Giancarlo Stanton tied a one-time Yankee slugger with his 412th career HR as the Yankees (31-15) bested the White Sox Friday night 4-2.
Aaron Judge started the scoring in the bottom of the first inning with his 12th HR of the season.
Chicago got an unearned run in the top of the third that was set up by a two-base throwing error by Oswaldo Cabrera.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Judge led off with a walk, moved to second on a passed ball, and scored on a double by Alex Verdugo. Stanton followed with a double to score Verdugo and put the Yanks up 3-1.
Stanton homered (10) leading off the bottom of the sixth to make it 4-1. The homer tied Alfonso Soriano on the all-time HR list with 412.
Nestor Cortes went seven innings. Ian Hamilton came in for the eighth and didn’t have it, giving up a run and exiting with men on second and third. I was concerned when manager Aaron Boone brought in Caleb Ferguson, who has struggled with an ERA of 6.00 so far this season, but Ferguson rose to the challenge, stranding both runners and keeping the score at 4-2.
Clay Holmes locked down the ninth for his 13th save.
Cortes helped himself in the game with a play at third base and a pickoff at second.
Judge 1 for 1, solo HR (12) 3 walks. Stanton 2 hits, 2 RBI. Solo HR (10) #412 career HR. Rizzo 2 hits.
Cortes (W, 2-4) 7 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 5 H, 1 W, 6 K. 3.56 Hamilton (H, 6) 1/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.18 Ferguson (H, 7) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 5.74 Holmes (S, 13) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 0.00
Over the course of a season, a team will make decisions that will have you scratching your head and also decisions that you disagree with. Tonight was one of those times.
The Yankees merry-go-round of relievers, some of whom don’t even pitch a game for them before they are sent down or DFA’d for someone else who was DFA’d by another team or teams is just mind boggling and hard to keep track of lately. You hardly get used to someone being here before that pitcher is gone and someone else is here that another team got rid of, and you are left wondering what the heck is going on here and why. And one of those decisions and pitchers took the loss in tonight’s 7-6, 11-inning loss to Milwaukee which dropped the Yankees’ record to 17-10.
Another decision was made by manager Aaron Boone, and I didn’t like it at the time, thought it would backfire and it turned out that it did. I believe it cost the Yankees the game.
The Yanks struck first, when Juan Soto homered in the top of the first (7) to put the Yanks up 1-0. They went up 2-0 in the top of the second when Alex Verdugo homered (3).
Luis Gil gave up a 2-run HR in the bottom of the second that tied the game, then he gave up another 2-run HR in bottom of the third that put the Brew Crew up 4-2.
In the top of the fourth, with two out, Oswaldo Cabrera singled and stole second. Austin Wells walked, then Trent Grisham got his first hit of the season and first hit as a Yankee. It was a 3-run HR (1) that put the Yanks up 5-4.
And here is where I believe Boone cost the Yankees the game. After five innings, Gil had thrown 95 pitches. He had given up the four runs. He had thrown the two gopher balls. To me, he was done. Instead, Boone had him start the sixth inning. I never would have had Gil go out there for the sixth. So, what happened? Our old buddy, Gary Sanchez, led off that inning with a double off Gil. THEN, Boone pulls Gil. Too late. A ground out moved Sanchez to third, a SF brought him in. Tie game. The game goes to extra innings. You never know, but the way the game progressed, it never should have gone into extra innings. The Yankees should have won the game 5-4, and not lost it 7-6. Gil never should have started the sixth inning. Here is where I believe Boone lost the game for the Yankees. By having Gil start the sixth.
In the top of the tenth, Giancarlo Stanton, as a PH, a role he usually does not do well in, doubled in the “Ghost Runner,” Jose Trevino, to put the Yanks up 6-5, but Michael Tonkin came in to pitch the bottom of the tenth. Tonkin was just picked up off the waiver line by the Yanks the day before when they sent Cody Morris back to the minors and added Tonkin. Tonkin started the year with the Mets. He pitched in three games for them. He then went to the Twins, for whom he pitched ONE game. He then went BACK TO THE METS, pitching two MORE games for the Mets, before the Mets let him go AGAIN, then the Yankees picked him up. Which is why I wrote at the top of this post that some moves have you scratching your head and you just disagree with.
