Two major trades bolster Yanks’ outfield and balance the lineup. Part 1: Verdugo

After posting a .227 batting average and having a lineup too righty dominated, the Yanks went into this offseason looking for lefty hitting, especially in the outfield. Lefty bats in 2022 were woefully insufficient, and some outfielders were really infielders playing out of position. Lefty hitting outfielders last year included Jake Bauers (better at 1B), Billy McKinney, Willie Calhoun and switch-hitter Oswaldo Cabrera, who can be argued is more an infielder than outfielder himself. Righty bat Isiah Kiner-Falefa, an infielder, also got a considerable amount of time in the outfield. Not to mention late callups lefty hitting Estevan Florial or switch-hitting Jasson Dominguez. The outfield and balance in the lineup were a mess.

Dominguez will be out until July or August after Tommy John surgery. The Yanks made two big trades to shore up lefty hitting and the outfield. Since there is a lot to write about, I will break them down into two parts. The first part is the first trade.

The Yanks get Alex Verdugo from Boston for three pitchers. Greg Weissert and two minor leaguers, which are #12 prospect Richard Fitts, and minor league pitcher Nicholas Judice.

Weissert, RHP, 29 in February, was up and down, pitching in 17 games and going 0-0, 4.05. He pitched in 12 games in 2022, going 3-0, 5.56. So, in 29 games as a Yankee, he was 3-0, 4.60. Meh.

Fitts, RHP turns 24 this month. 11-5, 3.48 at AA this year.

Judice, a RHP, is a reliever, 23 next April. He is just coming out of college and hasn’t thrown a minor league pitch yet.

It doesn’t seem like a lot for Verdugo, who is a free agent after 2024. At first, I thought the Yanks would then flip Verdugo in the Juan Soto trade (that one is part 2 of this report). I think Verdugo basically is a placeholder on the Yankees until Dominguez is over the surgery and ready to go.

Verdugo is someone I have mixed feelings about. He is an average to slightly above average player but I really don’t like his makeup. He didn’t get along with Boston manager Alex Cora, and I don’t really like his attitude either. I guess I will have to learn to tolerate him.

Verdugo is 28 next May. The lefty hitter has a 162 game average of .281-14-63 with an OPS+ of 105 (100 is average). He doesn’t strike out much, averaging less than 100 per year. The Yanks needed more guys who make contact. Too much righty bats, too much swing and miss. Last year Verdugo hit .264-13-54. Could the short porch at Yankee Stadium push Verdugo to 20 HR? We’ll see. In 11 postseason games, he’s hit .310-1-6. He finished 12th in MVP voting in the Covid-shortened 2020 season. He can play LF and RF but is projected to play LF for the Yankees. He can also play CF but is better in the corners. He has played 251 in LF, 291 in RF and 118 in CF. With the Yanks getting Juan Soto, the Yanks’ OF looks like Verdugo in LF, Judge in CF and Soto in RF. I’ll have more thoughts on the OF defensive alignment in Part 2 of this report—the Soto Deal.

The Yanks needed a LF. Last year the production from LF was among the worst if not THE worst in the majors. They have needed one since Brett Gardner retired and you may say with Gardner’s aging, even before that.

Before I get into the Soto part of the deal in Part 2, the Yanks lost a lot of players in the Rule 5 draft.

Yanks lost Mitch Spence to the A’s. RHP, 26 next May. 8-8, 4.47 at AAA in 2023.
Lost #25 prospect Matt Sauer to KC. RHP, 25 in January. 6-5, 3.41 4 levels in 2023, highest being AA.
lost Carson Coleman to Texas. RHP, 26 next April. Missed all of 2023.
Lost 1B Eric Wagaman to Angels. 26, hit .320-5-16 in 35 games at AA in 2023.
Lost Mickey Gasper, C, to Boston. 28. Hit .246-7-28, 74 games, AA/AAA in 2023.
Lost RHP Michael Gomez, 27, to Tampa Bay. 2-6 5.45 for AAA.
Lost 3B Marcos Cabrera, 22, to Pittsburgh. .212-6-25 for High A in 2023.

The Yanks picked up

RHP Gabriel Barbosa, 22 in January, from Cleveland. 7-6, 5.44 in Low A.
RHP Kervin Castro, 25 in February, from Houston. Castro actually has 20 MLB games under his belt, 1-2, 4.91 for the Giants and Cubs in 2021-2022. Last year, 0-0, 2.30 in the Tiger’s minor league system.

News and Notes.

