Game 9. Gio leads Yanks to 8-4 win in 10.

Gio Urshela had four hits, including a HR, and drove in 3 runs as the Yankees (4-5) snapped a three-game losing streak by beating Tampa Bay 8-4 in ten innings on Sunday.

Newly acquired Rougned Odor had the game winning hit.

Jordan Montgomery was shaky, giving up a 2-run HR in the second inning.

The Yanks got three in the top of the third to go up 3-2. Gary Sanchez walked, and Urshela homered to tie the game. Brett Gardner singled, D.J. LeMahieu hit a ground-rule double, and Aaron Judge walked to load the bases. Aaron Hicks GIDP, Gardner scoring.

Montgomery gave up another 2-run HR in the bottom of the third and Tampa Bay had a 4-3 lead.

The Yanks loaded the bases in the seventh with one out, but LeMahieu GIDP.

The Yanks tied it in the eighth. Judge walked, and with one out, Giancarlo Stanton walked. Gleyber Torres singled to tie the game.

The Yanks blew a chance to go ahead in the top of the ninth. Urshela doubled and Gardner walked. LeMahieu grounded into a force but reached second on a throwing error, Gardner going to third. Gardner thought a wild pitch would get away from the catcher, but it popped up straight to the catcher and Gardner was a dead duck in a rundown.

In the tenth, it appeared as if the Yanks would blow another chance. Judge started the inning at second base, and Hicks was HBP. Tauchman, who had PR for Stanton earlier, bunted the runners over. Torres hit into a fielder’s choice, and Judge was out at home. It appeared as if the Yanks blew another opportunity.

But Odor singled to put the Yanks up 5-4. Gary Sanchez singled to put the Yanks up 6-4, then Urshela singled to make it 7-4 and when the RF made a two-base error on the play, Sanchez scored to make it 8-4 and Urshela went all the way to third.

Montgomery 5 IP, 4 R, 5 H, 2 W, 4 K. Gave up 2 HR. 3.27
Green 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. 0.00
O’Day 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 0.00
Chapman (W, 1-0) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. 0.00
Abreu 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 0.00

The Yanks traded Thairo Estrada to the Giants for cash.

Game 5. Judge & Cole lead Yanks to 7-2 win; Yanks deal for Odor.

Gerrit Cole was dominant, pitching seven shutout innings and striking out 13, and Aaron Judge homered and drove in four runs as the Yankees (3-2) beat Baltimore 7-2 Tuesday night.

The Yanks also made a deal earlier in the day, getting Rougned Odor from Texas. More on that in a bit. First to the game.

The game started off disappointing. Cole got out of a jam in the first, but got out of it. Then in the bottom of the first, the Yanks loaded the bases with no one out. But Stanton, Torres and Frazier all struck out. You just wanted to scream,

Jay Bruce homered (1) in the bottom of the second to put the Yanks up 1-0.

In the fourth, the Yanks loaded the bases with no one out again, as Bruce, Gio Urshela and Kyle Higashioka all walked. D.J. LeMahieu GIDP, with a run scoring to make it 2-0, and Judge singled to make it 3-0.

In the seventh, a walk to Brett Gardner, followed by a double by Giancarlo Stanton, made it 4-0.

Judge hit a 3-run HR in the bottom of the eighth to put the Yanks up 7-0.

They should have had a shutout, but with two outs in the ninth, Lucas Luetge gave up a two-run HR after SS Gleyber Torres nonchalanted a ball into a single when it should have been the final out of the game.

Judge 3 hits, 3-run HR (2), 4 RBI
Stanton 2 hits, RBI
Bruce solo HR (1)

Cole (W, 1-0) 7 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 0 W, 13 K. 1.46 Just what you want from your ace.
Green 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 0.00
Luetge 1 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 1 K. 13.50 Gave up a 2-run HR.

The Yanks made moves. Mike King went to the alternate site after his brilliant six inning relief job on Sunday. Thairo Estrada was DFA’d to make room on the 40 man roster for Odor.

The Yanks traded two minor leaguers (Antonio Cabello and Josh Stowers) to Texas for Rougned Odor. I don’t like this. I don’t know where Odor fits. He has only played 2B in the majors, although Texas did work him out at 3B this spring. The Yanks are set at 2B with LeMahieu, have a 2B playing SS in Torres, are set at 3B with Urshela. They have Andujar (on the DL) who can’t crack the team. Wade doesn’t hit, but plays more positions than Odor, and is their only backup SS. After Wade, your other backup SS right now is Urshela, and you just DFA’d Estrada, who was as versatile as Wade.

