Game 130. 3 HR, including Judge’s 51st, spark Yanks to 7-4 win.

I didn’t know I had this much power. Yesterday I said what the lineup should be. I had Andrew Benintendi hitting second, Giancarlo Stanton hitting fourth behind Aaron Judge in order to protect Judge, and Anthony Rizzo fifth. Benintendi, Judge and Rizzo all homered last night in a 7-4 Yankees’ win.

Now I’m sure that manager Aaron Boone doesn’t read my blog, care about it or give a hoot about my opinion, but it sure made me look smart and feel good last night that what I suggested was done and with good results!

With the win, the Yanks stay 7 up on Tampa Bay in the AL East, reduced their magic number to 27 for clinching the division, and put their record at 79-51. After playing the Angels again today, the Yanks are off Thursday before being in Florida this weekend to take on Tampa Bay in a big series.

The victory came with a very big scare. The Yanks have a lot of pitchers on the IL and almost had to place starter Jameson Taillon on the IL after he took a liner to his forearm. Luckily, X-rays showed just a bruise, and no IL stint is necessary. But he was knocked out after two innings and the Yankees had to piece together a bullpen game from there.

Benintendi started the ball rolling. As the second hitter in the top of the first inning, he homered (5) to give the Yanks a 1-0 lead.

Rizzo homered (30) leading off the top of the second to make it 2-0.

Taillon gave up a 2-run HR to Max Stassi in the bottom of the second that tied the game. Shortly afterward, he took the liner off his arm that forced him from the game.

The Yanks came back with two runs in the top of the third. D.J. LeMahieu walked, and with one out, Judge singled. After another out, Rizzo walked to load the bases. A throwing error on Angels’ 3B Luis Rengifo then enabled two runs to score. 4-2.

The Yanks made it 7-2 in the top of the fourth. With two out, LeMahieu and Benintendi each singled, then Judge launched HR #51, a three-run shot.

Ex-Yankee Mike Ford tormented his former team again, homering in the fifth to make it 7-3. The Angels added another run in the ninth. Final score 7-4.

Greg Weissert got his first MLB win in his third MLB game.

Benintendi 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR (5)
Judge 3 hits, 3 RBI. 3-run HR (51) He now has 113 RBI.
Rizzo solo HR (30)

Taillon 2 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. 3.97
Weissert (W, 1-0) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 6.23 FIRST MLB WIN
Luetge 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.68
Trivino 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 5.02 (Combined A’s/NYY ERA)
Marinaccio 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.85
Loaisiga 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. 5.29
Peralta 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. 2.72

Game 129. Judge hits #50, but Yanks lose, 4-3.

Aaron Judge became the third Yankee (after Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle; A-Rod* also did it, but two of the three times A-Rod* did it were with Texas, and the asterisk is there on purpose) and tenth player in MLB history with multi-50-HR seasons, but the Yanks (78-51) lost to the Angels Monday night, 4-3.

The Yanks’ lead over Tampa Bay is 7. The magic number for clinching the AL East is 28.

Yankees’ starter Frankie Montas gave up 3 HR, one to Shohei Ohtani, who has 4 career HR off of Montas. Ex-Yankee Mike Ford also tagged Montas.

Luis Rengifo started the scoring by hitting a HR off Montas in the bottom of the second.

The Yanks tied it in the third, but the way they did it raises questions. Also, Aaron Boone’s lineup raises questions.

With one out, Isiah Kiner-Falefa walked and Oswaldo Cabrera singled IKF to third. D.J. LeMahieu squeezed IKF home to tie the game. Now in certain circumstances I love the squeeze. Not here. The play took the bat out of Aaron Judge’s hands. He was then intentionally walked. Andrew Benintendi then grounded out to end the inning.

I can see D.J. not wanting to hit into a DP. Understood. But a sac fly gets the run in and then first base is NOT open, and the Angels probably DON’T walk Judge then. But with first base open, the Angels walk a 49 (now 50) HR guy to get to a guy with 4 HR this season. A no-brainer. Your best hitter had the bat taken out of his hands.

