The Yanks had split squad games, one at home in the afternoon and one on the road at night.
This is the afternoon game. Anthony Volpe (more on him in a bit) homered, and Gerrit Cole was in midseason form, but Albert Abreu blew a Yankees lead late and the Yanks (10-16-2 in spring training) lost to the Twins, 6-4.
Meanwhile it was reported that Carlos Rodon should be ready in early May. He will miss the first month of the season.
The race for the SS job may come down to the last day, but as far as I’m concerned, I’d go with Volpe. A few tidbits, most if not all by Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Volpe, if he is the opening day starter, would be the youngest opening day starter since Derek Jeter in 1996.
He would be making his MLB debut. Since 1951, the only Yankees to make their MLB debut on opening day have been Mickey Mantle in 1951, Jerry Lumpe in 1956 and Hideki Matsui in 2003.
The last Yankee players who had rookie qualification to be in the Opening Day lineup were Aaron Judge in 2017 and Brett Gardner in 2009.
Aaron Judge was in LF and threw out a runner at second today. I don’t think CF or LF would be a problem for him.
Volpe 1 for 4, HR, 2 RBI #1 prospect. Will be interesting to see if he is opening day SS. I think he should be. Willie Calhoun 1 for 4. Will be interesting to see if he makes the team. Jose Trevino 2 for 3. Estevan Florial 1 for 2, 2 RBI.
Those are all five of the Yankees’ hits. They were 1 for 10 w/RISP.
Cole 5 2/3 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 0 W, 3 K. Cordero (H) 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. Will he make the bullpen? Abreu (BS, L) 1 1/3 IP, 5 R, 4 H, 1 W, 0 K. Gave up 2 HR. M. Gomez 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
There hasn’t been too much to write about lately. A great Super Bowl was won by the Chiefs, 38-35, over the Eagles, who blew a 24-14 halftime lead. But one announcement was made by Fox during the Super Bowl.
And that was that Derek Jeter will be joining the Fox broadcasting team as a studio analyst this baseball season.
We will see if he is as good at that as he was playing SS for the Yanks all those years.
At the press conference yesterday to announce his signing, Aaron Judge was named the Yankees’ captain, their first since the retirement of Derek Jeter after the 2014 season.
A press conference regarding Carlos Rodon’s signing will be today.
In order to make room on the team for the signing of Tommy Kahnle, Lucas Luetge was DFA’d.
Sad news: Another part of my childhood is gone. I am a Steelers fan and growing up in the 1970s the Immaculate Reception kind of sealed the deal as far as me becoming a fan of the Steelers. Just a few days before the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception, and a few days before weekend celebrations about that play, and a few days before the Steelers were to retire his #32 at halftime of the Steelers/Raiders game Saturday evening, Franco Harris died at the age of 72. RIP, Franco.
The Yankees played 11 games vs. Houston this year. They won two, both in walk off fashion, and none in Houston. It was apparent Houston had the Yanks’ number. They Yanks hardly led at all in all 11 games.
That carried over to the ALCS, in which the Astros swept the Yanks out of, winning Game 4 6-5. I didn’t think the Yanks would beat Houston, although I was hoping. You have to separate your head from your heart. You think with your brain, not with your heart. But I didn’t think they would get swept. Ouch.
And what REALLY hurts? Of that 2-9 record (including the ALCS) this year, 4 of the losses were by 1 run, and another 3 by 2 runs. As if losing itself didn’t hurt, that was just twisting the knife.
It marked the fifth straight time the Yanks lost in the ALCS since last going to (and winning) the WS in 2009 (2010, 2012, 2017, 2019, 2022). The last three ALCS losses were all to the Astros.
There needs to be change, from the top down, within the Yankees’ organization. Otherwise, it’ll be the same old same old next year too. They have to break this pattern in order to advance further.
