Minor leagues. 5/16/2024. 2 hits for the Martian on Rehab. 3 K for Kahnle on rehab (1-2-3).

All stats are for that level only.

AAA: SWB (28-13) lost 13-12.

2B Caleb Durbin 2 hits, 2 RBI.
1B T.J. Rumfield 2 hits, RBI
C Carlos Narvaez 3 hits, 2 RBI
LF Taylor Trammell 2 hits, 3 RBI
DH Oscar Gonzalez 2 RBI
RF Jose Rojas 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR (8th)

Edgar Barclay 3 2/3 IP, 6 R, 7 H, 3 W, 3 K, Gave up 2 HR. 5.84
Yerry De Los Santos 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 6.19
Oddanier Mosqueda (BS, 3) 2/3 IP, 6 R, 4 H, 2 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.12
Alex Mauricio 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 W, 1 K. 1.45
Art Warren 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 16.20
Ron Marinaccio (L, 0-1) 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR. 1.35

AA: Somerset (17-18) lost 5-1, getting just 4 hits.

Brock Selvidge (L, 3-2) 6 IP, 5 R, 4 H, 4 W, 8 K. Gave up 2 HR 3.00 #11 prospect.
Tommy Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. 0.00 REHAB
Jack Neely 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 1 WP. 1.53 #26 prospect.
Leonardo Pestana 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 0.00

High A: Hudson Valley (18-15) won 8-5.

2B Roc Riggio 2 hits #19 prospect.
SS Jared Serna 2 hits, RBI solo HR (6) #20 prospect.
CF Jace Avina 2 hits, 2 RBI; 2-run HR (3)
C Rafael Flores 3 hits, RBI

Jackson Fristoe 3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2 W, 5 K. 5.29
Trent Sellers (W, 4-1) 1 2/3 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 0 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR 3.00
Mason Vinyard (H, 1) 2 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 3 K. 1 WP. 1.59
Joel Valdez (S, 2) 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.33

Low A: Tampa (11-25) lost 3-1.

DH Jasson Dominguez “The Martian” 2 hits REHAB #1 prospect.
CF Jackson Castillo solo HR (3)

Cade Smith (L, 1-2) 4 1/3 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 5 H, 5 W, 3 K. 2.97 #25 prospect.
Ocean Gabonia 3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 4 K. 5.00
Kris Bow 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. 4.20

Minor leagues. 5/14/2024. The Martian and Vivas start rehab. Kahnle on Rehab. 12th HR for Ramirez at AA. Pereira gets #10 at AAA.

All stats are for that level only.

AAA: SWB (27-12) lost 8-4.

RF Everson Pereira 3 hits, RBI. Solo HR (10). #6 prospect.
1B T.J. Rumfield 2 hits, RBI.
LF Taylor Trammell 2 hits.
SS Jeter Downs 2 hits.

Will Warren (L, 3-2) 4 IP, 8 R, 9 H, 2 W, 6 K. Gave up 2 HR. 6.27 #8 prospect.
Clayton Andrews 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 6.43
Art Warren 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 3 K. 20.25
Ron Marinaccio 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 1 HBP. 0.00

AA: Somerset (16-17) lost 11-10.

C Augustin Ramirez 4 hits, 5 RBI. Solo HR (12). #22 prospect.
RF Grant Richardson 2 hits.
LF Elijah Dunham 2 hits, 2 RBI.

Trystan Vrieling (L, 2-4) 4 2/3 IP, 9 R, 9 H, 2 W, 3 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.99 #24 prospect.
Colby White 1/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 WP. Gave up 1 HR. 27.00
Tommy Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. 0.00 REHAB
Josh Maciejewski 2 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 W, 5 K. 2 Balks. 5.06
Carlos Gomez 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 0.59

High A: Hudson Valley (16-15) won 8-5.

2B Roc Riggio 2 hits, RBI. #19 prospect.
LF Jesus Rodriguez 2 hits, RBI.
DH Kiko Romero 2 RBI.
CF Nelson Medina 2 RBI.

Cam Schlittler 5 IP, 4 R, 5 H, 1 W, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.03
Hueston Morrill (W, 1-1) 1 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. 5.87
Cole Ayers (S, 2) 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 4 K. 2.29

Low A: Tampa (10-24) lost 4-3.

