Game 24. Yanks comeback to win 6th straight, 6-5.

With all the injuries, the scrubs are somehow finding a way.

Down 5-0 going into the sixth, the Yanks (14-10, 2nd in AL East, 1 1/2 back) came back to win 6-5 for their sixth straight victory. They are playing with some guts and grit.

Before the game, it was announced that Gio Gonzalez, who opted out of his contract with the Yanks, went back to Milwaukee on a one-year deal.’

Chad Green did have an option left. The struggling Green was sent down and Stephen Tarpley was brought back up. Also, the Yanks reactivated Gary Sanchez and sent down Kyle Higashioka.

More disconcerting was that Clint Frazier was out of the lineup again, and was getting an MRI on the ankle he twisted Monday night.

UPDATE: Frazier going on the IL.

Not only that, but Giancarlo Stanton had a setback in his recovery from his biceps injury and needed a cortisone shot in his SHOULDER.

Aargh. We are still looking at a couple of weeks until some of the starters start coming back.

You hope the team can tread water until then, and with this winning streak, they are doing more than that. Give them credit for that. Give Boone credit for holding things together. Things really could have fallen apart.

CC started and got 3 strikeouts to take him to 2997 for his career, but he was off. He gave up a HR to Andrelton Simmons in the first inning. 1-0 Angels.

He then gave up 4 runs in the fourth. Simmons touched him for another HR to make it 2-0.  Kole Calhoun later that inning hit a 3-run HR to make it 5-0.

The Yanks got two back in the sixth. Tyler Wade beat out an infield hit and D.J. LeMahieu doubled him home. 5-1.  Luke Voit singled LeMahieu to third. After two outs, it appeared the Yanks wouldn’t score anymore, but a PB by Angels’ C Jonathan Lucroy (who has made a couple of costly mistakes this series) enabled LeMahieu to score. 5-2 Angels.

The Yanks tied it in the seventh, but could have had more. The Yanks loaded the bases on a walk to Mike Ford, a single by Gio Urshela and a walk to Mike Tauchman. Wade walked to force in a run, 5-3. LeMahieu hit a SF, 5-4. Voit reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Tauchman to tie the game at five.

But then Brett Gardner hit a screaming liner that Mike Trout made a fabulous play on. But in throwing the ball back to the infield, the Angels picked off Tyler Wade with a hidden ball play. Wade can’t do that. You just can’t adjust your feet or come off the bag even for the slightest moment without knowing EXACTLY where that ball is. He was tagged out, inning over.

Wade made up for his gaffe in the ninth. With two outs, he singled and stole second. LeMahieu singled him in for what proved to be the game-winning run.

Kudos to Jonathan Loaisiga for relieving CC and shutting down the Angels to enable the Yanks to come back and win the game.

Not a good first game back for Gary Sanchez, who took the “Golden Sombrero”, 0 for 4 with 4 strikeouts.

LeMahieu 2 hits, 3 RBI, GW RBI.
Wade 2 hits, RBI

Sabathia 5 IP, 5 R, 4 ER, 6 H, 0 W, 3 K. Gave up 3 HR.  2.40
Loaisiga (W, 1-0, 2.70) 3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Chapman (S, 4) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.  2.70

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Game 19. Yanks beat KC, 6-2.

The Yanks (9-10) did get good news on Sanchez and Andujar coming off of the DL soon.

CC was ok and got the win. He needs 3 more wins  for 250 and six more K’s for 3000.

Brett Gardner is only hitting .200 but he is making his hits count. HR #5 made it 2-1 Yankees, who were losing at the time in the bottom of the third after KC scored an unearned run in the top of the inning.

In the fitth, Mike Tauchman HR’d (2) to put the Yanks up 3-1.

KC cut it to 3-2 in the top of the sixth but the Yanks came right back with two runs.

Aaron Judge doubled, Luke Voit walked, and Gleyber Torres singled to load the bases. D.J. LeMahieu hit a SF that Billy Hamilton of KC made a great play on to save it from being a bases-clearing hit. Judge scored, Voit moved to third. Voit scored on a PB when Clint Frazier walked.

Frazier, and also Gleyber Torres, made great defensive plays in the game.

In the seventh, Kyle Higashioka doubled. Tyler Wade (two hits on the night) beat out a bunt single and Higashioka scored when the ball was thrown away. Wade was thrown out trying to go to second.

Sabathia (W, 1-0, 0.00) 5 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 H, 4 W, 5 K.
Cessa (H, 1) 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K.  1.93
Ottavino (H, 3) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.  0.90
Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 2.84
Britton 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.  3.24

Gio Gonzalez was supposed to pitch for SWB last night but the game was postponed. He’s only had three outings since the Yanks signed him, and his opt-out is today. He fired his agent, Scott Boras, and is expected to opt out today.

