregorius 2 hits
Maybin 4 hits, 2 RBI, solo HR (7)  .327
Gardner 2 hits, RBI
Higashioka  2 HR (3),  5 RBI

Paxton (W, 7-6, 4.40) 6 2/3 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 1 W, 7 K.   Gave up 1 HR.
Adams 2 1/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.  6.61

Ernie Bowman, an infielder who appeared in two WS games against the Yanks in 1962, passed away at the age of 84. He played with the Giants 1961-1963 and in 165 MLB games hit .190 with 1 HR.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Game 110. Yanks win nightcap 6-4 for the DH sweep, but injury bug hits again.

Gleyber Torres hit 2 HR, and Mike Tauchman got the game winning hit as the Yanks (71-39) won the nightcap of the day/night DH yesterday, 6-4.

But the injury bug hit again, and hard.

In the previous post on the first game of the DH, I mentioned that Edwin Encarnacion was HBP, and that it was “scary.” While Encarnacion stayed in the game at the time, tests done after the game revealed a fractured wrist. He’ll be out a while. Remember last year that Aaron Judge missed 48 games because of it. There is just 52 games left this season. Terrible timing.

That timing becomes even worse if Luke Voit requires surgery for his sports hernia.

D.J. LeMahieu now becomes the full-time 1B instead of switching around. Gio Urshela gets more regular time at 3B. Torres and Didi Gregorius are backed up for now by Breyvic Valera. Next man up.

Backing up LeMahieu for now is Mike Ford, called up when Encarnacion’s situation became known. Ford, a lefty hitter, has been up briefly before. He is 6 for 30, 1 HR, 2 RBI with the Yanks this year (OPS+ 101). At SWB, .303-23-60 in just 79 games.

It looks like Ford will be here a while, unless the Yanks want to turn in another direction. That direction could be in the form of ex-Yankee Tyler Austin, who was DFA’d by the Giants yesterday. Austin has power, but doesn’t hit for average, and has a poor walk/strikeout ratio. But he is someone, of course, the Yanks are familiar with.

Ford, a lefty bat, projects as a better fit than Austin, the righty bat. Austin will be 28 next month, and when he was with the Yankees from 2016-2018, hit .230-15-43 in 85 games. (OPS+ 98) with just 19 walks but 106 strikeouts. This season between the Twins and Giants, he has hit .187-8-20, OPS+ 81. 18 walks, 60 strikeouts in 72 games. He can play corner OF as well as 1B.

We’ll see if the Yanks take a flyer on him. One thing that may not help is some uncomplimentary (but maybe correct?) things Austin’s dad said when the Yanks dealt Austin way last summer for the now also-departed Lance Lynn.

As if Encarnacion’s injury didn’t hurt enough, Aaron Hicks hurt his elbow making a throw in from the outfield in last night’s game. Hopefully it is not major, but we remember that Didi Gregorius injured his elbow making a throw in last year’s postseason series against Boston, required TJ surgery and missed half of this season. If Hicks needs that, he’s done for the year. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. But if he has to go on the IL, the Yanks then have Brett Gardner, Mike Tauchman and Cameron Maybin who all could play CF. We will have to see if Clint Frazier or someone else (Tyler Wade?) gets called up. Frazier’s bat may be needed what with the Encarnacion injury, but his defensive problems may mean he replaces Encarnacion at DH (until Giancarlo Stanton is ready, and the word on that is not until September). The Yankees, I think, would be much more comfortable with Tauchman and/or Maybin in the OF alongside Gardner and Judge. Let Frazier DH then.

We will see what the prognosis is on Hicks. But the way this season has gone, I am not expecting good news.

As of now, Sanchez, Voit, Stanton, Encarnacion, Andujar, now Hicks. That’s not even mentioning guys we really can’t count on because we rarely if ever see them, like Bird or Ellsbury, or the pitchers like Severino, Betances, Montgomery, Hale, CC and Loaisiga.

Sheesh.

But the Yanks keep on trucking along. The DH sweep of Boston means that the Yanks (71-39) have an 8 game lead over Tampa Bay in the AL East, and a whopping 13 1/2 game lead over Boston. It sure appears as if Boston’s hopes of winning the division are over, and they have to worry about just making it as a wild card. As of now, the Indians would host the Rays in the wild card game, the A’s are just 1/2 game behind the Rays, and Boston is 5 1/2 behind the Rays just for a playoff spot.

The Yanks could help bury Boston with a win tonight that would sweep the weekend series. J.A. Happ is expected back from paternity leave to start the game for the Yanks.

Time now also, to put more distance between the Yanks and Rays, as well.

Now for the game. Sorry, but the injury report, I felt, took precedence.

The Yanks remained undefeated (9-0) when Chad Green serves as the opener. He pitched a scoreless first inning before passing the baton to Nestor Cortes, Jr., who gave up a massive HR to Rafael Devers in the top of the third inning that put Boston up 2-0.

The Yanks came right back with three runs in the bottom of the third. Gleyber Torres hit a solo HR (22) to cut it to 2-1. Hicks and Gio Urshela singled, then Maybin doubled both home to make it 3-2 Yanks. Maybin pulled a rock later however, in getting doubled off of second because he forgot how many outs there were when Mike Tauchman lined out to CF.

Chance Adams, up for the day as the DH’s 26th man, relieved Cortes and gave up two runs to put Boston up 4-3. Adams, so good in the minors in 2016 and 2017 (a combined record of 28-6, ERA about 2.40) hasn’t taken it further the last two seasons. 2018 and this year have been a struggle.