Many are calling for Derek Jeter to be the new GM and Don Mattingly to be his manager. Although I love both Yankees legends, and that would be the popular move, let’s step back and take a look at that. First off, with Jeter as CEO and Mattingly manager of the Marlins, the Marlins didn’t exactly do well, did they? Granted they didn’t have the talent or financial resources the Yankees do, but you didn’t even see year to year gradual improvement, did you? Here are the win totals, not counting 2020 (the 60 game Covid season) under Mattingly. 79-77-63-57-67-69. I would be more interested if they were on a gradual uphill climb, like 60-65-73-77-85 something like that. You didn’t see that. When Donnie managed the talented and much more financially stable Dodgers, he was ok (82-86-92-94-92), but he couldn’t get them in to the WS. His overall winning percentage, Dodgers and Marlins, is under .500. And as for Jeter, do you really think he would take a position (GM) in which he could be fired? Jeter doesn’t want to work for a boss, he wants to BE the boss. CEO or owner. If he was going to come back to the Yankees, it would be as an adviser, not GM. Much like Reggie Jackson was. Oh yeah, guess who Reggie is advising now. Ugh. The Astros.
The Astros are now unbeaten (7-0) in the postseason. They will face the Phillies in the WS. The Phils got lucky and hot. As the #6 seed in the NL, they never would have made the playoffs before this year. But with MLB changing the playoff structure, they snuck in and got hot at the right time. Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies’ President of Baseball Operations, is going to the HOF one day. This is the fourth team he has run that is going to the WS. Their manager, Rob Thomson, hitting coach Kevin Long and reliever David Robertson were all part of the last Yankees team to win a WS back in 2009.
The game started out good for the Yanks. They scored twice in the bottom of the first. Harrison Bader singled, and with one out, Anthony Rizzo was HBP. Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres followed with singles and the Yanks were up 2-0.
In the bottom of the second, the Yanks made it 3-0. Isiah Kiner-Falefa (IF) led off with a double, and two outs later, Aaron Judge walked. A double by Rizzo plated IKF.
But Nestor Cortes, who pitched two scoreless innings, was pitching through a groin injury that caught up to him in the third inning. Two walks and a 3-run HR to start the inning, and Cortes was removed. Wandy Peralta relieved Cortes, and Houston got another run off him. 4-3.
The Yanks tied it in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Bader singled, and with two out, moved to second on a passed ball. Rizzo singled to tie the game at four.
Bader, who had an incredible postseason, hit his FIFTH HR of the postseason to put the Yanks up 5-4 in the sixth.
But with one out in the seventh, it came undone. Jose Altuve got an infield hit, just beating Yankees’ pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga to first on a bang-bang play. Then came a ball that should have been a DP, but the exchange, Torres to IKF, went awry and everyone was safe. The error was charged to Torres, but I think IKF should have at least caught the ball for a force. Whatever, both at fault. Two consecutive singles, off Loaisiga and then Clay Holmes, followed to tie the game and then to give Houston the lead, which they held on to.
The Yanks hit .182 vs. Cleveland in the ALDS. They hit .162 in the ALCS vs. Houston. .173 for the postseason. Aaron Judge, the face of the Yanks, will get criticized (5 for 36, 2 HR, 15 K) but it wasn’t only him (And Judge, although he won’t admit it, was probably gassed from carrying the team the last two months and from the HR chase to 62).
Some other numbers: Jose Trevino was 1 for 22 in the postseason. 6 K. Kyle Higashioka 0 for 6, 5 K. So, neither catcher did anything. Oswaldo Cabrera 2 for 28, with 12 K. Benintendi missed. Tough postseason for the rookie. Stanton 6 for 36, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 9 K. Torres 6 for 34, 10 K. Josh Donaldson 5 for 29, 16 K. No LeMahieu. Matt Carpenter 1 for 12, 9 K.
The only bright spots: Bader,10 for 30 with 5 HR. Rizzo 8 for 29, 2 HR. Kiner-Falefa was 5 for 18, but the shaky fielding…
Game 4 recap:
Bader 3 hits, solo HR Rizzo 2 hits, 2 RBI Torres 2 hits, RBI but critical error
Cortes 2+ IP, 3 R, 2 H, 3 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. Peralta 2 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 W, 1 K. Loaisiga (LOSS) 2 1/3 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. Holmes 2 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Waiting for changes. Hoping they are MASSIVE Changes, from the top down.
Before the game, news regarding C Jose Trevino. He was put on paternity leave. Ben Rortvedt was called up from AAA.
Trevino also is the team nominee for the Roberto Clemente award, given for community service.