Which leads us to the lineup. Boone needs to stop changing the lineup every day and stick with something. And he needs to protect Judge. Put Giancarlo Stanton behind him. Now I understand when Stanton was on the IL that other than Rizzo, the only choices were Josh Donaldson or Gleyber Torres, both struggling, and that for a while, Rizzo was out with back issues. But you need someone behind Judge that the pitchers fear. Roger Maris in 1961 had Mantle behind him. It’s why Maris DID NOT GET ONE INTENTIONAL WALK ALL YEAR LONG IN 1961. Granted Stanton is still getting his bearings after coming off the IL, but he inspires more fear than Benintendi does. I’d have had a lineup of DJ, Benintendi, Judge, Stanton, Rizzo, Torres (Donaldson didn’t start last night). Donaldson 6 if Torres isn’t starting. Cabrera 7th. The kid is handling himself well. See below. He almost saved the game for the Yankees. Then Trevino or Higgy eighth, with IKF ninth. And LEAVE IT THAT WAY.

The Yanks went up 2-1 in the top of the fourth when Anthony Rizzo homered (29).

But in the bottom of the fourth, Ex-Yankee Mike Ford homered to tie the game.

In the top of the fifth, IKF doubled. Two outs later, Judge was intentionally walked again (see previous paragraph) to face Benintendi, who flied out. Now I don’t know what Stanton would have done, and this isn’t a knock on Benintendi, but you need a 24 HR Stanton or a 29 HR Rizzo protecting Judge, not a 4 HR Benintendi. The bat gets taken out of your best hitter’s hands again. Twice in a game that you lost 4-3 your best hitter didn’t get a chance to swing the bat.

In the bottom of the fifth, Ohtani, who seems to own Montas, hit a 2-run HR to put the Angels up 4-3. It was, as mentioned above, the fourth career HR Ohtani has hit off of Montas. The mistake here, as pointed out on MLB network’s broadcast, was that it was the fourth straight splitter thrown in the same location. To Ohtani’s credit, he adjusted. Montas needed to mix things up a little better there to keep Ohtani off balance.

In the eighth, Judge finally got to swing the bat again, and that is when he hit HR #50 to cut the Angels’ lead to 4-3.

The Yanks had a runner on in the ninth with two out. Rookie Oswaldo Cabrera got a good swing on one, but the ball was caught on the warning track by Mike Trout for the final out. The pinch-runner was Tim Locastro, called up when Marwin Gonzalez was put on paternity leave.

The purpose of this blog is not only to report, but also to provide objective analysis. I would do certain things to the lineup and leave it alone rather than to change it daily to suit the analytics people. But having the bat taken out of Judge’s hands twice helped contribute to a loss. You want your best hitter at least having a chance.

I do get a bit upset with people pushing the Ohtani MVP narrative. Yes, he’s great. But the second word is VALUABLE. Not special, which Ohtani, by being a great pitcher and hitter, is. Not Player of the Year or decade. VALUABLE. With Ohtani, the Angels are still only a fourth-place team at 56-73. Without him they are what, fourth? Last? But take away Judge from the Yankees. Are the Yankees (78-51, 7 game lead) still in first place? I don’t think so. Judge leads all of MLB in R, HR, RBI, Slugging average, OPS, OPS+ (199), and total bases. That is seven categories. And he leads the AL in walks. Without him the Yanks are not in first place. With Ohtani, the Angels are still in fourth. Enough said.

Clay Holmes came off the IL. Luke Bard sent down.



Judge solo HR (50)
Rizzo Solo HR (29)

Montas (L, 4-11) 6 IP, 4 R, 8 H, 0 W, 6 K. 1 WP. 1 HBP. Gave up 3 HR. 3.94 (Combined A’s/NYY Stats)
Holmes 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.34
Luetge 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.53

Game 68. Yanks sweep Jays, 8-4 in game featuring a triple play.

The Yankees (36-32, 3rd, 6 out) got a much-needed sweep of the Blue Jays with an 8-4 win that featured a lot.