Torres tied the game at 4 with his second HR of the game. HR #23 of the season meant (per Replacement Level Yankees) that he has joined Joe DiMaggio as the only Yankees with five multi-HR games in one season before turning 23. Some company. I wouldn’t trade Torres for anyone. He could turn out to be our next Jeter. A middle infielder who would be here a long time, a multi-time All-Star, many hits, more power than Jeter, and even though he is not 23 yet, the kid already is a leader. Like Jeter, the kid has icewater in his veins. Cool under pressure. What’s not to love?

In the bottom of the seventh, Torres just missed hitting his THIRD HR of the game by doubling off of the right field wall. Hicks and Urshela each walked to load the bases. Maybin struck out, but Tauchman singled in two runs to put the Yanks up 6-4. Austin Romine walked to reload the bases but the Yanks didn’t score anymore. The 6-4 score turned out to be the final score.

Not without a scare, however. Zack Britton had Boston load the bases on him in the eighth, but he got out of it.

Judge 2 hits
Torres 3 hits, 2 HR (23), 2 RBI.
Hicks 2 hits. We’ll see about that elbow injury.
Maybin 2 RBI
Tauchman 2 hits, 2 RBI. He’s really grown on me the last month or so.

Green 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K.  4.95
Cortes, Jr.  2 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 W, 2 K.  4.60     Gave up 1 HR.
Adams (BS, 1) 2 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 W, 1 K.  7.07
Ottavino 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.   1.50
Kahnle (W, 3-0, 2.56) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Britton (H, 22) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 W, 1 K.  2.35
Chapman (S, 29) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K.  2.68

 

 

Game 109. DJ Rox the Sox! Yanks win opener of DH, 9-2.

D.J. LeMahieu led off the bottom of the first with a HR (16), and added a three run HR (17) later as the Yanks (70-39) beat Boston in the first game of a day/night DH, 9-2.

When is it too early to start an “MVP” chant for DJ?

In the process, the Yanks, for now, opened up an 8 game lead over Tampa Bay and a
12 1/2 game lead over Boston.

And Boston looked like they were unraveling. Manager Alex Cora got ejected, and starting pitcher Chris Sale was also ejected for yelling at the umpire as he was pulled from the game.

Andrew Benintendi, who seems to own Domingo German, homered in the second to tie the game at one each.

But the Yanks struck for seven in the bottom of the fourth. Edwin Encarnacion led off with a single, and one out later, Gio Urshela (who made a great defensive play in the game in the top of the third inning) singled. After another out, the Yanks exploded, scoring all their runs with two out. Kyle Higashioka singled to load the bases. Breyvic Valera singled in one run to give the Yanks a 2-1 lead. Brett Gardner singled in two runs to make it 4-1. LeMahieu hit his second HR of the game, a 3-run HR, to make it 7-1. Aaron Judge doubled, and after Sale was pulled (and ejected) Edwin Encarnacion singled in Judge. 8-1.

Jackie Bradley, Jr. homered off of German in the fifth to cut it to 8-2, but other than the two gopher balls he gave up, German was great.

The Yanks got one more run in the sixth when Gardner singled, stole second, went to third on a flyout and scored on a single by Encarnacion (that should have been a double had Edwin busted it from the box instead of thinking it was gone). 9-2 Yanks.

LeMahieu 3 hits, 2 HR (17), 4 RBI   .338 leads majors
Encarnacion 3 hits, 2 RBI  HBP late in game—scary.
Urshela 2 hits, .314    great defensive play
Gardner 3 hits, 2 RBI

German (W, 14-2, 3.98) 7 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 0 W, 7 K. Gave up 2 HR.
Holder 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K.  6.28

And, very importantly, German saved the bullpen (save for Holder) for Game 2 of the DH. Chad Green will be the “opener.” The 26th man for the Yanks in the DH is P Chance Adams.

 

 

Minor League Report.

AAA: SWB (53-39) lost 6-2. Just 2 runs despite getting 14 hits. 2B Thairo Estrada 3 hits. SS Tyler Wade 2 hits (.316). C Kyle Higashioka 2 hits. RF Zach Zehner 2 hits, both doubles. Everyone in the lineup got a hit, but apparently no key ones.

Adams, No-decison. 6 2/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR.  3.88
Losing pitcher Stephen Tarpley 2/3 IP, 4 R, 1 ER, He made two errors.

AA: Trenton (48-40) 8-3 winners over Reading. SS Kyle Holder 2 hits. LF Ben Ruta 2 hits. 1B Chris Gittens 2 hits, both HR, 3 RBI. C Kellin Deglan 2 hits, RBI. CF Matt Lipka 2 hits, 2 RBI.

Brian Keller (W, 1-0, 2.78) 7 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 W, 4 K.

High A: Tampa (40-51) won 6-4. 3B Oswaldo Cabrera solo HR. DH Mickey Gasper 2 RBI. SS Wilkerman Garcia 2 hits. C Jason Lopez 2 hits. LF Omar Carrizales 2 hits, RBI.

Jio Orozco (W, 3-2, 3.29) 7 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 2 W, 11 K.  Gave up 1 HR.

Low A: Charleston (47-45) was rained out. Makeup today.

Standings:

SWB 53-39, 1st place by 5 games in International League North.

AA and lower have split seasons.

Trenton is 10-13 in the 2nd half, tied for fourth in the Eastern League East division, 4 1/2 back. Trenton did win the first half title with a 38-27 record, so they are guaranteed a playoff spot already.

Tampa is 12-13, 3rd place in the Florida State League North, 4 1/2 out. They were 28-38 in the first half, 5th place, 13 1/2 out.

Charleston is 10-12, 5th place, 1 1/2 games out in the South Atlantic League South Division. They were 37-33, 3rd place, just 1/2 game out in the first half.