With Trevino joining the list of unavailable Yankees due to injury or paternity leave, the lineup was further depleted, and the Yankees (83-56) lost to Tampa Bay 4-2 Friday night. Their lead in the AL East, once 15 1/2, is now 3 1/2.
Even the return of Derek Jeter to Yankee Stadium for the first time in a while didn’t bring any luck.
Some reinforcements back from the IL can’t arrive quickly enough (more on that in a bit), but how good will they be? How rusty?
Yankees’ starter Frankie Montas gave up back-to-back, one out doubles in the first inning, and the Rays were up 1-0.
The Rays got three runs in the fourth, thanks to a couple of misplays by Aaron Hicks, who was then booed mightily and pulled from the game. Harrison Bader can’t arrive soon enough, it seems. I had to laugh and pull a “show me” attitude when Hicks said his goal in spring training was to be a 30/30 guy. Not even close and right now his goal should be just to remain on the team in 2023, which I don’t believe will happen. Hicks contract, with 3 more years to go, is one of the worst in Cashman’s GM history. The Yanks, like they did with Joey Gallo and Sonny Gray, need to know when to cut the cord. As with Gallo and Gray, they’ve stuck with Hicks too long. Once the fans turn on you, you got to go.
With one out in that fourth inning, Ji-Man Choi walked. Montas got the second out, then gave up a single. Wander Franco, just off the IL, and who doubled in the Rays’ first inning rally, doubled again, driving in two runs. Hicks had the ball in his glove at the foul line, but with the side wall approaching, appeared to shy off and dropped it. He thought it was a foul ball and took his time getting the ball back in while two runs scored. Very bad look. Then he misplayed the next drive into another double and the Rays lead went from 1-0 to 4-0. If he makes the first play, the game remains at 1-0. He basically gave away three runs. With the Yankees’ offense compromised, that was like giving away the game. The fans then gave Hicks the “Gallo” treatment, not only booing him but actually chanting “Joey Gallo” at him. It was a bad look and made manager Aaron Boone pull Hicks after the inning.
On top of that, Hicks to that point was 0 for 2, 2 strikeouts, and his batting average dropped to .211.
You can’t have this. The Yanks need to find a taker for him or eat his contract. Like I wrote, when the fans turn on you as they have, you got to go.
This isn’t to be mean at Hicks. It’s just reporting the reality of what happened and what must happen.
The Yanks scored a run in the seventh, thanks to who else? Aaron Judge. Oswald Peraza walked, and with one out, moved to second on a groundout. Judge singled to make the score 4-1.
Kyle Higashioka homered (8) in the bottom of the ninth to make it 4-2. Judge walked with two out in the ninth, but Gleyber Torres, the potential tying run, flied to right to end the game. The ball was caught at the fence.
Giancarlo Stanton became the third Yankee (after Derek Jeter in 2000 and Mariano Rivera in 2013) to be named the All-Star Game MVP as the AL beat the NL 3-2 on Tuesday night.
The All-Star Game MVP began in 1962. No MVPs were selected from 1933-1961.
The NL got two runs in the first inning, highlighted by a solo HR by Paul Goldschmidt of St. Louis, but were shut out the rest of the way.
In the top of the fourth, Stanton hit a 2-run, 457-ft. HR, then the Twins’ Byron Buxton made it back-to-back HR to give the AL the 3-2 lead, and that was all the scoring in the game.
YANKEES Judge 0 for 2, struck out twice. Stanton 1 for 2. Struck out and hit a 2-run HR. ALL STAR GAME MVP. Trevino 1 for 2. Single and groundout. Cortes (HOLD) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 1 HBP Holmes (HOLD) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Since he pitched on Sunday, Gerrit Cole wasn’t able to pitch in the All-Star Game, although he was in attendance.
Meanwhile the Yanks did make a minor move, releasing P Vinnie Nittoli from his AAA contract.
Yankees’ legend Derek Jeter stepped down as CEO of the Marlins yesterday, effective immediately.
While talks to try and get a resolution to the labor deal went on throughout the night, the Yankees named a new assistant hitting coach. Hensley Meulens replaces Eric Chavez, who was named asst. hitting coach but then left to become the hitting coach for the Mets. Meulens was a Yankee OF (with some time at 3B and 1B) from 1989-1993, and was with Montreal in 1997 and Arizona in 1998. He won 3 WS rings as a coach with the SF Giants. He was one of those considered for the managerial job that went to Aaron Boone in 2017. Another person who interviewed for that job was Carlos Beltran, who is now with the YES broadcasting team.