For one thing, for the first time in franchise history, the Yankees have turned TWO triple plays in the same season. This one was the first 1-3-6-2-5-6 triple play in MLB history.

On top of that, Gio Urshela and Aaron Judge each made great defensive plays, and for the third straight game, a pinch-hitter that manager Aaron Boone sent up to the plate came through big time.

In the bottom of the first, Yankees’ starter Michael King (who is better in relief than as a starter) walked Marcus Semien, the leadoff hitter, then gave up a single to Bo Bichette. A WP moved the runners to second and third. Then came the unique triple play. Vlad Guerrero, Jr. bounced one back to King, who threw to first to get Guerrero. Out #1, Bichette was trapped between second and third, and Yankees’ 1B D.J. LeMahieu threw to SS Gleyber Torres. Semien, also trapped, broke for home. Torres threw to C Gary Sanchez, who ran Semien back to third before flipping to 3B Gio Urshela, who tagged Semien out. Out #2. Urshela then spun around and threw to Torres, who tagged out Bichette, who tried to move up when the Yankees tagged Semien out. Out #3. Got that? Any way, a triple play, the Yanks’ second of this season, and the first one ever that went 1-3-6-2-5-6.

The Yanks then scored right away in the top of the second. Urshela doubled, and Brett Gardner singled him to third. Miguel Andujar hit into a fielder’s choice, and reached on an error, Urshela scoring. Yanks up 1-0. Gardner was then caught at the plate on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Tyler Wade, and although the Yanks did load the bases back up, they didn’t score anymore that inning.

In the top of the third, Giancarlo Stanton singled and one out later, Urshela homered (8) to make it 3-0.

Toronto scored twice in the bottom of the third inning to cut the Yanks’ lead to 3-2. In this inning, Gleyber Torres tweaked his back and had to be removed for a pinch-hitter in the top of the fourth. He appears OK and day-to-day, though.

In the bottom of the fourth, Gio Urshela made an excellent defensive play for the last out of the inning.

Toronto tied it in the fifth, and went ahead 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth. It could have been even worse. Shortly after going ahead 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth, Blue Jays’ RF Cavan Biggio hit a deep drive to right that appeared to be a 2-run HR that would have given Toronto a 6-3 lead except that Aaron Judge jumped, extended his arm over the wall, and robbed Biggio of that possible HR to keep the score at 4-3.

The Yanks came right back with four runs in the top of the seventh inning. Rougned Odor, who replaced Torres earlier, led off the inning with a single, and Stanton homered (13) to put the Yankees up 5-4. Sanchez and Urshela both singled, then Gardner bunted them over. After an out that didn’t advance the runners, Chris Gittens pinch-hit for Tyler Wade and laced a two-run single to make it 7-4.

In the top of the ninth, Sanchez singled. Urshela struck out after just missing a 2-run HR. The ball was just foul. Gardner walked and both runners then moved up on a WP. After a walk to Andujar loaded the bases, Gittens hit a sac fly to make it 8-4, which wound up as the final score.

Stanton 2 hits. 2 RBI. A 2-run HR (13).
Urshela 3 hits. Double, 2-run HR (8). Excellent defensive play.
Judge robbed a batter of a 2-run HR.
Gittens 1 for 1, 3 RBI


King 4 1/3 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 2 W, 1 K. 1 WP 4.08
Luetge 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.00
Green (W, 1-4) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K. 2.62
Loaisiga (H, 9) 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. 1.70
Britton 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 HBP. 0.00

Earlier in the day, the Yanks traded Mike Ford to Tampa Bay for $100K and a player to be named later.


Minor league Notes.

AAA: SWB (26-11) won 4-2. SS Hoy Jun Park 1-2, 2 walks (.372 at AAA). RF Socrates Brito 2 hits, 2 RBI, 2-run HR. DH Kellin Deglan solo HR.