Odor, 27, a lefty bat, has topped 30 HR in three different seasons. But in two of those seasons, he hit .205 and .204. His walk to whiff ratio isn’t good, and he led the league in striking out in 2019. All or nothing hitter. He is a .237 hitter with an OPS+ of just 88. A lefty hitter, and the power translates well to Yankee Stadium, but low average, high strikeout, low walks.

Odor has a hefty contract, but most of it will be paid for by Texas.

Odor’s 162 game average is .237-28-86, 12 SB, OPS+ 88. 36 walks, 151 strikeouts. In eight postseason games, Odor is 7 for 28, 2 HR, 4 RBI.

And oh yeah, he throws a mean right hand. Just ask Jose Bautista.

S.T. Game 28. Yanks end spring training with a 5-2 loss.

The Yankees ended spring training with a 14-12-2 record by losing their last spring training game, 5-2, to the Tigers.

Domingo German gave up a 2-run HR, and Chad Green gave up a 3-run shot.

For the Yankees, who only got four hits (I’m a bit concerned the offense hasn’t been clicking so far), Giancarlo Stanton had an RBI double, and Thairo Estrada a solo HR.

German (L) 4 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 0 W, 4 K. 1 HBP. Gave up a 2-run HR.
Green 2/3 P, 3 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. Gave up a 3-run HR.
O’Day 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Loaisiga 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
King 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Gil 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K.
McClain 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 1 WP.

Opening Day is Thursday. Gerrit Cole on the bump.

S.T. Game 27. Yanks fall, 6-2.

The Yanks (14-11-2 in Spring training) lost Sunday to the Phillies, 6-2.

Thairo Estrada had a solo Hr.

Tyler Wade had two hits.

I haven’t been a big Luis Cessa fan, and he did struggle today.

The Yanks announced the rotation for the first six games of the regular season. Cole, then Kluber, then German, Montgomery, Cole, then Taillon.

Kluber (L) 3 1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 4 W, 5 K. 1 HBP. Control off.
Kriske 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K
Nelson 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Cessa 1 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Medina 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 0 K.

Tomorrow is the last Spring Training game. Regular season starts Thursday, April 1. It will be cold, temps at Yankee Stadium expected at 43 as a high.


UPDATE: This isn’t good. And bothersome. Sanchez hit .186 in 2018 and .147 last year. That hot start by Gary Sanchez this spring training is looking more distant by the day. After Sanchez struck out in all three plate appearances, he’s now in a 4-for-30 slump and has whiffed 15 times during that stretch.

That has to concern you.

S.T. Game 20. Yanks beat Toronto, 8-3.

Thairo Estrada hit a 3-run HR as the Yankees (13-6-1 in spring training) beat Toronto 8-3 Sunday.

Besides Estrada’s blast, the Yankees got 2 hits and an RBI double from Luke Voit, 2 hits, including a 2-run double from Clint Frazier, and 2 hits and an RBI from Tyler Wade.

Cole 5 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 W, 8 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Wojciechowski 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K.
Luetge 1 1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 2 HR.
Russ 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Goody 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K.

S.T. Game 18. Control issues doom Yanks in 9th, lose 4-1.

In a game that only featured four hits, two by each team, control issues doomed the Yanks (12-5-1 in spring training) as they gave up four runs in the ninth to lose 4-1.

There were fifteen walks in the game, and Yankees’ pitchers gave up nine of those. They also had 2 WP, and a HBP—all in the ninth inning, as well as a missed catch error on a ball thrown back to the pitcher by the catcher that let a run score. Embarrassing.

Aaron Hicks doubled for the Yanks, leading to a SF by Luke Voit for their only run.

Starter Deivi Garcia walked four in his three innings of work, including three in the first to load the bases, but didn’t give up any runs.

Not so with Kyle Barraclough in the ninth.

Ex-Yankee Ivan Nova started for the Phils, giving up 1 run in three innings. The Phils didn’t get a hit until ex-Yankee Ronald Torreyes singled leading off the eighth.