So, the season is 27 games old, and no offense to Tonkin, but he has bounced from the Mets to the Twins, back to the Mets and now to the Yankees, and here he was, just having joined the team and being put on the roster, being thrown into the game to protect the lead in the tenth inning. A passed ball moved the ghost runner to third, a single tied the game. He did get out of the inning.
The Yanks didn’t score in the top of the eleventh, and in the bottom of the eleventh Tonkin, who in his brief time with THREE different teams is 1-3 this year, gave up a single that cost the Yanks the game. No offense to Tonkin, but I am wondering why the Yanks picked him up. Why the constant merry-go-round of reliever transactions?
To me, the Boone move of leaving Gil in and the Tonkin move cost the Yanks this game. Players play the games, but I place a lot of blame on this one on the manager and the front office.
Here is one stat that will blow your mind. In Yankees’ wins this year, Aaron Judge is hitting .263. In their losses, he is 1 for 36.
Soto 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR (7). Verdugo Solo HR (3). Grisham 3-run HR (1). Stanton 1 for 1. PH RBI double.
Gil 5+ IP, 5 R, 6 H, 2 W, 6 K. Gave up 2 HR. 4.01 Marinaccio (BS, 1) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.42 D. Santana 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 4.38 Ferguson 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 5.06 Holmes 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 0.00 Tonkin (L, 1-3) (BS, 1) 1 1/3 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. 5.23 Combined stats, 3 teams.
Even though the Yanks are 15-8, the offense has been struggling. The 15-8 has been because the team went into Monday afternoon’s game leading the league in drawing walks, thus creating opportunities for an offense that hasn’t been hitting except for a few players (looking at Juan Soto here), and because even with a 2-0 loss to the A’s today, the team ERA sits at 2.95.
The Yanks wasted a brilliant effort by Carlos Rodon today, since he threw seven shutout innings, giving up just one hit. Ian Hamilton, after getting the first two men out in the top of the eighth, loaded the bases, but wriggled out of the jam.
Meanwhile, the Yanks just could not score. And for the fourth time this season, in just 23 games, they were shut out. In one other game, they only got one run. The offense looked like the same offense since the middle of 2022, and I’ll have some frustrating numbers in a bit.
After eight scoreless innings, you knew something had to give, and it did, and not for the Yankees.
In the top of the ninth, Victor Gonzalez came in, and as he tried to field a soft grounder, he slipped, and the play went for a single. He then gave up a 2-run HR to Zack Gelof, and that was the ballgame.
Oakland only got 4 hits in the game, but they got that big blow. The Yanks only got 3 hits in the game.
Rodon 7 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 W, 4 K. 2 HBP. 2.70 Hamilton 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. 1 HBP. 3.29 V. Gonzalez (L, 1-1) 0 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 W, 0 K. Gave up 1 HR. 3.24 Marinaccio 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 2.25
In the top of the first, after Rodon hit the first batter, and Aaron Boone argued that the batter swung, home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt warned Boone that he would be ejected if he said another word. Boone complied. But someone in the stands said something and Wendelstedt, having rabbit ears, ejected Boone. When Boone and bench coach Brad Ausmus complained, and Boone said that he didn’t say anything, Wendelstedt mentioned that he didn’t care. That is inexcusable, especially when Boone and Ausmus pointed up to the stands. Now Wendelstedt probably thought it came from the bench and instead of ejecting a player, ejected Boone. But when he sees the video will he man up and admit he was wrong? I am not counting on it. Umpires have no accountability. And commissioner Manfred has the backbone of a jellyfish, not holding umpires accountable (why are Angel Hernandez or Laz Diaz still umpiring?). Umpires need to be held accountable. That means fines, suspensions, and being fired. It’s long overdue.
Ok, 1/7th of the season is over. Meaning at this pace, multiply by 7 and you get at this pace… well, the Yankees offense needs to pick it up. I’m happy they are 15-8 but some numbers make you wonder how they are 15-8.
