Game 118. Donaldson’s walk-off Grand Slam gives Yanks much needed 8-7 win. Betances retires.

The difference between an 8-game lead and a 10-game lead is two games.

Psychologically, it can be much bigger than that. Especially when you had a 15-game lead that could be cut in half. Especially when you have lost 11 for your last 13 games. Especially when you look as terrible as the Yankees (73-45) have looked lately.

If the Yankees get back on track and start playing better baseball, last night’s 8-7 win may be looked at as the defining moment of their season, for there was nothing indicating that a miracle win was going to happen.

But Josh Donaldson’s walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 10th gave the Yankees a much-needed victory.

Before the game, the Yankees sent Miguel Andujar and Tim Locastro down to AAA and brought up Estevan Florial (who made a nice shoestring catch in this game) and Oswaldo Cabrera. They also put Clay Holmes on the injured list and brought back Ron Marinaccio.

The Yanks fell behind 4-0, and with the team only scoring 9 runs in their last 7 games, it felt like 400-0.

A walk and a one-out double gave Tampa Bay a run in the third inning. With one out in the fifth, Yankees’ starter Domingo German gave up a double, single and 2-run double to make it 3-0.

Lucas Luetge gave up a HR in the top of the sixth, and it was 4-0 Rays. The way the Yanks have played lately, it didn’t look good.

Gleyber Torres hit a 2-run HR (17) in the bottom of the sixth to cut Tampa Bay’s lead to 4-2. But in the seventh, he made a mistake that I thought would be fatal.

In the seventh, shortly after a one-hour rain delay, Jose Trevino led off with a single. D.J. LeMahieu PH for Florial and singled. After Isiah Kiner-Falefa lined out, Andrew Benintendi walked to load the bases. The Rays then made a pitching change and Aaron Judge walked on four pitches to force in a run. 4-3. Then Torres did something that makes you mad. Right after seeing a guy walk on four pitches, did Torres take a strike? Make the pitcher throw strikes? No. He swung at the first pitch and GIDP. Inexcusable. The previous guy walked on four pitches. You have to make that pitcher PROVE he can throw strikes. At that point, I thought Torres may have blown the game for the Yankees.

But Anthony Rizzo tied the game in the bottom of the eighth with his 28th HR of the year and the game eventually went into extra innings.

In the top of the tenth, Tampa Bay started with that ghost runner I hate. After Scott Effross got an out, he was replaced by Aroldis Chapman, and the Chapman that came in was bad, wild Chapman. Two walks loaded the bases as Chapman was all over the place. He recovered with a strikeout, then got an 0-2 count on the next hitter. One strike away from getting out of the inning, Chapman gave up a bases-clearing double and the Rays were up 7-4. The way the Yanks were playing lately, losing 11 of 13, you figured game over.

But no. Aaron Judge was the ghost runner for the Yankees in the bottom of the tenth. Torres singled Judge to third. Rizzo walked to load the bases. Donaldson then hit a grand slam (12) to win the game, 8-7. Going into the game, Donaldson was hitting something like .167 at Yankee Stadium and .266 on the road. Who’d have thought?

It’s the biggest win the Yanks have had all year so far. They needed that win BADLY.



Torres 2 hits, 2-run HR (17)
Rizzo solo HR (28)
Donaldson GW, Walk-off Grand Slam (12)
Trevino 3 hits

German 4 2/3 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 1 W, 6 K. 1 HBP 4.45
Luetge 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.88
Trivino 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 5.73 (combined A’s/NYY ERA)
Marinaccio 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K 1.91
Effros 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 2.81 (Combined Cubs/NYY ERA)
Chapman (W, 2-3) 2/3 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 2 W, 1 K. 4.45

Ex-Yankee Dellin Betances announced his retirement yesterday. Betances pitched for the Yankees (2011-2019) and Mets (2020-2021). A 4x All-Star, he finished 3rd in ROY voting in 2014 and 14th in CYA voting in 2015. He was injured in 2019 and only pitched in one game that season. In that game he struck out both batters he faced but tore his Achilles and was never the same after that. He retires with a 21-23 record, 36 saves, and an excellent ERA of 2.53 (ERA+ 165). From 2014-2018 Betances went 21-22 for the Yankees with an ERA of 2.22, ERA+ 188, as one of, if not the best, setup guys in MLB. Best wishes to him.

Game 30. Yanks snap losing streak with a 2-1 win.

At least D.J. LeMahieu came off the I.L. Miguel Andujar went back down.

As for today’s game, when you have a seven-game losing streak, you’ll take a win, no matter how you get it, even as a gift.