D. Garcia 3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 4 W, 2 K.
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
O’Day (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Wilson (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Green (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.
L. Garcia (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Barraclough (L; BS) 2/3 IP, 3 R, 0 H, 3 W, 2 K. 1 WP.
McClain 1/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 WP, 1 HBP.

The Yanks sent four down to the minors yesterday. Mike Ford (which could mean Jay Bruce makes the team?), Thairo Estrada (meaning Tyler Wade makes the team?) , Albert Abreu and Brooks Kriske.

S.T. Game 7. Yanks fall, 3-2.

Manager Aaron Boone returned to the Yankees after his pacemaker surgery, but the Yankees (3-3-1 in spring training) fell to Pittsburgh, 3-2, today.

The Yanks got their runs on solo HR by Jay Bruce and Clint Frazier. It was a 7-inning game, delayed at the start by rain.

Jameson Taillon pitched two scoreless innings, getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the second, and struck out four.

Jhoulys Chacin struggled again in trying to get that #5 starter spot.

Taillon 2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 4 K.
Chacin (L; BS) 1 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 1 K
Lane 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Otto 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Cessa 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up a solo HR.
Warren 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.

For someone coming off injury and who may need to get more time in extended spring training or in the minors to get back up to speed, Adam Warren, in his third go-around with the Yankees, has done well this spring.

Thairo Estrada went 2 for 2.

Game 49. Bombers hit 7 HR (3 by Higashioka) in 13-2 win.

One night after hitting 6 HR in a 20-6 win over Toronto, the Yankees (28-21) kept pouring it on, hitting 7 HR in a 13-2 win over Toronto last (Wednesday) evening.

It was the very first time in franchise history that the Yanks hit six or more HR in consecutive games.

The Yanks have now won seven games in a row.

Backup C Kyle Higashioka hit 3 of those 7 HR. D.J. LeMahieu hit 2.

LeMahieu led off the bottom of the first with a HR (8) to give the Yanks a quick 1-0 lead.

They got two more in the third when Tyler Wade singled and Higashioka hit a 2-run HR (2). 3-0, Yankees.

Clint Frazier led off the bottom of the fourth with a HR (7) to make it 4-0, Gary Sanchez singled, and two outs later, LeMahieu hit his second HR (9) of the game to make it 6-0. Before D.J.’s HR, Higashioka’s out was a long drive. He almost had a four homer game (done just once in Yankees history—by Lou Gehrig).

With Gerrit Cole on the mound, that was more than enough.

Aaron Hicks led off the bottom of the fifth with a single, moved to second on a groundout, and after another out, scored on a single by Frazier. 7-0.

Toronto scored a run in the top of the sixth, when they got their first hit, combined with a WP by Cole, but the Yanks came right back with four runs. With one out, Higashioka hit his second HR (3) of the game to make it 8-1. LeMahieu doubled, and after another out, Hicks walked. Luke Voit then hit a 3-run HR to make it 11-1. Voit’s 19th HR of the season leads the majors.

In the bottom of the seventh, after a walk and a GIDP, Wade walked and Higashioka hit his THIRD HR of the game to make it 13-1.

Nick Nelson gave up a run on a two-out solo HR to Toronto in the top of the ninth. Final 13-2.

Aaron Judge came off the IL, and going down was Thairo Estrada.

LeMahieu 3 hits (.373) 2 HR (9), 3 RBI
Voit 3-run HR (19, leads MLB)
Frazier 2 hits, 2 RBI. Solo HR (7)
Higashioka 3 hits, all 3 hits HR (4); 5 RBI

Cole (W, 6-3, 3.00) 7 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2 W, 8 K. 100TH MLB win.
Loaisiga 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 3.00
Nelson 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. Gave up 1 HR. 5.52

It’s the third time Cole was paired with Higashioka and third straight good outing. Personal catcher?

UPDATE: James Paxton has been placed on the 45 day I.L., effectively ending his season. Since he is a free agent at the end of the season (and has a flexor tendon issue right now in his pitching forearm), his Yankees tenure could be over.

Game 48. 6 HR, 20 runs. Yanks move into 2nd with 20-6 win.

The Yankees (27-21) moved back into second place in the AL East with a 6-HR, 20-run drubbing of Toronto Tuesday night. The final score was 20-6.

As it now stands, with 12 games left in the season, the Yanks would be the #5 seed in the AL and would head to Minnesota to play a familiar postseason foe, the Twins.