Judge .174-3-11. If you told me Judge would be this, and Cole is on the IL, and they’d be 15-8 … Wells .091-0-2 Only 13 games of the 23, but only 2 RBI and the batting average is under .100 Rizzo .227-1-8 batting 4th or 5th in every game, but only 8 RBI and only 1 HR. Torres .193-0-2 23 games, only 2 RBI, and not even a HR Grisham 0 for 12
There are other numbers, and don’t get me wrong, I am HAPPY they are 15-8, but hey, these guys got to start hitting. Getting shut out 4, almost 5 times in 23 games is way too many times. And there are way too few RBI and HR for guys who are hitting in the middle of the lineup.
13 was an unlucky number as the Yankees (10-3) fell to the Marlins in Game #13 of their season, 5-2 on Wednesday evening.
Marcus Stroman didn’t have his A game, and one bad inning, and one bad pitch, cost him. In the top of the third, a leadoff walk, then a perfectly placed single on a hit-and-run play put runners on first and third. A single by 2x batting champ Luis Arraez put the Marlins up 1-0 and put runners on first and second. Stroman then got a strikeout, but Jake Burger then hit a 3-run HR, and that was the killer blow of the ballgame. 4-0 Marlins.
The Yanks got two on with two out in the bottom of the third, but Aaron Judge grounded out to third. Unfortunately for the slumping Judge, it wouldn’t be the only time he would have a chance to come up big with men on base but could not come through with the big hit.
The Yanks had two on and one out in the bottom of the fourth and could not score. They couldn’t get that big hit all night. One of those nights.
The Yankees finally got a run in the bottom of the sixth when Giancarlo Stanton hit his fourth HR of the season and #406 of his career. 4-1, Marlins.
Manager Aaron Boone was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the bottom of the seventh.
In the bottom of the eighth, Anthony Volpe led off with a walk, and Juan Soto doubled him home to make it 4-2. But Judge struck out. Stanton walked and was PR for. So, the Yanks had the tying run on base. But with two on and one out, they couldn’t do anything. The Yanks were 0 for 7 w/RISP.
A single, one out walk, and an error on Volpe made it 5-2 in the top of the ninth. The Yanks didn’t go quietly. With one out, Jon Berti singled. With two out, Volpe and Soto both walked, loading the bases for Judge. A grand slam would have been something, a game-winning comeback win, but it was not to be. In a night where Judge just could not get the big hit, coming up time and time again with men on base and unable to deliver, he flied to center to end the game. Sigh.
The big guy is off to a slow start.
The Yanks only had six hits on the night.
Soto 2 hits, RBI. Stanton solo HR (4) #406 career
Stroman (L, 1-1) 5 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 4 W, 7 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.12 Weaver 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 4.70 V. Gonzalez 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1.93 D. Santana 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 0 K. 6.23
Marcus Stroman was great, but the Yankees’ bullpen faltered, and the bats didn’t do anything as the Yankees (6-2) were shut out for the second time this season. They lost their home opener, 3-0, to Toronto on Friday.
Both Yankees’ losses this season have been by shutout. Three of their six victories have been by one run.
Stroman pitched six shutout innings but left after throwing 98 pitches. Caleb Ferguson relieved him and gave up a HR to the first batter he faced, PH Ernie Clement.
It stayed 1-0 until the top of the ninth. Meanwhile, I wondered why, in the bottom of the seventh, with two out and a man on first, manager Aaron Boone didn’t PH red-hot Oswaldo Cabrera for Jon Berti, or in the bottom of the eighth, PH Austin Wells for Jose Trevino. Down 1-0, I would think Oswaldo or Wells would have a better shot of possibly tying the game up with a HR than Berti or Trevino.
The game got away from the Yanks in the top of the ninth when Nick Burdi relieved Dennis Santana with one out and runners on first and second. Burdi threw three wild pitches around a couple of walks, allowing two runs to score.
The Yanks didn’t go down easily. With two out, both Anthony’s Rizzo and Volpe singled, and Alex Verdugo just got under one, flying out to right to end the game.
Volpe 2 hits.
Stroman 6 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 1 W, 6 K. 0.00 Ferguson (L, 0-1) 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.45 D. Santana 1 2/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. 10.80 Burdi 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 1 K. 3 WP. 0.00
Before the game, Santana was brought up when Jonathan Loaisiga was placed on the 60-day IL.
Rougned Odor was signed to a minor league deal by the Yanks. He has a July 1 opt out.