AA: Somerset (25-13) won 9-3. Starter Ken Waldichuk 4 2/3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 5 W, 7 K. Gave up 2 HR. Waldichuk had pitched 30 2/3 scoreless innings for High A Hudson Valley before a callup. This was his first start at AA. He hurt himself with 4 walks in the first inning. Two pitchers 4 2/3 scoreless, hitless innings of relief (Nick Green and Ron Marinaccio). CF Michael Beltre 2 hits, RBI on a solo HR. 3B Oswaldo Cabrera 3 hits, 2 RBI, 2 solo HR. 2B Diego Castillo 3 hits, 2 RBI. C Donny Sands 4 RBI, a 3-run HR.

High A: Hudson Valley (22-15) won 3-2. SS Josh Smith 2 hits. DH Anthony Seigler 2 hits. LF Elijah Dunham 3 hits.
Starter Shawn Semple 6 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 W, 11 K. Gave up 1 HR.

Low A: Tampa rained out.

Game 64. Bad day in many ways as Yanks lose to Phils in 10, 8-7.

Saturday was a bad day for the Yankees in many ways. I will get to that in a moment.

Before the game, some moves. Zack Britton was activated off of rehab and Brooks Kriske was sent back to the minors. Also, Mike Ford, who only hit .133-3-5 (8 for 60) for the Yanks this year, and who was only 2 for 24 (.083) at SWB, was designated for assignment.

Jameson Taillon has been the worst Yankees’ starter this season. He is coming off of two TJ surgeries, and has fought off cancer. But coming into the game, Taillon was 1-4 with an ERA of 5.09.

Taillon could not get out of the first inning, and saw his ERA climb to 5.74. His ERA+ is 71, 29% below league average. Taillon only got one out, and put the Yanks (33-31, Tied for 3rd, 7 1/2 out) into a quick 4-0 hole in a game they would lose in 10 innings, 8-7.

So you think, ok, ride Taillon out until former Yankees’ ace Luis Severino gets back from rehab.

Not so fast.

Severino, in his second rehab game, gave up one run in 1 2/3 IP, but then had to be helped from the field after injuring his groin. Based on the reports I read, he will be out quite some time.

Not only that, with Corey Kluber on the injured list, Michael King has had to join the rotation. One problem with that. In his career, King is 0-4, 7.46 as a starter (7 games) and 1-1, 3.93 as a reliever.

That is not all. Deivi Garcia has started two games for the Yankees this year, and is 0-2, 6.48 ERA. At SWB, Garcia has an ERA of 6.26.

It looks like GM Brian Cashman is going to have to hit the phones and make a deal. You may say, several deals.

The Yanks are barely above .500 at 33-31. They are now 7 1/2 games out of first place in the AL East, and even though they have 98 games left, this does not look like a playoff team at all right now.

Taillon gave up singles to the first four batters of the game, leading to two runs for the Phillies. Then a walk to reload the bases before the only out he recorded—-a sac fly that brought in another run. After a single that made it 4-0, Taillon was relieved by Nestor Cortes, Jr. Cortes gave up a hit that loaded the bases up yet again, but then got two strikeouts to prevent further damage.

Cortes did a good job in trying to keep the Yankees in the game.

The Yanks got two runs in the top of the second inning. With one out, Gary Sanchez homered (8). One out later, Miguel Andujar singled, and Brett Gardner tripled him home. 4-2. But Gardner was left stranded at third because the Yanks were playing in a National League park, no DH, and the pitcher had to hit (I hate seeing pitchers hit, prefer the DH, but that yields to Mcproblems which I will get to in a bit). Cortes grounded out to end the inning, and in case you are wondering, the last Yankees’ pitcher to hit a HR was Lindy McDaniel at the end of the 1972 season (he hit it off of Mickey Lolich at the old Tigers’ Stadium).

Cortes gave up a run in the fourth, and it was 5-2, Phillies.

The Phils got two runs in the fifth off of Luis Cessa, and ex-Yankee Ronald Torreyes drove in one of those runs. It looked like a blowout with the Phillies now up 7-2.

But the Yanks came back. In the sixth, with two out, Rougned Odor homered to make it 7-3.

In the eighth, the Yanks cut it to 7-4. Aaron Judge singled, and one out later, went to second on a groundout. Sanchez then got a two-out hit to score Judge.