The Yanks did make a depth move. With Bird out a while, the Yanks signed Logan Morrison to a minor league deal with an opt-out date of July 1. Morrison is the guy who, two years ago, criticized Gary Sanchez being in the HR derby instead of himself. Morrison doesn’t hit much for average (.239 career) but does have some pop. Morrison only hit .186-15-39 for the Twins last year (OPS+ 74) but did hit 38 HR for Tampa Bay in 2017. His 162 g. average is .239-23-71, OPS+ 105. He can play 1B/LF/RF. He’ll get $1MM, probably pro-rated, if he makes the majors. He’ll go to extended spring training, then to AAA.

Ex-Yankee Mike Pagliarulo has been fired as Marlins’ hitting coach.

Minor League Report.

AAA: SWB (7-4) won 9-5. 2B Thairo Estrada 2 hits, RBI. 1B Mike Ford 2 hits, 3 RBI. HR.  (.471=5-14). Doing much better than Greg Bird right now. DH Ryan McBroom solo HR. SS Gosuke Katoh 2 hits, RBI. LF Zach Zehner 2 hits. C Kellin Deglan 2 run HR.

Gio Gonzalez 5 IP, 2 R, 8 H, 2 W, 8 K. Interesting call coming up for the Yanks soon.  I really don’t know if he has pitched well enough to be brought up to the big league club yet. Opt out date, April 20.

AA:  Trenton won 10-0 to go to 6-3 on the season. SS Kyle Holder 2 hits, 2 RBI. RF Ben Ruta 3 hits, 3 RBI. C Francisco Diaz 2 hits, RBI. Despite 3 pitchers giving up 6 hits and 8 walks, an ugly shutout. The other team was 0 for 15 w/risp and stranded 13.

High A: Tampa (4-7) won 4-3 DH Dermis Garcia 2 hits, 2 RBI. RF Isiah Gilliam 2 hits, 2 RBI, HR. Rony Garcia 5 shutout IP.

Low A: Charleston (5-6) lost 11-2, getting just 4 hits.

 

Minor League Report. Gio rebounds nicely.

AAA: SWB (3-3) wins 5-1 over Lehigh Valley. Gio Gonzalez, who after the Yanks had signed him to a minor league deal, gave up 13 R, 12 ER in six innings in his first two appearances (one spring training and one AAA game) , put it together last night, pitching six shutout innings, giving up just 3 hits, and striking out 10. He walked one.

DH Mike Ford and SS Thairo Estrada each had 2 hits and an RBI. CF Billy Burns 2 hits.

With Luis Severino shut down, and, it appears, out until late June/early July, Gonzalez could now become an option for the Yankees’ rotation, or even the bullpen.

Another option could be signing free agent Dallas Keuchel.

But both options as far as the rotation goes, would most likely affect Domingo German, who so far, has pitched very well. As far as the bullpen, it most likely would affect Stephen Tarpley.

AA: Trenton (3-2) won 7-2. 2B Wendell Rijo 2-run HR. SS Hoy Jun Park solo HR. DH Rashad Crawford 2 hits. 3B Angel Aguilar 2 hits, 2 RBI. Three bullpen pitchers 5 IP, 0 R, 1 H.

High A: Tampa (2-4) lost 9-8. DH Matt Pita 3 hits, 4 RBI. 1B Dermis Garcia 2 RBI. 3B Oswaldo Cabrera 2 hits. Starter Rony Garcia 5 IP, 1 R, 7 K. End of game bullpen meltdown.

Low A: Charleston (3-3) lost both games of a DH, 17-3, then 8-3.

Game 1: CF Josh Stowers 2 hits. 2B Kyle Gray a 3-run HR.
Luis Medina 2 IP, 10 R, 10 H, 4 W, 3 K. Gave up 3 HR
Rodney Hutchinson 3 2/3 IP, 7 R, 3 H, 4 W, 3 K. Also gave up 3 HR.

Game 2: Got just four hits.
Alex Vizcaino 4 2/3 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 W, 7 K
Aaron McGarity (L) 1 1/3 IP, 6 R, 7 H, 1 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR.

Game 11. Bullpen blues. Yanks lose late again, 6-3. Severino shut down for 6 weeks.

The bullpen, supposed to be a strength of this Yankees’ (5-6) team, so far hasn’t been. Leading 3-2 going into the bottom of the seventh, the Yanks’ bullpen gave up four runs after that as the Yanks lost 6-3 to Houston.

Clint Frazier had, let’s say, an interesting night in LF playing defense, and Brett Gardner made a mistake on a bunt attempt in thinking a ball was foul when it was fair. That resulted in bunting into a DP.

Jonathan Loaisiga (who was sent down after the game, what with CC coming back off of the DL) struck out the side in the first, but Houston worked up his pitch count and he was gone after just three innings. He did strike out five in those three innings.

Luke Voit homered (3) for the Yanks in the first, and Gary Sanchez had a two-run double in the sixth.