The Yanks (17-13, now at the halfway mark) beat the Mets 2-1 Saturday when ex-Yankee Dellin Betances threw a WP that enabled the winning run to score.

J.A. Happ, critical of his usage, and who I challenged a few days ago to pitch better, did so. He went 7 1/3 scoreless innings (about time a Yankees’ pitcher other than Cole gave some length!)

In the bottom of the first, Luke Voit homered (12) to put the Yanks up 1-0. Can you imagine the Yanks w/out him?

But in the eighth, the Yankees’ bullpen failed again as Adam Ottavino gave up a HR that tied the game.

In the bottom of the ninth, Clint Frazier walked and moved to third on a single by Jordy Mercer. When Erik Kratz was going to lay down a squeeze bunt, Betances’ pitch was a WP, ending the game.

Tomorrow’s DH will feature rookie Michael King starting one game and Deivi Garcia, making his MLB debut, starting the other.

Voit solo HR (12)

Happ 7 1/3 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 W, 5 K.  4.05
Ottavino 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gave up HR.  4.22
Chapman (W, 1-1, 13.50) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.

Exhibition Game 20: Yanks beat Mets, 9-3

MLB.com goes back to spring training when the Yanks were 11-8 in posting their boxscore. Hence the “Exhibition Game 20” headline above, and spring training (summer camp?) in my categories. In any case, the Yanks improved to 12-8 with a 9-3 win over the Mets at Citi Field.

Clint Frazier hit a 2-run HR. Mike Tauchman had 3 hits and an RBI. Gleyber Torres had two hits and an RBI. Miguel Andujar had two hits and an RBI. Erik Kratz, who just turned 40 last month, drove in two runs.

The pitching line:

Michael King (Winner) 4 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 W, 3 K.
Britton 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Green 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Ottavino 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Heller 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K.

The Mets featured ex-Yankees Robbie Cano, Melky Cabrera, Eduardo Nunez and Dellin Betances. Betances made one of the Mets’ four errors.

They’ll play another exhibition game tonight, this time at Yankee Stadium.

In other news, Domingo German took back some words he said the other day that made it seem like he was walking away from baseball. Still, don’t expect him until 2021, what with his suspension.

Ex MLB umpire Rick Reed passed away at the age of 70.

Betances leaves Bronx for Queens

New York native Dellin Betances will be pitching in his home city, but it won’t be for the Yankees.

Betances, a Yankee from 2011, then 2013-2019, will be going from the Bronx to Queens, having signed as a free agent with the Mets.

Per MLB.com,

The (Mets) announced a one-year contract with longtime Yankees reliever Dellin Betances, which includes player and vesting options for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The deal is for $10.5 million guaranteed, a source confirmed, and could be worth up to $14.5 million.

Betances missed almost all of the 2019 season due to a shoulder injury, pitched to just two batters in the majors, striking out both, but then in doing a celebratory jump after the second batter, tore his Achilles.

A 4x All-Star, Betances has a career record of 21-22, 2.36, with 36 saves. ERA+ 177. He turns 32 next March.

We wish him well… except in the Subway Series.

As I post this late on Christmas Eve, I wish all a very Merry Christmas.

Pettitte instrumental in getting Cole to NY. Now for other moves.

Hal Steinbrenner called Gerrit Cole five times, but someone else apparently was also very instrumental in getting Cole to sign with the Yankees.

Andy Pettitte, who pitched mostly for the Yankees but who also spent a few years with the Astros, discussed the difference between the teams, how much NY meant to him and helped him, and what a postseason experience—as well as WS titles in NY—meant to him and his career. That supposedly helped tip Cole, who grew up a Yankees and Pettitte fan, to NY.

So Andy, a special consultant, really came up huge for the Yanks in these negotiations.

Now the Yanks turn to other needs. After losing Didi Gregorius to the Phillies, will they be able to keep Brett Gardner, Dellin Betances or Austin Romine?

It looks like a deal with Gardner could be hammered out soon. The concern is that Gardner will turn 37 next August. Gardner did hit career highs in HR and RBI this past season, and since Aaron Hicks will miss at least half of 2020, the Yanks do need a CF.

Betances, who pitched only 2/3 of an inning in 2019, is iffy. Would he re-sign for a year to re-establish value?