Historical Note: This marked the first time the Yankees were shut out in their home opener since 1967. That 1967 game is notable. The Yankees lost that game 3-0. Whitey Ford, who would retire just five weeks later, was the losing pitcher, giving up a solo HR to Reggie Smith in the first and a 2-run HR to Joe Foy in the eighth. But the story here was Boston lefty starter Billy Rohr, who was making his MLB debut. Rohr was one strike away from pitching a no-hitter in his very first MLB game when Elston Howard blooped a soft single into right field for the only Yankees’ hit of the game. Mickey Mantle didn’t start, but pinch-hit in the eighth, and flied to right. The first out of that ninth inning was a fabulous over the shoulder diving catch in “death valley” made by Carl Yastrzemski off the bat of Tommy Tresh.
The Yanks went 11 innings and barely hung on to defeat Arizona 6-5 and conclude a very successful season opening road trip. They now come home with a 6-1 record. After a day off tomorrow, their home opener is on Friday vs. Toronto.
Carlos Rodon gave up a solo HR in the bottom of the second, but the Yanks took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth when Aaron Judge hit his first HR of the season.
Rodon pitched well but gave up another solo HR in the bottom of the fifth that tied the game up.
The game went into extra innings, and here is where things got crazy, especially with that ghost runner rule that I hate.
In the top of the tenth, Alex Verdugo homered (first of the young season, and first NYY HR) to put the Yanks up 4-2 (Anthony Volpe ghost runner). Home free, right? Wrong.
In the bottom of the tenth, Clay Holmes got a groundout, ghost runner to third. He then got another groundout, and you didn’t mind if the runner scored since you had a two-run lead, just get that second out. Instead, Anthony Volpe made a bad throw. It appeared that Anthony Rizzo would put a swipe tag on for that second out, but the ball got knocked out of Rizzo’s glove into short right field, run scoring and batter going to second. He was shaken up, and a pinch-runner was needed. This would be a major factor later. A WP moved the runner to third, and manager Aaron Boone used a five-man infield to try to keep the tying run from scoring. A groundout held the runner at third, but then a soft infield single tied the game. Holmes got a groundout to force an eleventh inning.
In the top of the eleventh, Gleyber Torres singled, with ghost runner Jon Berti moving to third. Then, with Juan Soto batting, the pitcher balked. Berti scored, Torres to second, Yanks up 5-4. Soto lined out, but Judge doubled in Torres. Hopefully the HR and double today means Judge is back to being JUDGE. So, the Yanks went into the bottom of the eleventh up 6-4.
Arizona didn’t go down easily. With that ghost runner on second, Holmes hit the first batter. He then got a strikeout. Caleb Ferguson replaced Holmes and got a strikeout for the second out, but then gave up a single which made the score 6-5 and put runners on first and second. Instead of facing Gabriel Moreno, manager Aaron Boone ordered an intentional walk to load the bases. You may ask why? A walk with the bases loaded would force in the tying run, and a hit would win the game for Arizona. The reason was that Arizona had used up their whole bench. Remember the injury above and the pinch-runner? So, the guy batting now with the bases loaded was a pitcher. He struck out to end the game. Whew.
The Yankees had a split squad today, and this report will be on the home game. In another post, I’ll comment on today’s away game.
But before I get into the home game details, the bigger story today dealt with two of the Yankees’ biggest stars. Perhaps the two biggest, depending on where you want to put Juan Soto.
Gerrit Cole has not pitched in a spring training game since March 1, 10 days ago. He was sent for an MRI on his pitching elbow today. Results won’t be known today or probably even tomorrow. The ace and last year’s AL CYA winner is of course an important key to the Yankees’ season. Should he need to be sidelined for a significant period of time, you wonder if that makes it imperative that the Yankees then (over?)spend the money to bring in Blake Snell or bring back Jordan Montgomery. But Montgomery, 31, isn’t budging from his demand for a 7-year deal. At least Montgomery, who was traded in mid-season from St. Louis to Texas, would not cost the Yankees draft picks like Snell would. But Snell, also 31, would probably be more amenable to a shorter length of contract. Anyway, we can just hope for the best as far as Cole is concerned, and hope that it is a minor, and not major issue. Heck, with Cole and the state of the Yankees’ questionable rotation, even if he gets the flu and misses one start, it’s cause for concern.