2B Jorbit Vivas 0 for 1, 2 walks REHAB #16 prospect
DH Jasson Dominguez “The Martian” 1 for 3, walk. #1 prospect.
PH/DH Manuel Palencia 1 for 1, RBI
LF Jackson Castillo 2 hits, RBI

Gabriel Barbosa (L, 0-5) 4 IP, 4 R, 6 H, 0 W, 8 K. 1 HBP. Gave up 1 HR. 5.46
Osiel Rodriguez 2 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 2 K. 2.25
Cade Austin 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 4.03
Montana Semmel 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.56

Minor league action. 5/11/24. Kahnle on rehab. Four Top 30 prospects shine at AA.

All stats are for that level only.

AAA: SWB (26-11) split a DH.
Game 1: lost 15-3.

C Carlos Narvaez 2 hits.

Edgar Barclay (L, 3-2) 4 IP, 8 R, 6 H, 3 W, 2 K. Gave up 3 HR. 4.86
Cody Morris 1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 3 W, 1 K. 1.56
Clayton Andrews 1 IP, 3 R, 1 H, 2 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR. 7.50
Jose Rojas 1 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 1 W, 0 K. Gave up 1 HR. 27.00 POSITION PLAYER

Game 2: won 5-3.

1B T.J. Rumfield 2 RBI.
RF Oscar Gonzalez solo HR (2)
LF Rojas solo HR (7)

Cody Poteet (W, 3-0) 5 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 1 W, 9 K. 1 WP, 1 Balk. Gave up 1 HR. 3.68
Anthony Misiewicz (S, 3) 2 IP, 0 R< 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 3.00

AA: Somerset was supposed to play a DH. They only got one game in.
Somerset won that game, 7-3.

CF Spencer Jones 2 hits, 3 RBI. #2 prospect.
C Ben Rice 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR (8th). #13 prospect.
1B Agustin Ramirez 2 hits. #22 prospect.
DH Grant Richardson 2 hits, 2 RBI.
3B J.C. Escarra 3 hits.

Brock Selvidge (W, 3-1) 7 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 3 W, 5 K. 1 WP. 1 HBP. Gave up 1 HR. 2.18 #11 prospect.

High A: Hudson Valley lost 6-5 in 8 innings.

C/3B Jesus Rodriguez 2 RBI
1B Rafael Flores 2 hits, RBI

Kyle Carr 4 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 4 W, 7 K. 5.64 #12 prospect.
Matt Keating 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. 4.00
Cole Ayers (BS, 1) 1 1/3 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 W, 3 K. 1 WP. 2.60
Steven Fulgencio (L, 1-1) 1/3 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 12.00

Low A: Tampa (10-22) lost 9-4.

2B Brenny Escanio 2 for 2.
3B Hans Montero 2 hits.
DH Tomas Frick 2 hits.
C Manuel Palencia 2 hits.

Tommy Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 0.00 REHAB
Josh Grosz (L, 1-3) 4 IP, 6 R, 2 ER, 5 H, 3 W, 6 K. Gave up 2 HR. 6.66
Cade Austin 1 2/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 W, 2 K. 2 HBP. Gave up 1 HR 4.29
Montana Semmel 1 1/3 IP, 0 R< 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.65
Kris Bow 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.73

Minors. 5/8/2024. Pereira hits Walkoff HR. Kahnle starts Rehab.

All stats for that level only.

AAA: SWB (24-10) scored 3 in the bottom of the 9th to win 5-3.
Caleb Durbin game-tying double. Everson Pereira walk off 2-run HR.

I wrote about Durbin in a recent post. If Yanks somehow want to eat Gleyber’s contract ($14MM this year, free agent at end of the season), Durbin, in his last 103 minor league games (approx.) has hit around .300-6-50, 51 SB, about 50 walks, only 33 strikeouts. In 124 games at second base, only five errors. Leadoff hitter at SWB. Small, only 5’6″. Altuve sized. 24 years old. Nope, never heard of him before. Would love a scouting report from someone who has seen him. But all anyone needs is a chance. Who knows? In any case, Gleyber has to get it going. If not, this kid is breathing down his neck.