Romine is also iffy. Rumors are that the Yanks could be looking at Martin Maldonado, who caught Cole ten times in Houston last year to a 1.57 (!) ERA. Maldonado, 33 and a righty bat, isn’t much of a hitter (.219 career batting average, OPS+ 73) but did win a Gold Glove in 2017 for the Angels. He hit .213-12-27, OPS+ 75 for three teams in 2019. The question about Romine is would he come back to backup Gary Sanchez or does he want to start elsewhere.

Oh yeah, as mentioned in a NY Post article by George A. King III, the Yanks probably won’t be needing that “opener” in 2020 now.

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Ken Harrelson, known as the “Hawk”, was selected to the HOF in the broadcasting category—The Ford C. Frick Award. Many may also remember him as a flamboyant 1B/OF for the KC A’s and Boston Red Sox in the 1960s, and in 1968 he led the AL in RBI while finishing third in the MVP voting. He broadcast Chicago White Sox games for many years. He actually broadcast Yankees games in 1987 and 1988.

If there is a Plan B, that may need to be changed.

Things have been quiet, and I don’t want to get into rumors, but if the Yankees’ off-season strategy is go after Gerrit Cole, but have a Plan B in case Cole rejects the Yankees offer, Plan B probably needs some alteration.

The top two targets for the Yankees, pitching-wise, are Cole and Stephen Strasburg. The Yanks have met with both, but it is expected that Strasburg will go back to Washington. Cole is a different story.

The Yanks have wanted Cole for a long time. They drafted him out of high school but Cole decided to go to UCLA instead. Then, when the Pirates were shopping him, the Yanks wouldn’t meet the Pirates’ demands (Miguel Andujar for one) and Pittsburgh traded Cole to Houston instead.

Apparently the Yanks told Cole that the money is there. It’s up to Cole, a Southern Californian, to decide if he wants New York.

But if the Yanks can’t get Cole (and it appears, for now, that all their eggs are being placed in that basket), or Strasburg, who is or was the Yankees Plan B?

If it was Zack Wheeler, forget it now. Wheeler signed a 5-yr., $118MM deal with the Phillies yesterday.

Cole Hamels reached a 1-yr., $18MM deal with Atlanta.

There are other Plan B’s out there, like Madison Bumgarner, Dallas Keuchel, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Gio Gonzalez, but they aren’t the WOW factor Cole or Strasburg are.

And if these Plan B’s are off the market when Cole decides, and he decides against the Yankees, what then?

Besides the pursuit of Cole, the Yanks also have to see about re-signing or letting go some of their own—Brett Gardner (most likely will be back what with Hicks going to miss most of 2020), Didi Gregorius (most likely gone), Austin Romine and Dellin Betances.

Of course, Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner may look to the trade market. If that is the case, Clint Frazier and/or Andujar could be names (among others) dangled.

Some Yankees’ offseason decisions.

Besides exploring the free agent market (Cole, Strasburg, Bumgarner, Wheeler), the Yanks have decisions to make on their OWN players, some of whom are free agents themselves.

Do they bring back Didi or are they fine with Gleyber at SS and D.J. at 2B?

What about backup C? Romine is a free agent. Meanwhile, Higashioka is out of options. The Yanks say they are fine with Higashioka, but he’ll have to prove he can hit. Higashioka does have some power, but a .164 career batting average. In 146 MLB at bats, Higashioka is .164-6-17, OPS+ just 45. He’s not young. He turns 30 next April.

Romine could start for some teams, and the Yanks could lose him if Romine does want to start. Romine hit .281-8-35 as a backup last year, OPS+ 97 in probably his best season in the majors. He has done much better with the bat the last two seasons. His 162 game average is .239-11-59, OPS+ 73, but the OPS+ the last two seasons have been 93 and 97, so a big improvement from before.

Brian Cashman, as of now, states that the 3B job is Gio Urshela’s to lose after Urshela hit .314-21-74, OPS+ 133 in 2019. But was it a fluke? Urshela’s defense was significantly better than that of Miguel Andujar’s in 2018.

As for Andujar, his defense hurts what is a solid bat. He finished runnerup for ROY in 2018, hitting .297-27-92, OPS+ 130, but 2019 was wasted because of an injury. In 12 games he was 6 for 47. Where will Andujar be in 2020? Did he get “Wally Pipp”ed and lose his job to Urshela? There are rumors that the Yanks may try him at 1B and maybe LF to try to make him versatile and keep his bat in the lineup.

He also may be trade bait. He and Clint Frazier, and both because of their defense. Frazier hit .267-12-38 in 69 games last season, OPS+ 111 and in his career has 16 HR in 393 at bats with a .254 batting average.