The Yanks tied it up in the top of the ninth. with one out, Gardner and Tyler Wade each walked. D.J. LeMahieu then hit a 3-run HR (4) to tie it up.

Gleyber Torres made a great defensive play to save the game in the bottom of the ninth.

I hate the ghost runner extra inning rule where they start extra innings with a man on second base. I also hate seeing pitchers hit and prefer the dh. But both rules do show a flaw with the Yankees, and that is in executing the fundamentals.

The DH has turned some AL teams like the Yankees into glorified beer-league softball teams instead of BASEBALL teams. What I mean by that is that they sit around waiting for the 3-run HR and don’t make things happen. They don’t bunt (4 sac bunts this season, 2 by Gardner). They don’t hit and run. They don’t steal (14 SB, last in AL. Heck, Rickey Henderson would have 14 by himself in a month’s time). They don’t hit behind the runner to advance the runner. They play station to station and don’t run the bases well.

That leads me to extra innings. You are starting the inning with a man on second. The Yanks left him there. And we have seen that too much this year. They don’t bunt him over so he then may be able to score on a sac fly. They don’t even hit the ball to the right side to advance the runner. Part of that fault is the predominance of righty hitters and in not having a lefty hitter to pull the ball. Yesterday, with that man on second, Gio Urshela grounded out, not advancing the runner, then two strikeouts (Sanchez and PH Kyle HIgashioka).

The Phils, an NL team, DID execute the bunt. Not only that, Aroldis Chapman made an error on the play, so the Phils had first and third with no one out. After a pop-up, an infield hit won the game for the Phils, 8-7.

In extra innings, it comes down to the fundamentals. Just because you have the DH, does not mean you forget to steal bases, run the bases poorly, don’t bunt, don’t move the runners over…..but the Yanks don’t do any of that. They need to become a BASEBALL team again, not a station-to-station beer league softball team that does nothing but wait for the HR.

Billy Martin would hate this team. It goes against many of the scappy things he did as manager.

The Yanks need to make some changes.

LeMahieu 2 hits, 3 RBI. 3-run HR (4)
Sanchez 2 hits, 2 RBI. Solo HR (8)
Odor 2 hits, solo HR (6).
Gardner 2 hits, RBI


Taillon 1/3 IP, 4 R, 5 H, 1 W, 0 K. 5.74
Cortes 3 2/3 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 W, 6 K. 1 WP. 1.93 Nice job trying to keep it close.
Cessa 1 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 W, 0 K. 3.42
Peralta 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 4.57 (Combined ERA SF/NYY).
Britton 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 0.00 (Season debut)
Green 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 2.73
Chapman (L, 4-2) 1/3 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1.93

A Look at the Minors. Waldichuk continues to amaze.

Yesterday was strange. Other than the All-Star Break, when do the Yankees ever have off on a Friday? But they did, so no game report.

In lieu of that, it gives us time to look at what the minor league affiliates did yesterday, and how some players are doing.

AAA: SWB (21-11) lost 4-2. 2 hits RF Socrates Brito. 2 hits, solo HR DH Trey Amburgey. SS Andrew Velazquez 2 hits.

CF Estevan Florial is only hitting .137 at SWB. 2B Hoy Jun Park, a lefty hitter, may not have the power of Odor, but in 18 AAA games since being called up, is hitting .344-5-15. 1B Mike Ford, after hitting just .133 for the Yankees, is only 2 for 24 (.083) for SWB. Amburgey is hitting j.397-6-21. Too bad he isn’t a lefty hitter.

AA: Somerset (21-12) won 5-2. DH Oswald Peraza (a SS), 2 hits, led off game with a HR. More on him in a bit. 2B Oliver Dunn 3-run HR.

Peraza is a touted prospect who was just promoted from High A. He turns 21 in a few days, is a righty hitter, and has impressed scouts and coaches. Between A+/AA this year, he has hit .289-6-17 with 16 SB. Infielder Diego Castillo, 23, a righty bat, is hitting .325-5-13. C Donny Sands, 25, righty bat, .270-3-8.