To no one’s surprise, Aaron Judge was named as one of the three finalists for the AL MVP award. He is considered the favorite to win the award. I still get ticked by people pushing for Alvarez (it’s a regular season award, people!) or Ohtani (the Angels finished 33 games back. So, you are telling me that without him they are 45 back? Whoopdie damn do.).

The Contemporary Baseball Committee will be looking at 8 ex-players for the HOF. Albert Belle, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Fred McGriff, Rafael Palmeiro and Curt Schilling. Five of the eight would be controversial selections because of steroids and/or personality issues, despite in some cases 3000+ hits, 500+ HR, 300+ wins. I won’t get into that. We know about all that. That leaves McGriff, Mattingly and Murphy. I believe McGriff, who is tied on the all-time list with Lou Gehrig with 493 HR (and no steroids) should have already been put in. I’d love Mattingly, but Mattingly’s 1994-1989 pre-back injury (HOF quality) and 1990-1995 post-back injury numbers (merely above average) are drastically different. If Donnie could have only stayed healthy and put up numbers 1990-1995 that matched his 1984-1989 numbers, then he would be a more serious candidate. Murphy I am on the fence on. A back-to-back MVP (1982 and 1983) that like Maris (1960 and 1961) isn’t in the HOF. Maybe a few more HR (he had 398) or a higher average (.265) would have given him a better shot. Once he turned 32, he wasn’t the same player. A few more seasons at his peak would have given him a better chance.

The Yanks have not only players as free agents, but coaches too. Pitching coach Matt Blake is a free agent. (GM Brian Cashman is coming back but as of now is working pro bono. His contract expired October 31 and no new deal has been done yet). Assistant pitching coach Hensley Meulens is gone to be hitting coach for Colorado.

As expected, the Yanks picked up the team option for Luis Severino at $15MM for 2023. Anthony Rizzo opted out of his contract and is a free agent. Here are the Yankees’ free agents and my thoughts.

Andrew Benintendi. Yanks will make an offer to try to keep him.

Zack Britton. Interesting call. With Chapman departing, Yanks could use a lefty reliever, but Britton will be 35 next year and missed almost all of 2022 after a poor 2021 and TJ surgery. Pass. Use $ for Judge.

Matt Carpenter. A tough call. Turns 37 around Thanksgiving. If Stanton is DH most of the time, where does that leave Carpenter? I think it depends on if Judge stays or goes. If Judge stays, pass. If Judge goes, then the Yanks may look to sign Carpenter and Stanton and Carpenter could switch between RF and DH.

Miguel Castro. Pass. The Yanks could probably replace him with Weissert at a lower cost (save $ for Judge). They already have Trivino, Marinaccio, King, Holmes, as RH relievers, as well as Schmidt and German if Schmidt and German aren’t starters. And Stephen Ridings should be over his injury issues that cost him 2022.

Aroldis Chapman. Pass. Goodbye and Good Riddance for missing that mandatory workout before the ALDS.

Marwin Gonzalez. Pass. Only hit .185 in 2022. Since 2019, has only hit .198. Oswaldo Cabrera can fill his utility role for less money. 34 next year. Like Britton, pass, go with youth and less $$. Save $ for Judge.

Chad Green. Pass. Will miss most if not all of 2023 because of TJ surgery. Instead of paying him will need to throw that $ at Judge.

Aaron Judge. Obviously the #1 Yankees target and priority.

Anthony Rizzo. The Yanks will look to retain him.

Jameson Taillon. Questionable. Even if the Yanks get Judge back, is there enough money left to go after a Carlos Rodon (my choice)? Would they give a low in years but high in $$ deal to Verlander, DeGrom or Kershaw? Could go either way here.

Of course, getting rid of the salaries of Donaldson and Hicks would help. As of now, the Yanks think both have something left (excuse me while I get sick), but of course they aren’t going to say anything that diminishes whatever trade value they have.

ALCS Game 1. Old script repeated. Yanks fall, 4-2.

Before the ALCS began, a couple of moves. Off the roster are Hicks (injured, done for year), Luetge and Gonzalez. On go Peraza, Montas and Weissert.

For those wanting Giancarlo Stanton in the OF and Matt Carpenter DH-ing, they got their wish. But you know the old saying. Be careful what you wish for.

Carpenter’s story is a nice one. He fought to come back from a fractured foot. But it is clear he should not be on the roster (although, to be fair, with injuries to Hicks, Benintendi and LeMahieu, who could they put on?). He’s 0 for 6 in the postseason, all strikeouts. He’s 36 years old. He was 0 for 4 last night. All strikeouts.