Six new Hall of Famers were named yesterday, and I’ll get into them in a moment, but first some Yankees news.
First off, forget about Freddy Galvis as a possible short-term solution at SS. He’s headed to Japan to play.
Congrats to Yankees’ legend Derek Jeter who became a dad for the third time. Another girl, making 3 girls for him.
The Yanks may have interest in Japanese star Seiya Suzuki. Boston and Toronto also are said to have interest. Suzuki, primarily a RF, has played 3B and SS as well. He is 27 and a righty hitter. But he is pegged as a RF (4 Japanese Gold Gloves) and the Yanks are looking at CF, being that they have Judge for RF (unless they move Judge to CF, which isn’t likely). Suzuki can play CF, but is mostly a RF. But if they get Suzuki for LF, then Joey Gallo may be moved, and maybe moved for a CF. Other teams are said to be interested in Gallo, who only hit .160 for the Yanks after the Yanks got him from Texas. Suzuki hit .317-38-88 for his Japanese team in 2021, with 9 SB, and is a career .300+ hitter over there. In the last 4 years, he’s hit .319 and has averaged 30 HR a season. He doesn’t strike out much, either. (Info from MLBTR.com).
Roger Maris and Allie Reynolds fell far short of induction to the Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee. Maris only got 3 votes or less, and Reynolds got 6, and 12 were needed.
Dick Allen missed by one vote.
Getting in were (and I’ll try to keep bios brief):
Gil Hodges. Hodges started as a catcher, but with Roy Campanella there for Brooklyn, moved to 1B. He also got a little time in at LF, RF and 3B, as well as one game each at 2B and CF. He played for the Dodgers (Brooklyn/LA) in 1943, then 1947-1961, and with the Mets 1962-1963. An 8x All-Star, he was on 2 WS Champs, 1955 and 1959. He hit 370 HR, including 4 in one game. He got MVP consideration 9x, and finished in the top 10 3x. He won 3 Gold Gloves. Hodges drove in 100 or more runs in each season 1949-1955. A Marine, he served in WWII. Twice he topped 40 HR in a season. His 162 g. average was .273-29-100, OPS+ 120. In WS play he hit .267-5-21 in 39 games. Later he became manager of the Senators (1963-1967) and Mets (1968-1971). He managed the Mets to the 1969 WS Championship. He was 321-444 as manager of Washington, and 339-309 as Mets manager. His #14 is retired by the Mets. He died of a heart attack two days before his 48th birthday in April of 1972. Played in WS of 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956 and 1959.
Jim Kaat. 16 Gold Glove Awards. 283 career wins (meanwhile, Tommy John, with 288 wins, is still not in the HOF). Washington Senators 1959-1960, Minnesota Twins 1961-1973, Chicago White Sox 1973-1975, Phillies 1976-1979, Yankees 1979-1980, Cardinals 1980-1983. 3x All-Star, WS Champ 1982. 5th in MVP voting in 1966 when Kaat led the AL with 25 wins. 1965 AL Pennant with Twins. Also a 20 game winner in 1974 and 1975. MVP consideration 1967 and 1975 as well, CYA consideration 1975. Average 162 game season 13-11, 3.45, ERA+ 108. Long time broadcaster. Hit .185 with 16 HR. Went 1-3, 4.01 in 9 postseason games, 5 starts. Went up against Koufax 3x in 1965 WS, going 1-2. 1965 AL Pennant, 1969, 1970, 1976, 1977, 1978 division champs, 1982 WS Champs.
Minnie Minoso. OF. Indians 1949, 1951. White Sox 1951-1957. Indians again, 1958-1959. White Sox again, 1960-1961. Cardinals 1962. Senators 1963. White Sox again, 1964, 1976!, 1980! Played at age 50 in 1976, going 1 for 8, and got in two games at age 54 in 1980. 9x All Star. Also Negro Leagues star 1946-1948. 2nd in ROY to Gil McDougald in 1951, when he was 4th in MVP voting. Led Majors in triples and AL in SB that year. Twice more led AL in triples, twice more in SB. 5x top 10 in MVP voting. 8x MVP consideration. 3x Gold Glove. 162 game average .291-16-91 with 18 SB, OPS+130. #9 retired by White Sox.