High A: Hudson Valley (18-14) won 8-0, giving up just 2 hits. SS Ezequiel Duran (22, righty bat, .288-6-17) solo HR. LF Evan Alexander 2-run HR. 1B Eric Wagaman 2 hits. 3B James Nelson 2 hits, RBI.

Two recent top draft picks, both catchers, haven’t been hitting. Anthony Seigler is at .167 and Josh Breaux is at .158.

But here is the real story.

LHP (23 years old) Ken Waldichuk 6 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 3 W, 10 K. 2-0, 0.00

Waldichuk has pitched 30 2/3 innings this year. Look at the era again. ZERO. He has 55 K in those 30 2/3 innings. He has actually given up more walks (13) than hits (12). I hope he gets promoted to AA, like…. Now. I’d like to find out more about him.

Of course, because of COVID, there were no minor leagues last year. Waldichuk’s total minor league numbers consist of 2019 and this year. So what are those numbers?

17 starts. 2-2, 1.80. 60 innings pitched. 104 strikeouts.

Intrigued yet? I sure am.


Low A: Tampa is like a beer league softball team. All offense. The pitching not so hot. Tampa (24-10) won 6-4 last night. C Austin Wells solo HR, 2 RBI (21, lefty hitter, .267-2-29, 7 SB). 3B Chad Bell 3 hits, 2 HR, 3 RBI (24, lefty bat, .290-6-19).

Others to watch: SS Anthony Volpe, a first-round pick: 20, righty hitter. .285-5-29, 15 SB.

2B Trevor Hauver 22, lefty hitter, .279-6-25.

Game 60. Yanks get swept by Boston. Need to reassess.

It was a lost weekend. Boston beat the Yanks, 6-5 in ten innings, to sweep the weekend series. In the important seven-game homestand against Tampa Bay and Boston, the Yanks went 2-5.

As a result, the Yanks (31-29) are barely above .500, are in fourth place in the AL East, and have dropped 6 1/2 games out. They are 8-17 against the three teams above them in the division.

Today is an off day, and one in which the Yanks need to do a serious reassessment of their team.

I like one thing Alex Rodriguez mentioned during ESPN’s broadcast last night. No surprise as to why the Yankees lead the majors in GIDP. The preponderance of righty bats. It takes righty batters a couple of more steps to get to first base than lefty hitters. It’s why when you look at who has hit into the most DPs all-time, you see names like Albert Pujols, Henry Aaron and Jim Rice.

Now when you look at a Yankees lineup that has very few lefty bats, you get those DPs. The Yankees have traditionally been built on lefty bats (inc. switch hitters like Mantle, Williams, White, Tresh) and lefty pitching. But before we get into the game recap, let’s look at how the roster is out of whack, and how lefty bats have been hurting the Yanks this year.

You may want to avert your eyes. Here are batting averages, and OPS+ of the lefty hitters/switch hitters:

Odor .180, OPS+ 71 (100 is league average)
Gardner .190, 60
Wade .270, 80
Hicks .194, 78, out for season,
Bruce .118, 33, retired
Ford .133, 60, sent back down
Tauchman .214, 57 was traded to SF.
Florial .333, 174 just one game, 1-3, not hitting at AAA.

Ok. SERIOUS problem. A lot under .200, with OPS+ way below the league average of 100.

There needs to be a serious roster reconstruction made here.

UPDATE: Counting last year’s 60 games, and this year’s 60, in their last 120 games, the Yanks are 64-56. Not that much above .500. That’s an 86-76 pace, which most of the time doesn’t get you into the playoffs.

Boston got a HR by the second batter of the game. Up 1-0. Domingo German settle down after that and pitched well.

The Yanks got two back in the bottom of the first, but their inability to tack on more cost them the game. With one out, Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres and Gio Urshela all singled to load the bases. Gary Sanchez doubled in two runs, putting runners on second and third. But then Chris Gittens (second MLB game) and Clint Frazier both struck out.