Frazier is 25. Andujar will be 25 in March. Both are not sure things to start the season with the Yanks because of their defensive liabilities and also a crowded roster. They could be traded —one, or both— in a deal for a starting pitcher if the Yanks feel the price tags on Cole, Strasburg, Bumgarner and/or Wheeler are too high.

Then there is Dellin Betances, who hurt his value by only pitching 2/3 of an inning this year (shoulder) and getting hurt again (Achilles) at the end of the year. He is a free agent.

Decisions, decisions. …. It’ll be an interesting offseason.

No Q.O. for Didi. John, Munson, Mattingly on Modern Baseball Era ballot for HOF consideration. Boone up for MOY.

The Yankees did not extend a qualifying offer of $17.8MM to Didi Gregorius. If he leaves as a free agent, the Yanks receive no compensation.

It could be that the Yanks want him back, but at less than that figure. But Didi now can talk to anyone.

Didi made $11.75MM last season, when he missed a significant amount of time recovering from TJ surgery. He played in 82 games, and despite hitting 16 HR and driving in 61 runs, only hit .238 with an OPS+ of 87. It was his worst OPS+ since his first year with the Yanks in 2015.

One other problem is that Didi didn’t walk much. His OBP was just .276.

As such, the Yanks probably didn’t think a raise from $11.75MM to $17.8MM was warranted or deserved. IF the Yanks want him back, it probably would be for less than $17.8MM.

Didi hopes to return. We will see.

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From MLB.com:

Gregorius was one of seven Yankees to hit free agency on Halloween, following right-hander Dellin Betances, outfielder Brett Gardner, right-hander Cory Gearrin (who I don’t expect back), outfielder Cameron Maybin (questionable), catcher Austin Romine (would he come back as a backup or does he want to start elsewhere) and retired left-hander CC Sabathia.

As you know, the Yankees declined a $20 million option on first baseman Edwin Encarnacion, instead paying him a $5 million buyout.

Of that group, the Yankees seem most likely to pursue a reunion with Gardner, who could man center field in the wake of Aaron Hicks’ Tommy John surgery.

The Yankees announced the following roster moves on Monday:

• Reinstated 3B Miguel Andújar, 1B Greg Bird, OF Jacoby Ellsbury and RHP Jonathan Holder from the 60-day injured list.

• Reinstated RHP Jake Barrett from the 60-day IL and outrighted him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

• LHP Tyler Lyons has elected free agency in lieu of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

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BBWAA awards:

Aaron Boone has been named as one of three finalists for AL Mgr. of the Year.

D.J. LeMahieu may get consideration for MVP, but he won’t be in the top 3. The top 3 are Bregman, Trout and Semien but the order won’t be revealed until Nov. 14.

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Also from MLB.com:

The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced 10 candidates under consideration for induction as part of the 2020 Modern Baseball Era ballot: Dwight Evans, Steve Garvey, Tommy John, Don Mattingly, Marvin Miller, Thurman Munson, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Ted Simmons and Lou Whitaker.

Game 152. Successful Seve return as Yanks shutout Angels, 8-0. Betances tears Achilles, done for season. Torres hits #38; Magic # 1.

Good and bad news healthwise. Stanton to be activated today or Thursday. Encarnacion feels like he’ll be back. Now, no news yet on Sanchez, but

tonight, Luis Severino finally came back off of injury and in his season debut pitched four scoreless innings as the Yanks (99-53) beat the Angels, 8-0.

We’ll see how he feels tomorrow and how he comes through this. But very encouraging.

The magic # is 1 to make the playoffs, and also is 1 to win the AL East. Houston won so the Yanks remain tied with Houston for best record in the AL (Houston has the tiebreaker). The Dodgers are one game behind both the Yanks and Houston (Yanks hold tiebreaker over LA). The Yanks have a 10 game lead over Tampa Bay in the AL East with 10 games to go.

The bad news is that Dellin Betances is done for the year with a partially torn Achilles tendon.  He is a free agent after the season, and a bad year to miss the whole year. We’ll see what happens in the wintertime.

The Yanks got two runs in the second inning when Gleyber Torres singled and Luke Voit walked. One out later, Gio Urshela singled in one run and then Cameron Maybin doubled in another to put the Yanks up 2-0.

They broke the game open with six runs in the fourth. With one out, Urshela singled. Cameron Maybin singled, then after another out, all six runs scored with one out. D.J. LeMahieu singled in a run to make it 3-0. Aaron Judge walked to load the bases. Didi Gregorius doubled in two runs to make it 5-0. Torres then hit a 3-run HR (38) to cap things off at 8-0.