Loaisiga 3 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 2 W, 5 K. 3.86
Tarpley 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 6.75
Cessa 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 2 K.  1.29
Holder (BS, 1) 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K.  5.40
Green (L, 0-2. 9.00) 2/3 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 2 W, 0 K.
Kahnle 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 R, 0 H, 2 K. 0.00

So far this season, we’ve seen Chapman take a loss, Green take two losses, Ottavino one. Not the bullpen that was expected so far.

Luis Severino has a grade 2 lat strain and has been shut down for six weeks. Since he’ll need to build himself back up (basically have to go through a “spring training”), we won’t see him on the mound for the Yanks until late June/early July at the earliest.

Gio Gonzalez (see minor league report) is a possibility. Gio rebounded well last night from two prior poor performances. Gio can opt out if not with the Yanks April 20.

Another possibility could be looking into free agent Dallas Keuchel.

 

Minor League Report. Gio stinks, Schmidt dominates.

Opening Day for the minors. AA Trenton opens up Friday.

AAA: SWB lost 8-3. Gio Gonzalez was horrible, giving up 8 runs in 4 IP. LF Trey Amburgey 3 hits. CF Matt Lipka 2 hits, 2-run HR.

High A: Clarke Schmidt, RHP, 23, the first-round pick of the Yanks in the 2017 draft, missed most of 2018 recovering from injury, but dominated last night for Tampa, throwing five no-hit innings and striking out 9. Tampa lost 4-3, however, blowing a 3-1 lead they took into the bottom of the ninth. DH Dermis Garcia and 1B Steven Sensley each had 2 hits and an RBI.

Low A: Charleston won 2-1. 1B Eric Wagaman 2 hits. 2B Kyle Gray 2 hits, RBI.

Roansy Contreras 5 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 0 W, 6 K.
Aaron McGarity 4 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 4 K. (S)

 

Game 7. Yanks hit 4 HR (2 by Gleyber) to win 8-4.

After the first inning, it didn’t look good. James Paxton gave up 3 runs in the first, and one run scored on a balk, another via a WP.

Gleyber Torres homered in the third, but after five innings, it was 4-1 Orioles and you feared the worst.

But in the fifth, Sanchez homered (3) to make it 4-2 and later that inning, Torres homered (2) to give the Yanks a 5-4 lead.

Luke Voit, who was slumping, hit a 3-run HR (2) in the top of the ninth for the cushion and the final score of 8-4.

The win puts the Yanks at 3-4 on the season. Tampa Bay is off to a good start, but take a look at Boston, 2-6.

Paxton did settle in after the first inning to get the win.

Torres 4 for 4. Single, double, 2 HR, 4 RBI
Voit HR, 3 RBI
Sanchez HR
Gardner 2 hits

Tough day for Aaron Judge, who may be trying to do too much to carry the team with all the injuries. 0 for 5, 4 strikeouts.

Paxton (W, 1-1, 4.09)  5 1/3 IP, 4 R, 8 H, 2 W, 9 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Kahnle (H, 1) 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 0.00
Britton (H, 2) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 0.00
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 4.50.

Greg Booker, a setup man who pitched for the Padres in the 1984 WS, passed away, age 58.  1983-1989 SD, Twins 1989, Giants 1990. 5-7, 3.89 in MLB career, ERA+ 95.

HOF manager Bobby Cox, mostly known for his managerial work for the Braves, but a Yankees’ 3B 1968-1969, is in the hospital after what appears to be a stroke. Prayers go out to him.

The Yanks are off Friday.

The Yanks did make a move, acquiring Jake Barrett from the Pirates and he will go to AAA SWB.

From Pinstripe Alley

In order to make room on the 40-man roster, the Yankees moved pitcher Ben Heller to the 60-day injured list.

Barrett has just 93.1 major-league innings to his name, all out of the bullpen with the Diamondbacks, along with a 4.05 ERA. The 27-year-old posted his best season in 2016, when he ran a 3.49 ERA, good for a 129 ERA+, across 59.1 innings. He’s spent little time in the majors since, making just seven appearances in 2018, allowing four runs in seven innings in the process.

He did play well in the minors last season, maintaining a 2.87 ERA in 53.1 innings for Triple-A Reno. Barrett struck out 11.3 batters per nine, but also ran a 4.9 BB/9 rate. According to Statcast, during Barrett’s brief time in the bigs last year, he relied heavily on his fastball, throwing his four-seamer 60% of the time. His slider made up 35% of his repertoire, while a splitter served as more of a show-me pitch with 5% usage. He averaged just over 94 mph on his fastball.

Now that the minor league season has started, I’ll be posting reports on the Yanks’ farm teams.

Spoiler alert: Gio Gonzalez sucked for SWB in their opener Thursday. Minor league Report coming tomorrow morning.