Tony Oliva. Twins 1962-1976. #6 retired by Twins. 3x Batting Champ. ROY 1964 and 4th in MVP voting. 2nd in MVP voting 1965, 1970. 5x top 10 mvp voting. MVP consideration 8x. Serious knee injury cost him most of 1972 season. Wasn’t the same after 1971. From 1964-1971 averaged .313-24-99 for 162 games, OPS+ 140. Led league in hits 5x, doubles 4x. Hit .314 in 13 postseason games with 3 HR, 5 RBI. 1965 AL Pennant, 1969 and 1970 division champs.
Buck O’Neil. 1st black coach in MLB history. Featured prominently in Ken Burns’ documentary on baseball giving his first hand account of life in the Negro Leagues. 1B in the Negro Leagues 1937-1943, 1946-1948. Career interrupted by WWII. 337 Negro League games, hit .258-9-175. OPS+ 97. In as Pioneer/Executive. Helped create the Negro Leagues Hall of Fame. Led Negro Leagues in doubles and RBI in 1940. 3x Negro Leagues All-Star. Won 1942 Negro Leagues WS. Managed 1948 Negro Leagues KC Monarchs, went 62-32. 1st place, lost that Negro Leagues WS in 7 games.
Bud Fowler. P, 3B, 2B. Black player in 1878, 1884-1890, and 1895. Often teams wouldn’t play if he played, because of his skin color, and that included his teammates. As a result, he played for many teams. Because of the time frame (he lived 1858-1913), records on him are sketchy.
Yes, we Yankees fans should worry. The Yanks lost their fifth straight game Wednesday night, and ninth in their last eleven games, 6-3 to Toronto. Toronto has won seven in a row. They are surging. With the loss, the Yanks dropped out of the top wild card slot and are in danger of missing the playoffs altogether.
The division is over. Tampa Bay has a 9 game lead over Boston (9 1/2 over the 78-61 Yanks) with only 23 games to go.
But here is where it gets scary.
Bos 80-62 === 1st wc slot (would host WC game) NYY 78-61 1/2 game behind Boston. Has 2nd and last WC spotfor now. Tor 76-62 2 games behind Boston and just 1 1/2 behind the Yankees. Sea 76-64 3 behind Boston, just 2 1/2 behind the Yankees. Oak 75-64 3 1/2 behind Boston and just 3 behind the Yankees.
The Yanks seem out of gas and running on fumes. Hopefully they have something left in the tank but they haven’t looked good recently and yes, we should worry.
Starter Luis Gil’s scoreless streak to start his career ended in the fourth inning at 19 innings. Gil only gave up 1 hit, but walked 7. With one out in the top of the fourth, three straight walks loaded the bases. Lucas Luetge came in to relieve Gil and a run scored on a WP. An out later, a single made it 3-0 (batter made last out at second trying to stretch the hit into a double).
The Yanks did tie the game in the bottom of the fifth. Joey Gallo led off with a single, and one out later, Rougned Odor walked. With two out, Brett Gardner homered (7) to tie the game at 3.
These appear to be the last games of Gardner’s career. Nothing has been said, but at age 38, it appears this may be it.
A mistake by SS Andrew Velazquez led to Toronto getting a run in the seventh. A slow dribbler for a single that Velazquez tried to make a play on. He barehanded the ball and should have eaten it when the ball started to crawl up his wrist. Instead he threw to first—-not with a good grip—and the throwing error enabled the hitter to reach second. Two outs later, a single drove in the runner. 4-3 Toronto, and that turned out to be the winning run.
A triple and SF made it 5-3 Toronto in the eighth inning, and Vlad Guerrero, Jr. hit a HR (41) in the ninth to make it 6-3, which was the final score.
Could Guerrero, Jr., just 22 now, turn out even better than his Hall-of-Fame father?
Gardner 3-run HR (7) Stanton 2 hits.