Another 36-year-old, Josh Donaldson, also disappointed, going 0 for 3 last night with a walk in the Yankees’ 4-2 loss to Houston. The few chances the Yanks had came down to Donaldson and/or Carpenter needing to come up with a big hit. They didn’t even put the ball in play. I was not a fan of getting Donaldson, who is 37 soon and who earns almost $22MM a season. I didn’t want to let Gio Urshela, who is six years younger than Donaldson, go. Urshela hit .285-13-64 this year, OPS+ 121. He cost $6.55MM. Donaldson showed serious signs of slippage due to age. He hit .222-15-62, OPS+ 94. Donaldson’s defensive metrics seem to have been much better than Urshela’s, though. You’d have to weigh the cost, and the decline of Donaldson’s offense against the better defense he supposedly provided. But the way Donaldson has declined, you have to worry about 2023 and even 2024. He has a $21.75MM deal for 2023 with up to $550K award bonus available. There is a team option of $16MM for 2024 (I can’t see that being picked up) with a $8MM buyout option that may increase to $12MM based on 2023 awards. So, it looks like the Yanks are stuck with him for 2023 and will have to cough up a lot of money via a buyout to be rid of him in 2024. Terrible contract the Yanks took on.

Anyway, it’s apparent that Donaldson should not be hitting fifth. Nor should Carpenter be in the lineup. But what are the solutions? Let me get into the game recap and I will try to find one.

The same old, same old. For those sick of losing to Tom Brady (45 years old) year after year and want him to go home to his money and supermodel wife (or ex-wife? Marital issues), we feel the same about 39-year-old Justin Verlander, who apparently wants to pitch until he is 45. Take your money and go home to your beautiful supermodel wife. We are tired of losing to you. Ugh. 2006, 2011, 2012 (those years with Tigers), 2017, 2019 and maybe 2022? The Yanks have to find a way to beat this guy. He is 5-1, 2.62 vs. the Yanks in the postseason.

Just kidding about the go home already regarding Brady and Verlander, but you get the drift. You get tired of losing to them. Although, truth be told, a lot of people have been tired of losing to the Yankees since 1921.

Verlander is a future first ballot Hall-of-Famer. The history on pitchers like that is to get them early or you won’t get them at all. That is what happened last night.

Top 1st: Donaldson struck out with 2 men on base to end the inning.
Bottom 1st: Judge saves two runs with a diving catch.

Top 2nd. Bader homers (again!) to put Yanks up 1-0. I would move the red-hot Bader up to first in the lineup and drop Torres to fifth, which enables me to drop Donaldson down.
Bottom 2nd. Taillon is one strike away from getting out of the inning when he gives up a game-tying double.

Taillon did all we could ask for. 4 1/3 innings, only one run. He struggled but kept the Yanks in the game.

Top 3rd. With runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out, both Donaldson and Carpenter struck out. This was the ballgame right there. They left Verlander off the hook and he then settled in. A big hit by Donaldson in the first or either Donaldson or Carpenter here and you have Verlander on the ropes. Instead, he became unhittable.

The Yanks got only 5 hits in the game and struck out 17 times. Once again this postseason, the runs came on homers and the Yanks did not string hits together.

Bottom 4. Stanton makes a great play in LF to rob a batter of a double.

Bottom 5. Schmidt in for Taillon after a one-out double. An intentional walk and another walk load the bases, but Schmidt gets a DP to get out of it. BUT …

Bottom 6. Schmidt gives up 2 HR and Houston goes up 3-1.

Bottom 7. Frankie Montas comes in. Montas?! Ugh. And he gives up a HR. 4-1, Houston.

Anthony Rizzo homered for the Yanks in the top of the 8th to make it 4-2 but that was it.

Jose Trevino looks like he ran out of gas around Labor Day. Great first half, but he hit .177 in September/October and is now 1 for 15 in the postseason.

Most losses to the Astros are just like this. Pitching OK but not good enough. Bats silent. We have seen this in the 2015 wild card game (a 3-0 loss), the 2017 ALCS (losses of 2-1, 2-1 and 4-0) and the 2019 ALCS (3-2 in 11 innings, 4-1).

Between losing to Verlander and losing to Houston in a close game, same old script.

Severino starts for the Yanks tonight in Game 2. It’s time to flip the script.

Rizzo solo HR
Stanton 2 hits
Bader solo HR.