With one out in the fourth, Miguel Andujar single, and Brett Gardner and D.J. LeMahieu both walked to load the bases. Judge grounded into an RBI forceout, and the Yanks were up, 3-1.

Lucas Luetge gave up a 2-run HR in the seventh that tied the game. Boston went up 4-3 in the eighth, getting a run off Wandy Peralta.

The Yanks tied the game in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Judge walked and Torres doubled him home. After another out, then a walk to set up a force at any base, Rougned Odor struck out on an atrocious call by the home plate umpire. Two Yankees coaches (Nevin and Mendoza) were ejected for arguing the call. Hope the ump saw the replay. It was a horrendous call.

So the tenth begins with that silly ghost runner, and Luis Cessa walks the first batter. A sac bunt puts runners at second and third, one out. A groundout forces the runners to hold. Can Cessa get out of it? No. A 2-run single puts Boston up 6-4.

The Yanks did get a run in the bottom of the tenth. They had the ghost runner, and the leadoff hitter, Clint Frazier, was HBP. But then, you guessed it, a GIDP by Andujar. Tyler Wade singled in a run, and went to second on an error, but D.J. LeMahieu grounded out to end the game.


Judge 2 hits, RBI
Torres 2 hits, RBI
Urshela 2 hits
Sanchez 2 hits, 2 RBI


German 5 2/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2 W, 3 K. Gave up 1 HR. 3.12
Luetge (BS, 1) 1 1/3 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. gave up 1 HR. 1 WP. 3.03
Peralta 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 4.74 (Combined SF/NYY ERA)
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 0.39
Cessa (L, 1-1) 1 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 H, 1 W, 0 K. 3.09

Because of some expensive (and some of those are really bad) contracts, some changes can’t be made. But changes MUST be made.

Quick minor league update: Luis Severino started rehab games. He pitched for Low A Tampa yesterday, velocity up, and gave up 1 run in 2 2/3 IP in his first rehab start. Ken Waldichuk at High-A Hudson Valley still has an ERA of 0.00 after over 24 IP this year. The lefty starter has put up impressive minor league numbers so far.

Game 46. Yanks’ dominant pitching continues with 7-0 shutout.

The Yankees (27-19, 3rd, 1 1/2 back) won their fifth straight game on Saturday, 7-0, defeating the Chicago White Sox.

In their last four games, the Yankees’ pitchers have given up 0, 0, 1 and 0 runs. The only run given up came off of reliever Jonathan Loaisiga. Yankees’ starters have thrown 30 scoreless innings in those four games.

Today, Jameson Taillon, who has struggled (1-3, 5.73) tries to keep it going.

The Yankees got three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when with one out, Aaron Judge singled and Gio Urshela walked. Gleyber Torres, who is heating up, doubled in both runs, then Torres scored on a double by Rougned Odor.

They scored two more in the fifth. Luke Voit and Brett Gardner singled, and after Judge struck out, Urshela walked to load the bases for Torres, who singled in two runs. 5-0 Yankees.

Mike Ford hit a 447-ft. HR (3) leading off the sixth to make it 6-0.

The final run of the game scored in the seventh when Torres singled and one out later, Miguel Andujar doubled him home.

Gerrit Cole wasn’t as dominating as he usually is (uncharacterisically, three walks) but still was shutting out Chicago.

7-0 final.

Gardner 2 hits
Judge 2 hits (.307)
Torres 3 hits, 4 RBI
Ford solo HR (3)


Cole (W 6-2) 7 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 3 W, 7 K. 1.81
Wilson 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 5.40
Cessa 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.00

No minor league report until I recover more from my recent surgery but one note: Deivi Garcia (5.17 ERA at SWB) did not do well last night.

Aaron Hicks needs surgery on a torn tendon sheath in his wrist. He’s done for the year.

Game 33. Yanks edge Nats in 11, 4-3.

When two starters who have 5 CYA’s between them go against each other, you don’t expect many runs scored, and such was the case Saturday when Max Scherzer of Washington and Corey Kluber of the Yankees faced off.