Gil 3 1/3 IP, 3 R, 1 H, 7 W, 6 K. 1 WP 1.42. Just 1 H, 6 K. But wild with the 7 walks. Luetge 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 W, 1 K. 1 WP 2.74 Rodriguez 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 4.65 (Tex/NYY) Holmes (L, 6-3) 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. 4.21 (Pit/NYY) Green 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W 2 K. 3.13 Chapman 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 W, 1 K. 1 WP. Gave up 1 HR. 3.86. More concerns here. Peralta 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 3.98 (SF/NYY)
Yesterday was the induction day at the Hall of Fame for Derek Jeter.
The Miami Marlins, a team managed by one Yankees legend (Don Mattingly) and run by another (CEO Derek Jeter) beat the Yanks 4-3 in 10 innings last night. The win ensured the Marlins (the Marlins! One of MLBs worst in recent years) a playoff spot. Their first in 17 years, when they beat the Yanks in the 2003 WS.
For the Yanks, however, it was their fifth loss in their last six games. I don’t know what to think of this team. So inconsistent. From 16-6 to 5-15 to 10-0 to 1-5. That has been their season so far. Which team shows up in the postseason? Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde?
Once again, they were sloppy, committing four errors. Once again, an error by Gary Sanchez, another by Gleyber Torres.
With the loss, it is certain that the Yankees will not host a postseason game at Yankee Stadium. They will be the #5 or the #8 seed. At present, they are the #5 seed and would go to #4 Cleveland (who are tied with the White Sox but who own the tiebreaker) for the first round. They still could wind up in Chicago or Minnesota. Even worse, if they continue losing today and tomorrow (and they have two rookies starting in Deivi Garcia and Clarke Schmidt) they could fall to the #8 spot, 3rd in the AL East, behind Toronto. Right now they are only one game ahead of Toronto. At #8 they as of now would head to Tampa Bay, against whom they were 2-8 this season.
We probably won’t know until the last minute.
One thing we do know. The Yankees better snap out of their funk or their postseason will be a short one.
The Marlins got off to a quick 3-0 lead when, after two outs and then two walks, one-time (briefly) Yankee Garrett Cooper hit a 3-run HR off of J.A. Happ in the first inning.
Manager Aaron Boone was tossed in the bottom of the first for arguing a called strike three on Aaron Judge. It was a pathetic call by the home plate umpire. As I wrote many times last year, the umpire has to adjust his strike zone. As Suzyn Waldman said last night, “he can’t help it he’s tall.” Judge’s knees aren’t where a normal person’s knees are. He is 6’7″ . Knee high to a normal person isn’t knee high to Judge. Even worse, on a side view of the pitch crossing the plate, the pitch was just above his ANKLE, far from knee high. Terrible call, and Boone was tossed after the first pitch to Aaron Hicks, called a strike that appeared low as well.
MLB needs to do something about umpires like that. They need to adjust to the hitter’s strike zone, especially if that hitter is tall.
The Yanks got two runs in the third. With two out, D.J. LeMahieu walked and Aaron Judge doubled. A double by Hicks brought home D.J. and Judge.
In the eighth, the Yanks tied the game. Sanchez singled and was PR for by Mike Tauchman. He moved up on an error on a pickoff attempt and with two out, Judge singled him home to tie the game.
To extras, and that “man on second to start the inning” rule (which I hate). A bunt moved the runner to third. Then, a huge error by Kyle Higashioka. With the infield in, a grounder to Gleyber Torres, who ran at the runner on third before throwing home to Higashioka. Rundown. Higashioka ran the runner back towards third but his throw hit the runner, Monte Harrison, with the batter, Starling Marte, advancing all the way to second. No outs on the play. 2nd and 3rd. A SF gave Miami a 4-3 lead.
The anguish didn’t stop there.
The Yanks started the bottom of the tenth with their man on second, Tyler Wade, pinch-running for Gio Urshela. Torres walked. Once again, Higashioka didn’t come through, popping up a bunt. The Yanks have NO sac bunts this year. NONE. Then a double steal, and a walk to Clint Frazier that loaded the bases. So Higashioka’s failure to bunt didn’t seem to hurt, especially with D.J. LeMahieu up.
SF ties the game. A hit most likely wins it.
Instead a GIDP. Game over. Yanks lose, 4-3. Agonizing.
The Sommer Frieze 