Taillon 4 1/3 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 3 W, 0 K.
Schmidt (LOSS) 1 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 2 W, 0 K. Gave up 2 HR.
Trivino 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Montas 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Castro 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.

One last thing. Some players have physical gifts, but you question their mental acumen. Those Yankees’ teams of the late 1990’s had players who were not only gifted physically, but also mentally. Pettitte, Jeter, Rivera, O’Neill, Tino, etc. You usually didn’t see them do anything mentally wrong or boneheaded. The same can’t be said for some players today. The Yanks need some more players with the mental toughness of those past players. Just saying.

San Diego came back from an early 4-0 hole to even up the NLCS at a game apiece with an 8-5 win over the Phillies.

Game 162. Yanks drop regular season finale, finish 99-63. Next up, ALDS Game 1 Oct. 11.

The Yankees dropped their regular season finale, 4-2 to Texas to finish the season 99-63, 7 games in front of second place Toronto in the AL East. Game 1 of the ALDS is next Tuesday, October 11, at Yankee Stadium against the winner of the Tampa Bay/Cleveland Series.

The Yankees were 11-8 vs. Tampa Bay this season, and 5-1 against Cleveland.

Aaron Judge did not play in today’s game, getting a well-deserved rest after playing in 55 games in a row, with the last two weeks seeing incredible pressure. He finished second in the AL batting race at .311, five points back, so no Triple Crown, but he ends at .311-62 (new AL and Yankees record)-131, 16 SB, 111 walks, OPS+ 211 (! that could change by a point or so, but still, !) He led MLB in R, HR, RBI, OBP, SA, OPS, OPS+ and Total bases, and the AL in walks.

It’s amazing how many people wanted him to play in a meaningless game today. What if he would have pulled a hamstring running out a double? Or gotten hit by a pitch that broke his wrist? It was smart to have him out of the lineup and save him for the playoffs. People can be so dumb sometimes.

The Yanks scored first in the second inning when with one out, Oswald Peraza walked. Jose Trevino singled Peraza to third and one out later, Kyle Higashioka hit an RBI single.

Yankees’ starter and losing pitcher Domingo German gave up a HR to Charlie Culberson in the third that just snuck around the LF foul pole. Tie game, 1-1.

The Yanks went up 2-1 in the top of the fourth on a HR by Trevino (11).

German gave up a HR to Jonah Heim in the bottom of the fourth that tied the game at two, then two runs in the bottom of the fifth that cost him the game. He wasn’t helped by an error from Aaron Hicks or a double that Josh Donaldson probably should have made a play on. Final score 4-2.

Trevino 2 hits, solo HR (11)

German (L, 2-5) 4 1/3 IP, 4 R, 7 H, 1 W, 6 K. Gave up 2 HR. 3.61
Abreu 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 3.26 Just off IL
Castro 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 0 K. 1 WP 4.03
Trivino 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 4.53 (A’s/NYY ERA)
Luetge 1 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.67

Game 159. Severino sensational in Yanks’ 3-1 win. 2 HR, but none by Judge.

There should be no doubt that Luis Severino is the Yankees #3 starter come playoff time.

Severino was marvelous last evening, pitching 7 no-hit innings as the Yankees (98-61) defeated Texas, 3-1.

It was Severino’s third start since coming off the IL. As a result, his pitch count was limited to 90 (he threw 94) and therefore was pulled for safety reasons. Also, Miguel Castro was activated (Chi Chi Gonzalez DFA’d) and the Yankees do need to see if Castro should be on the postseason roster or not.

Aaron Judge was 1 for 4 with an infield single. He has 2 days and 3 games left to see if he can hit #62 to set a new AL and Yankees record. You now wonder if he will do it. He has just 1 HR since September 20. His batting average is at .311, 4 points back. I doubt that he will make it up to win the Triple Crown. The Yanks have a day-night doubleheader today. If Judge doesn’t get a HR in the opener, does he play in the night game? I’m sure if he DOES HR in the opener, he will be given the night game off. Maybe even tomorrow too.

The Yanks scored in the fifth inning on a leadoff single by Oswald Peraza followed by a force out by Aaron Hicks. Isiah Kiner-Falefa walked, and Kyle Higashioka singled in Hicks.

The Yanks hit into six DP in the game.

In the top of the eighth, Marwin Gonzalez led off the inning with a 400 ft. HR (6), before Judge struck out. Giancarlo Stanton followed with a 457 ft. HR (30) to make it 3-0.