Aaron Judge was not in the lineup for either split squad game, and he was not listed for batting practice either. This came after he was pulled from yesterday’s game early after going 0 for 2 with 2 strikeouts. One at bat yesterday seemed to show him grimace and try to stretch out his back or rib cage. Manager Aaron Boone stated that Judge won’t play again until Wednesday and that Judge was “mid-spring beat up.” Hmm. If he does NOT play on Wednesday, you can imagine the concerns that there will be in Yankeeland. Judge has only hit .143 with no HR so far in spring training so there are concerns that he has been hiding something. You hope not. But the news today about not one, but two of the main cogs on the team was disconcerting.
If the news on Cole is not good, and the Yanks can’t sign Snell, Montgomery or a lesser talent like Clevenger or Lorenzen, or make a trade or a Bieber or Cease, then they will have to lean on youngsters. And youngsters did pitch today in both games.
The Yanks won the home game 5-3, beating Baltimore. Will Warren, the Yanks’ #8 prospect, pitched in and out of trouble over three innings, giving up just one run. Ian Hamilton kept up what so far has been a very solid spring for him. Austin Wells 3-run double was the key blow in the game. This win put the Yanks at 7-9-1 for spring training and check the next post for the away game of today’s split squad.
Hitting highlights:
Caleb Durbin 2 hits. Alex Verdugo 2 hits. Anthony Rizzo 1 for 1, 2 walks. Austin Wells bases-loaded double, 3 RBI. Jorbit Vivas 1 for 1 (trying for backup INF job) Jahmai Jones 1 for 2 (trying for backup INF job)
Pitching:
Will Warren (W, 2-0) 3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 3 W, 2 K. 1 WP 3.52 #8 prospect. In and out of trouble. Clay Holmes (H, 2) 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. 0.00 Ian Hamilton (H, 2) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 4 K. 0.00 Has really looked great this spring training. Cody Morris 2 1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 W, 2 K 11.12 Jack Neely (S, 1) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K 0.00
One last thing for this post. Hopefully we see Jonathan Loaisiga in a spring training game soon. I haven’t heard any reports on him, but I take it the Yanks are just being careful with him. I think he may get into a game in the next day or two.
Austin Wells broke up a scoreless tie in the top of the ninth with a 2-run HR and the Yankees (80-77) defeated Toronto last night, 2-0.
Michael King continued to make a case for being in next year’s starting rotation with six shutout innings of ball. I was skeptical, given King’s prior record as a starter, but since the Yanks moved him into the rotation and started stretching him out about a month ago, he has been fabulous. He is taking this chance and really running with it.
King got the benefit of a couple of calls, none more than in the bottom of the third when he had to face Vlad Guerrero, Jr. with two out and the bases loaded. He got behind 3-0 but came back to strike out Vladdy. He had struck him out in the first inning and to be honest, both strike threes looked like gifts (bad calls) by the home plate umpire.
The Yanks had put two on in the first without scoring, and then in the top of the seventh, there was some questionable managing by Aaron Boone. With one out, Giancarlo Stanton doubled. Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled Stanton to third. Late in a scoreless game, which this was, Stanton probably should have been PR for. I saw where one fan nicknamed Stanton “Cement Shoes Stanton”. If this is how Stanton is going to be running for the rest of his career, the Yankees have a problem. Normal runners score on IKF’s hit. Hopefully things improve for Stanton with an offseason of rest, but you can’t have runners running like snails. Neither Volpe or Judge were playing, both getting a day off, and Boone could have PR for Stanton and just replaced him at DH with Judge. He didn’t and it could have hurt the Yanks. Now, they are eliminated from the playoffs, so it didn’t matter anyway, but…. Oswaldo Cabrera then grounded to short, Stanton tried to score, and was a dead duck. As I mentioned, if Stanton’s legs don’t heal and if this is all he gives in speed for the rest of his career, the Yankees have a problem.
After eight innings of both teams intermittently threatening but failing to score, the Yanks finally broke through in the top of the ninth when Gleyber Torres hit a leadoff single and Wells followed with an opposite-field HR (3) for the only runs of the game.