Durbin 2 hits, RBI. Game-tying double in 9th.
Pereira 2 RBI. 2-run walk off HR (9) #6 prospect.

Clayton Beeter 5 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 3 W, 6 K. 1 WP. Gave up 1 HR. 2.89 #14 prospect.
Cody Morris 1 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 3 K. Gave up 1 HR. 1.65
Oddanier Mosqueda 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.50
Phil Bickford (W, 2-0) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 2.92

AA: Somerset (13-15) lost 3-0.

SS Benjamin Cowles 2 hits.

Trystan Vrieling (L, 2-3) 6 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 6 H, 1 W, 4 K. 3.34 #24 prospect.
Leonardo Pestana 1 IP, 0 R, 1H, 0 W, 1 K. 0.00
Luis Velasquez 1 IP, 0 R 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 7.24

High A: Hudson Valley (14-12) lost 6-5.

2B Roc Riggio solo HR (2) #19 prospect.
SS Jared Serna 2 RBI. #20 prospect.
1B Kiko Romero solo HR (3)

Baron Stuart 4 1/3 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 2 W, 3 K. 2 WP, 1 HBP. 4.50
Trent Sellers (L, 3-1) 2/3 IP, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 4 W, 1 K. 2.12
Matt Keating 2 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.32
Cole Ayers 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.69

Low A: Tampa (10-20) won 9-8.

SS Oswald Peraza 0 for 2 REHAB
DH Tyler Hardman 3 hits 4 RBI 2-run HR #27 prospect. REHAB
1B Dylan Jasso 3 hits, RBI
3B Willy Montero 2 hits
RF Coby Morales 3 hits, RBI.
C Tomas Frick 2 hits, 2 RBI.

Tommy Kahnle 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 0.00 REHAB
Cade Smith 4 2/3 IP, 6 R, 3 ER, 6 H, 1 W, 5 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.77 #25 prospect.
Aaron Nixon (W, 1-0) 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 1 Balk. 2.87
Ocean Gabonia (S, 1) 2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 3 K. 5.84

S.T. Game 15. Peraza out at least 2 months (more like 3?) Cortes gets roughed up as Yanks lose, 10-7.

It’s only spring training, but I want to see some winning soon. The Yanks lost again, and fell to 5-9-1 in spring training, losing to the Twins today (Saturday) 10-7.

Before the game, they got hit with the injury bug. Oswald Peraza has been shut down for 6-8 weeks because of a problem with his throwing shoulder. Then figure time to ramp up (a new spring training if you will) so figure a good three months? I wouldn’t expect him back with the big club until mid-June at the earliest.

The hitting:

Austin Wells. 2-run HR. It looks as if Wells will get the most playing time at catcher this season. I would guess 95 games to maybe Jose Trevino’s 67 or so, barring injuries. Trevino is scheduled to make his first spring training appearance tomorrow.

Ben Rortvedt is out of options. I would expect the Yankees to look to trade him and not give him away for nothing. Maybe, with the Peraza IL situation, the Yanks can deal Rortvedt for a backup infielder. Oswaldo Cabrera, after hitting just .211 last season, is only hitting .043 (1 for 23) so far this spring. If he doesn’t heat up soon, the Yankees will be more desperate for a backup infielder. Luis Torrens, I think, will be at AAA as the 3rd string, emergency catcher.

Everson Pereira had 2 RBI. He may be included in a deal, however. With Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones as other youngsters in front of him, and with veterans like Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, Alex Verdugo, Trent Grisham, and Giancarlo Stanton on the team, Pereira is squeezed out of playing time in the outfield and off the team. It’ll be interesting to see what becomes of him.

Josh VanMeter hit a 2-run HR. He can be in the running for a backup infield spot, but that was his first hit of the spring, putting him at .059. I still think the Yanks will be shopping around. Jorbit Vivas could make the team, but I still see the Yankees looking around. Don’t be surprised if you see a new face before Opening Day.

Other than Anthony Volpe and Wells, most of the lineup was full of minor leaguers, bench players, and guys (castoffs, for lack of a better word) looking to make a mark and make the team. Not the regulars.