Castro came in for the eighth and got an out before losing the no-hitter and then the shutout.

Stanton solo HR (30) good to see. Hopefully coming out of slump.
Peraza 2 hits. .333 in limited time. Be interesting to see if on postseason roster.
Higashioka 2 hits, RBI. Heating up after a bad season.
Gonzalez solo HR (6)

Severino (W, 7-3) 7 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 7 K. 3.18
Castro (H, 9) 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. 4.18 Just off IL. First game since mid-July.
Effross (S, 4) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.54 (Cubs/NYY ERA)

Game 156. No #62 yet, and Yanks lose, 2-1.

Aaron Judge will have to wait for HR #62, going 1 for 2 with a pair of walks in the Yankees’ (96-60) 2-1 loss to Baltimore Friday night.

Judge is at .314, about 7/10th of a point behind Minnesota’s Luis Arraez (.315) as Judge also goes for a Triple Crown.

A couple of mistakes, lack of control, no run support and a lot of rust hurt the Yanks in the loss.

In the first inning, Baltimore scored on a walk, a SB, a throwing error on Jose Trevino on the SB that allowed Cedric Mullins of Baltimore to go to third, and an RBI single. I thought Gleyber Torres should have caught or at least knocked down Trevino’s throw, but it is what it is.

The Yanks only got four hits in the game, struck out 13x, and their only run came on a HR by Oswaldo Cabrera (5) in the bottom of the fifth. No way does Cabrera not make the postseason roster. Even if D.J. LeMahieu, Andrew Benintendi or Matt Carpenter do get over their injuries and make it.

As for someone else, I’ll get to that in a bit.

Domingo German was the tough luck loser in this game, having pitched well, but getting no run support save for Cabrera’s HR.

In the top of the sixth, German walked the first two hitters before getting a groundout that moved the runners up. He was then relieved by Zack Britton.

Britton is just coming off of TJ surgery and it is said that control is the last thing to return. Britton walked a batter before throwing a WP that enabled the deciding run in the game to score. He was then removed with a tired arm. Nice try in coming back and hoping to make the postseason roster. It is obvious that Britton isn’t ready yet.

It will be interesting to see if Matt Carpenter, now taking batting practice, can get a couple of games in before the postseason, and if he can make the postseason roster, because if Giancarlo Stanton wasn’t Giancarlo Stanton, and making over $30MM a year, then based on performance alone, Stanton should NOT be on the postseason roster. Stanton is hitting .140 since coming off the IL, and .156 since June 1. If the Yanks had guts (and it would be a highly controversial move), if Carpenter is ok, they put Carpenter on the postseason roster and DH him and leave Stanton off of it. It won’t happen, though. But the Yanks are racing against the clock to get Stanton straightened out. I fear Stanton will kill the Yanks in the playoffs. He’s been THAT awful. Gallo-like awful. If Stanton is on the postseason roster, as expected, then PLEASE Aaron Boone, drop him in the lineup. To Seventh. Maybe even Eighth like Joe Torre did with A-Rod in 2006. You can’t just keep putting him 4 or 5.

But then, Boone had Gallo hitting cleanup in last year’s wildcard game loss at Boston. Sigh. Don’t make the same mistake, Boonie.

LeMahieu came off the IL for the game. Locastro taken off the roster. LeMahieu went 0 for 3 and we will see if D.J. is good enough to be on the postseason roster or not. Soon, we see about Benintendi, too.

Feelings be damned. If someone isn’t ready or deserves to be on the postseason roster, then leave him off. You can’t mess around come playoff time.

Today’s game may be delayed or postponed. The weather forecast calls for rain in NYC.

Cabrera 2 hits, solo HR (5)

German (L, 2-4) 5 1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 3 W, 6 K. 3.31 Tough loss.
Britton 0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 1 WP. 13.50 Rusty. Not ready. Go home and heal up more.
Marinaccio 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 3 K. 2.09
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 4.11
Effross 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. 2.59 (Cubs/NYY)

Boone also revealed postgame that right-handed reliever Clay Holmes received a cortisone injection for inflammation in his right rotator cuff and likely won’t pitch again until the American League Division Series starts Oct. 11. We will have to see how he is. Meanwhile, Wandy Peralta should be off the IL by then, and Miguel Castro and Albert Abreu have finished rehab. The Yanks will have a LOT of interesting decisions to make regarding the postseason roster.

Minor Leagues. SWB eliminated on next-to-last day of season. Somerset survives in AA Finals.