If I had told you on Opening Day that after Gerrit Cole, the pitchers who would have the second-most wins on the team in late September would be Clarke Schmidt and Jhony Brito (9 each), you’d have thought I was nuts. But ….
The Yanks only had 5 hits in the game, Toronto only had 3.
Wells 2 RBI. 2-run HR (3).
King 6 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 5 W, 5 K. 2.50 Brito (W, 9-7) 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 4.33 Holmes (S, 23) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 2.90
In a separate post, I will write about HOF Orioles’ 3B Brooks Robinson, who passed away yesterday at the age of 86. RIP.
When the Yankees started stretching out Michael King to see if he can transition into a starter, I was skeptical. After all, King had a record of 0-6 with an ERA of 6.23 as a starter, as opposed to his very good record as a reliever.
But King has taken his opportunity and run with it. He has done extremely well with this chance, and it looks like he will be in the rotation next year. And there is a domino effect to that, which I will get to.
After this season of injuries, Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes, both of whom were disappointing his year, would join possible CYA winner Gerrit Cole in the rotation. Now add King at #4. If the Yanks can only add 25-year-old Yoshinobu Yamamoto to that. Yamamoto, since 2020, is 55-19 in Japan with an ERA around 1.60. Now it is Japan, but those numbers scream at you.
I do not expect the Yankees to retain Frankie Montas, Domingo German and Luis Severino. Montas and Severino are free agents. The Yanks can use all the money from those three to go after Yamamoto.
If Yamamoto can be signed by the Yankees, then the Yankees still have Clarke Schmidt, Randy Vasquez and Jhony Brito, along with prospects like Clayton Beeter, Will Warren, Chase Hampton and the Yankees’ minor league player of the year, Drew Thorpe. The Yanks could trade one or two of them and/or other prospects to fix needs in other areas, such as third base if they are not sold on Oswald Peraza, or left field if they are not sold on Everson Pereira or Oswaldo Cabrera. They could sign Cody Bellinger as a free agent for the outfield and hope when Jasson “The Martian” Dominguez recovers from the Tommy John surgery he had yesterday (expected recovery time frame 9-10 months) that they could have an outfield of Dominguez/Bellinger/Judge. Or, if another prospect develops, move Bellinger to 1B to replace Rizzo, and have an OF of say, Spencer Jones/Dominguez/Judge, or replace Jones with Cabrera or Pereira or…. you get the idea.
Anyway, King in the rotation with Yamamoto opens up possibilities to improve elsewhere.
All King did last night to make his case was to pitch seven innings, give up just one run, and strike out 13.
Alas, the Yankees (76-76) wasted his effort. Blame a terrible offensive effort, as well as a terrible job by the bullpen.
Manager Aaron Boone was ejected in the second inning for arguing balls and strikes. Home plate umpire Lance Barrett was horrible last night (you can see some of his horrible calls on Twitter), just like Bill Miller was the night before. Calling strikes at pitches at one’s ankles that you need a golf club to hit. Calling strikes on pitches a few inches off the plate. It is ridiculous how umpires are not held accountable. No postgame press conference questioning their calls. MLB should change that. For example, Giancarlo Stanton talked to the press like a man after last night’s game. He addressed his terrible (.188 now) season and said something has to change and how he was working hard and how he felt about his season. He stood up and faced it. Stanton is 2 for his last 39 with 17 strikeouts. Ugh. As much as Stanton’s performance has been frustrating and terrible this season, at least give him credit for facing the music. But no postgame press questions for the umpires, per MLB. That is flat out cowardly. It allows poor umpires like Angel Hernandez, Laz Diaz, Miller, Barrett to just continue being poor. No accountability. At this point, I am all for the robot umps. MLB and the umpires brought it upon themselves. If they lose their jobs, so be it.
King gave up his only run in the top of the third, when with two out, he gave up three consecutive singles, the last one an infield hit that deflected off of King.
Meanwhile, the Yankees’ offense was doing nothing. They struck out 14x in the game, as did Toronto.