Before the game, the Yanks sent down to the alternate site Clarke Schmidt, Miguel Andujar and Mike Ford. Coming off the IL were Giancarlo Stanton, Gio Urshela and Jonathan Loaisiga.

After the game, Thairo Estrada was sent back, so it appears as if Aaron Judge comes off the IL tonight.

Deivi Garcia pitched a strong seven innings to pick up his seventh MLB win in his fourth MLB start. Other than Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Lourdes Gurriel, Jr., Garcia didn’t have much trouble with the rest of the Blue Jays lineup.

Luke Voit hit two of the Yankees’ six HR in the game to take over the MLB HR lead at 18. He is a strong MVP candidate.

Guerrero hit a HR off of Garcia in the top of the second to make it 1-0 Toronto.

The Yanks came back with seven in the bottom of the second. With one out, Urshela, who had a great game just coming off the IL, doubled. Clint Frazier reached on an error (Toronto RF Derek Fisher had an awful night), moving Urshela to third. Brett Gardner singled in Urshela to tie the game. After an out, Tyler Wade singled in Frazier to make it 2-1. D.J. LeMahieu singled Gardner to make it 3-1. Luke Voit then hit a 3-run HR (17) to make it 6-1 and Aaron Hicks made it back to back HR with his fifth. 7-1 Yanks.

The Yanks added five more in the bottom of the third to go up 12-1 and the game was basically over. Urshela walked, went to second on a balk, and Frazier walked. Gardner walked to load the bases. Sanchez was HBP, forcing in a run. Wade walked, forcing in another run. LeMahieu cleared the bases with a 3-run double. 12-1.

Garcia gave up a 2-run HR to Gurriel in top of the fourth that cut the lead to 12-3.

The Yanks came right back with four in the bottom of the fourth to make it 16-3. Urshela doubled, Frazier walked, and after an out, Sanchez hit a 3-run HR (8). After another out, LeMahieu doubled, and Voit singled in LeMahieu.

Voit hit a solo HR in the bottom of the sixth (18). 17-3.

In the bottom of the seventh, Urshela singled and Frazier hit a 2-run HR (6). 19-3.

In the bottom of the eighth, LeMahieu hit a solo HR (7). 20-3.

Michael King gave up 3 runs in the top of the ninth. It does appear he needed minor league time this year, but alas, no minors this COVID year, so he is getting a bit of a rude awakening on the MLB level.

LeMahieu 4 hits, solo HR (7), 5 RBI. .363
Voit 3 hits, 2 HR (MLB leading 18), 5 RBI.
Hicks solo HR (5)
Urshela 3 hits
Frazier 2 hits, 2-run HR (6)
Sanchez 4 RBI, a 3-run HR (8)
Wade 2 RBI

Garcia (W, 2-1, 3.28) 7 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 2 W, 6 K. Gave up 2 HR
King 2 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 2 W, 1 K. 6.75

Gerrit Cole pitches for the Yankees (who have won six straight) tonight. There are 12 games left in this shortened season.

Game 39. Dominating start turns into 6-1 loss.

Gerrit Cole started out the game dominating, retiring the first eleven hitters in a row, eight by strikeout.

He took a shutout into he sixth, but the Yankees (21-18) had not scored either.

Then it all fell apart. D.J. Stewart hit a HR to lead off the bottom of the sixth, 3B Thairo Estrada made an error that led to four unearned runs, and Baltimore got five runs in the inning.

The way the Yankees’ offense has been recently, that was enough. The Orioles went on to beat the slumping Yankees, 6-1. The Yanks, once 16-6, are now 21-18, having lost 12 of their last 17 games.

Stewart hit another HR, this one off of rookie Miguel Yajure, in the seventh. 6-0 Orioles.

The Yankees’ only run came on an eighth inning HR by Clint Frazier. The Yankees struck out 12x. Gary Sanchez was 0 for 4, all strikeouts.

The Yanks were 0 for 9 w/RISP. Forget about HR, just try to make contact.

Frazier 2 hits, solo HR (5)
Higashioka 2 hits

Cole (L, 4-3, 3.66) 6 IP, 5 R, 1 ER, 4 H, 2 W, 10 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Yajure 2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K. 1.80 Gave up 1 HR.

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Nothing set in stone, but I read reports that the Yanks may be thinking of moving their AA team from Trenton to Bridgewater, NJ.