The game started after a rain delay of almost 2 1/2 hours, and in the end, Gleyber Torres tied the game in the ninth for the Yankees and won it in the eleventh. Yanks (17-16) 4, Nationals 3.

The Nats got on the board first, when Kluber walked Juan Soto with the bases loaded in the top of the third inning.

Kyle Higashioka tied the game up in the bottom of the same frame with a solo HR (5).

Washington got a run off of Kluber in the top of the sixth to go up 2-1.

Meanwhile, Scherzer was dealing. He went 7 1/3, giving up just 2 hits and striking out 14.

In the bottom of the ninth, D.J. LeMahieu led off the inning with a walk. He moved to second on a groundout by Giancarlo Stanton and to third on a bloop single by the slumping Aaron Judge. Torres then singled to tie the game.

Washington got a run in the top of the tenth (I hate that extra innings start with a man on second rule) but the Yanks tied it in the bottom of the tenth when Mike Ford, who was 1 for his last 23, singled in “ghost” runner Clint Frazier.

Justin Wilson, who has been struggling this season, kept the Nats off the board in the top of the eleventh. In the bottom half, LeMahieu was the “ghost” runner starting at second. Both Stanton and Judge walked to load the bases. Torres nubbed a little dribbler towards third. Not pretty, but it got the job done and won the game.

Torres 2 hits, 2 RBI
Higashioka solo HR (5)

The Yankees won despite striking out 17X.

Kluber 5 2/3 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 3 W, 6 K. 3.06
Green 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 2.33
Luetge 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.26
Chapman 1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. 0.00
Wilson (W, 1-0) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 6.23

Game 24. Yanks blank O’s, 7-0.

Now this is more like it. Domingo German was great over seven innings, the Yanks rapped out 12 hits, including 3 HR, and the Yanks (11-13) blanked Baltimore 7-0 Wednesday night.

Mike Ford homered (2) in the second inning to put the Yanks up 1-0.

With one out in the top of the third inning, D.J. LeMahieu singled, then Giancarlo Stanton singled, then Gleyber Torres singled in LeMahieu. For Torres, it was just his third RBI of the season. Gio Urshela then hit a 3-run HR (4) to make it 5-0.

Stanton singled to lead off the fifth, and an out later, Urshela singled. Ford walked to load the bases, and Aaron Hicks hit a SF to make it 6-0.

Clint Frazier hit his first HR of the season in the eighth to make it 7-0, the final score.

LeMahieu 2 hits
Stanton 3 hits.
Torres 2 hits, RBI
Urshela 2 hits, 3-run HR (4)
Ford solo HR (2)
Frazier 2 hits solo HR (1)

German (W, 2-2) 7 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 1 W, 6 K. 4.05
King 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 0.00

Game 21. Yanks lose to Cleveland, 7-3.

This time, it was the Yankees (9-12) who got a lead in Cleveland, only to see the Indians come back and win the game.

In the three previous games, the Yankees won after Cleveland scored first. The script was flipped on Sunday. Gio Urshela and Mike Ford hit back-to-back homers, with Gio’s being a 2-run blast. Top of the fourth, but that was all the Yanks’ offense.

Some observations. Jameson Taillon, coming off his second TJ surgery, appears to do fine for three innings, then seems to lose it in the fourth. Something about the second time around in the lineup. Fatigue? But it happened again yesterday. Three smooth innings, then in the bottom of the fourth, three straight singles for a run, then a 3-run HR.

Secondly, Nick Nelson needs more seasoning The youngster does have 15 K in just 8 1/3 IP this season, but is also 0-2 with an atrocious 9.72 ERA. He was sent down after the game. Deivi Garcia was called up to start Monday night.

Also, Miguel Andujar was activated off the I.L., but will continue at the alternate site.

Urshela 2-run HR (3)
Ford solo HR (1)


Taillon (L, 0-2) 4 IP, 4 R, 5 H, 0 W, 6 K. 6.23 Gave up 1 HR.
Nelson 2 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 1 W, 2 K. 9.72 1 WP
Cessa 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 0.77