AAA: SWB (82-67) lost 8-1 in the next-to-last day of the season to be eliminated from the playoffs. Even had they won last night, Durham’s win would have eliminated them anyway.

SS Anthony Volpe 2 hits. #1 prospect .250-21-65, 49 SB

Banda (L, 0-3) 2 1/3 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 1 W, 2 K. 1 HBP. 6.14
Zach Greene 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 1 balk. 3.42
Miguel Castro 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 3 K. 0.00 REHAB
Duffey 1 2/3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 0 W, 4 K. 10.50
Brito 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. 3.31
Rich Rodriguez 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1 HBP 3.86
Weissert 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 1.69

The Yanks picked up guys like Banda, Duffey and Barnes because of depth and prior MLB experience. None impressed while with SWB.

AA: Somerset evened up their Eastern League finals series with a 9-2 win. The third and deciding game will be tonight for the Eastern League Championship.

CF Jasson Dominguez (“The Martian”) 2 hits, 2 RBI. 2-run HR. #2 prospect.
C Austin Wells 2 hits, 3 RBI. 3-run HR #4 prospect.
3B/1B Andres Chaparro 2 hits, RBI
DH Elijah Dunham 2 hits, 2 RBI 2-run HR #21 prospect
RF Jeisson Rosario 2 hits.

Yoendrys Gomez (WIN) 5 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 W, 6 K. Gave up 1 HR. #12 prospect.
Loseke 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 4 K.
Ramirez 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Espinal 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.

Although not announced, my guess is that Somerset’s starter for the deciding game tonight will be Clayton Beeter, the Yanks’ #9 prospect, who they got in the Gallo trade.

Minor League Action. 4-1 win for SWB as Castro, Abreu rehab. SWB 1/2 game out with days to go.

AAA SWB (80-64) beat Lehigh Valley 4-1.
CF Estevan Florial 2 RBI #15 prospect .290-15-45, 36 SB
LF Blake Perkins 3 for 3
2B Tyler Wade 3 hits, RBI, SB

Boyle (W, 4-1) 5 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 W, 3 K. Gave up 1 HR. 1 HBP 4.04
Miguel Castro (H, 2) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 0.00 REHAB
Albert Abreu (H, 1) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 2 K. 0.00 REHAB
Bristo (H, 3) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 4.73
Shreve (H, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 0.00
Cordero (S, 4) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.77

SWB is in second place, 1/2 a game out. There are five games left in the season, as well as the completion of a game started on August 7 in which the score is tied 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth.

Minor League Action. AA Somerset wins Game 1 of playoff series.

AAA: SWB (78-63) won 4-3 over Lehigh Valley.
1B Ron Guzman grand slam (15)

Spence 5 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 0 W, 5 K. Gave up 1 HR. 3.80
Shreve (W, 1-0) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 0.00
Miguel Castro (H, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 0.00 REHAB
Zack Britton (H, 2) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 0.00 REHAB
Cordero (S, 3) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1.82

AA: Somerset won Game 1 of their best-of-3 Semifinal Series for the Eastern League Championship, 9-4.

SS Trey Sweeney 2 hits, 2 RBI. #6 prospect.
C Austin Wells 2 RBI #4 prospect
LF Elijah Dunham 4 hits, 2 RBI #21 prospect
2B Jesus Bastidas 3 hits

Randy Vasquez 5 2/3 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 0 W, 6 K. Gave up 2 HR. #16 prospect
Minnick 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
McGarity 1 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 3 K.
Espinal 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K.
Coleman 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K.

Minor League Action from 9-16-22. Rehab stints for Britton, Castro.

AAA: SWB (76-62) won 8-2.
1B Armando Alvarez 2 hits, 2 RBI
2B Chris Owings 2 hits, 2 RBI 2-run HR (7)

Brito 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.11
Mujica 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 4.14
Krook (W, 9-7) 3 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 0 W, 3 K. 4.28
Rich Rodriguez 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 4.43
Britton 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 0 K. 0.00 REHAB
Shreve 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 0.00
Barnes 1 1/3 IP, 0 r, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 2.45

AA: Somerset (82-52, 1st half division winner) won 2-1.
RF Jeisson Rosario 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR (11)

Clayton Beeter 5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 W, 7 K. 2.13 #9 prospect. Overall: 0-3, 4.56 129 K in 77 IP
Miguel Castro (BS, 1) 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. 10.80 REHAB
Espinal 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.11
Myatt (W, 4-2) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 4.08
Jennings (S, 5) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 4.19