The game got away in the eighth inning. Tommy Kahnle relieved King and was horrible. Toronto scored two runs without getting a hit. Kahnle walked the leadoff hitter, got a force out, then threw two wild pitches. He got a ground out for the second out, and the runner had to hold at third, but then Kahnle walked the next three batters to force in a run. Ian Hamiliton relieved Kahnle, and walked the first batter he faced to force in another run before he finally got the third out. Five walks in the inning, two wild pitches. No hits. But now the Yanks were down 3-0, and the way the offense was floundering, it could have been 30-0.
Hamilton gave up three more runs to Toronto in the top of the ninth to make it 6-0. Austin Wells hit his first MLB HR in the bottom of the ninth and the Yanks avoided being shutout but lost 6-1.
The loss put the Yanks at .500 at 76-76. They have not had a losing season since 1992, but that streak is in jeopardy, especially since 7 of the Yanks’ last 10 games are against Toronto and Arizona, two teams in playoff contention.
Wells 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR (1). First MLB HR. Cabrera 2 hits. Peraza the Golden Sombrero. 0 for 4, 4 strikeouts.
King (L, 4-7) 7 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 0 W, 13 K. 1 WP 2.66 Deserved better. Kahnle 2/3 IP, 2 R, 0 H, 4 W, 0 K. 2 WP 2.66 Hamilton 1 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 2 W, 1 K. 2.65 Weissert 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 4.70
If you thought, back in spring training, that the Yankees (73-72) would win a September game in Fenway Park by getting four scoreless innings of relief from guys named McAllister, Misiewicz, Bowman and Ramirez, please stop reading this and accept your free lifetime membership to the Nostradamus club now.
But that is what happened as the Yankees completed a sweep of the doubleheader against the Red Sox yesterday by winning the nightcap, 4-1.
The win moved the Yanks back over .500 at 73-72, and also moved them into a tie for fourth (last) with Boston. Two things the Yanks could play for in the next 17 games. 1) to finish ahead of Boston and not finish in last place in the division for the first time since 1990. 2) to finish at .500 or better and not finish under .500 for the first time since 1992. It’s not much, but it does show some pride.
The win was the 500th of Aaron Boone’s career, making him the eighth manager to win 500 as Yankees’ manager, joining McCarthy, Stengel, Torre, Huggins, Houk, Girardi and Martin (not necessarily in that order). All the previous seven won at least one World Series.
The game started poorly. In the top of the first inning, the Yankees loaded the bases with no one out and didn’t score. In the bottom of the first, Yankees’ starter Carlos Rodon gave up a HR on his first pitch, and a double on his second. He then walked the third hitter, and it was like “here we go again.” But then he got three straight strikeouts to get out of the jam.
Rodon wasn’t great, getting out of various jams as he went along, but he held Boston to just that one run over five innings before the foursome, not exactly the “Fab Four”, closed it out.
The Yanks tied it in the fifth. With two out, Everson Pereira walked and stole second. Estevan Florial singled to tie the game.
The Yanks went up 2-1 in the top of the sixth. Gleyber Torres led off the inning with a walk, and Austin Wells singled off the Green Monster, sending Torres to third. A walk to Isiah Kiner-Falefa loaded the bases. Jake Bauers hit a little nubber, and Boston got the force out at third while Torres scored. But the Yanks couldn’t add on more runs that inning.
Kiner-Falefa was thrown out at home to end the top of the eighth. Bad send there.
The Yanks got two insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Oswaldo Cabrera led off the inning with a walk, and Pereira singled Cabrera to third. Pereira then stole second. After an injury delay that forced star reliever Kenley Jansen from the game, Estevan Florial struck out and Aaron Judge was intentionally walked as Boston hoped for an inning-ending DP. Torres foiled that by singling in a run to make it 3-1, then Austin Wells forced in another run by reaching on catcher’s interference. 4-1, which was the final score.
During the game, Ron Darling of TBS noted how Judge still isn’t right.
Torres 2 hits, RBI.
Rodon (W, 3-5) 5 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 4 W, 9 K. 1 WP. Gave up 1 HR. 6.14 McAllister (H, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 0.00 First MLB game since 2018. Misiewicz (H, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 W, 1 K. 6.97 (3-team ERA, AZ, DET, NYY) Bowman (H, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 0.00 1 WP. First MLB game since 2019. Ramirez (S, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.70
The Sommer Frieze 