LeMahieu 2 hits, RBI  .329
Gregorius 2 RBI
Torres 2 hits, 3 RBI; 3-run HR (38)
Urshela 2 hits, RBI.  .328
Maybin 2 hits, RBI

Severino 4 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 W, 4 K.  0.00
Loaisiga (W, 2-1, 4.23) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 3 K
Tarpley 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 W, 4 K.  7.71
Gearrin 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.  4.18
Adams 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K.  7.20

In the race for the new team MLB record, the Twins have 289, the Yankees 287. The Twins have played one less game.

UPDATE: Breyvic Valera was DFA’d.

UPDATE 2: From the NY Post.

The Yankees have let go of five minor league staff members.

According to minor league head Kevin Reese, the team didn’t renew the contracts of hitting coordinator Edwar Gonzalez, field coordinator Jody Reed, pitching coordinator Scott Aldred, Trenton hitting coach Ty Hawkins and Charleston hitting coach Greg Colbrunn.

Aldred’s departure follows the departure of fellow pitching coordinator Danny Burrell, who left to take the pitching coach job at Georgia Tech.

Hate seeing Aldred go.

Game 151. Yanks fall, 6-4, in game marked by returns of Montgomery and Betances.

The Yanks (98-53) lost to Toronto on Sunday, 6-4, in a game that marked the returns of Jordan Montgomery and Dellin Betances off the IL. Mixed results.

Tampa Bay lost, so the Yanks magic # for clinching the division is three. The magic # to just make it into the playoffs is 2.

They only hit 1 HR today, so they trail the Twins 287-286 in the race for the new HR record. The Twins have played two less games, so the Yanks have to get going there.

Houston won, and holds the tiebreaker. Both teams currently have the same record. The Dodgers are a game behind them.

As much as we would like the Yanks to get the best record in baseball (at least the AL) and maintain home field advantage, there are some things that Aaron Boone has to find out before the postseason begins, and finding out those things could cost the Yanks now but benefit them in the postseason.

One of them is outfield and Tyler Wade. With Tauchman and Hicks out, he needs to see how Wade is in the outfield. With Hicks out, Gardner will be in CF, and Judge in RF. Boone needs to find out if Stanton could play LF (when Stanton comes back) or if he has to DH. He needs to know who will play LF—Stanton, Frazier, Maybin or even Wade.

The question of if Stanton can play LF affects the 1B/DH spot. If Stanton has to DH, that affects Voit, Ford and/or Encarnacion, depending on who plays 1B. The best Yankees’ defensive infield has LeMahieu at 1B,  Torres at 2B, Didi at SS and Urshela at 3B. If Stanton has to DH and not play LF, that takes Voit, Ford & Encarnacion out of the mix.

As for the pitchers, he has to find out if Severino, Betances, and maybe even Montgomery have anything to offer for the postseason. He also has to rest his main bullpen guys (Kahnle, Ottavino, Green, Britton and Chapman) to make sure they are good to go, and not overworked, come October.

Boone has to find out those answers NOW, and in finding out those answers, he may have to sacrifice home field advantage to do so.

Aaron Judge homered in the top of the first today (23) to put the Yanks up 1-0.

Jordan Montgomery, in his first game back from TJ surgery, was shaky, giving up two runs in the bottom of the second. Toronto up, 2-1.

The Yanks got two in the top of the third. With one out, Tyler Wade singled and scored on a D.J. LeMahieu double that tied the game. Judge walked, then Didi Gregorius singled to put the Yanks up 3-2.

In the bottom of the third, Montgomery gave up a HR to Yankee-killer Randal Grichuk.

Nestor Cortes gave up a 3-run HR to Grichuk in the fifth. Cortes appears to me to be a tweener pitcher. Better than AAA but not MLB caliber. I don’t expect him on the postseason roster.

The Yanks got a run in the seventh when Austin Romine doubled and later scored on a two-base error.

Dellin Betances, making his first appearance of the season, faced two batters and struck both of them out.

Judge solo HR (23)

Green 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K.  4.50
Montgomery 2 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR.  13.50  Season Debut after TJ surgery.
Betances 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.  0.00    Season debut after shoulder trouble.
Cortes (L, 5-1, 5.54)  1 1/3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 2 W, 3 K.  Gave up 1 HR.
Heller 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 3 K.    3.00
Lyons 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.   6.52

Note none of the “big four” of Ottavino, Kahnle, Britton or Chapman pitched since they were down in the game.

The Yankees are off Monday and Luis Severino makes his season debut on Tuesday.

Ryan Dull was DFA’d.