Pitching line and notes:

Byron Buxton just owned Nestor Cortes today. He got two triples and a HR off Nestor, who wasn’t Nasty Nestor today.

Outside of Cortes, the other pitchers were minor leaguers or guys trying to make the team. Burdi has a shot of making the team, especially since Tommy Kahnle is behind and won’t be with the team on Opening day.

I am worried about Cortes and Rodon’s outings. I wonder if Hal is too and if he may reach into the vault, luxury tax notwithstanding and cough up the $$$ for Snell. I know Trevor Bauer is willing to work for the minimum, but I want no part of him or the public relations disaster he would bring.

I’ve read that Boston was interested in Jordan Montgomery, but after hearing that Monty, 31, wouldn’t budge off his demand for a 7-year deal, moved on from him. I think Snell has come down off his ridiculous original 9-year demand. Snell, 31 also, should be kicking himself over turning down the Yanks’ offer of 6/150. That is Boras for you. He has really screwed over his clients this year.


Nestor Cortes (L, 0-1) 3 1/3 IP, 6 R, 9 H, 1 W, 6 K. Gave up 1 HR. 8.10
Harrison Cohen 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 0.00
Oddanier Mosqueda 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 W, 3 K. 1.69
Nick Burdi 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. 4.50
Dennis Santana 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K. 0.00
Clayton Andrews 2/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. 10.80
Osiel Rodriguez 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 0.00

S.T. Game 12. Some concerns after a 4-3 loss.

The Yankees (5-6-1) lost this afternoon (Wednesday) to Tampa Bay in their spring training game, and with three weeks of spring training to go, there is no need to panic, but there are a few things that I am concerned about which I will address after today’s recap of the game. I’ve gone over a few things in various game recaps before.

Juan Soto 1 for 3, hitting .583 in spring training.
Carlos Narvaez solo HR.
Anthony Rizzo 2 hits. .500 in spring training. He and Soto are looking good.
T.J. Rumfield 1 for 1. See below.
Gleyber Torres 2 for 3, solo HR.
Luis Torrens 1 for 2. See below.

Carlos Rodon (L, 1-1) 3+ IP, 3 R, 5 H, 1 W, 1 K. Gave up 2 HR. 6.35
Luis Velasquez 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1 HBP. 0.00
Luis Gil 2 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 3 K. Gave 1 HR 5.79.
Nick Ramirez 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 5.06
Nick Burdi 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.00

With Tommy Kahnle behind schedule and not going to be ready for Opening Day, there is a good chance Burdi may make the Opening Day roster.

Rodon gave up a HR on his very first pitch. A shaky outing that didn’t alleviate any concerns. You still wonder if we will see the Rodon that was 27-13, 2.67 with a 12.2 K per 9 ratio over 2021 and 2022 for the White Sox and Giants. Where is that guy that was signed by the Yanks? Our concerns about Rodon are still there. Today did nothing to make those go away.

For all the talk from Manager Aaron Boone about D.J. LeMahieu looking good coming into spring training, he’s only hitting .083 so far. Giancarlo Stanton lost a lot of bulk, but is only at .077 after that horrible .191 season he had last year. Alex Verdugo went 0 for 3 today with 3 strikeouts. He is at .091. Panic? No. Concerning? Yes. Hopefully in the next three weeks, by the end of spring training, we see these guys start to rake and Rodon dealing. Also, Oswald Peraza is still looking for his first spring training hit.

As for Luis Torrens, remember that Ben Rortvedt is out of options. Rortvedt could be dealt, or DFA’d if he doesn’t make the team, and as of now, it appears as if the Yanks would go with Wells and Trevino on the team. Torrens could wind up at AAA as a 3rd string catcher/emergency callup. If the Yanks decide that Wells needs more time at AAA, they still might decide that Torrens wins the job as backup catcher over Rortvedt. Just saying to keep an eye on Torrens, here.

Before the game, Tanner Tully was sent back down to minor league camp. After the game, J.C. Escarra and T.J. Rumfield were reassigned to minor league camp.

Jose Trevino (calf strain) will play in his first spring training game on Sunday.

Game 156. Bad weather, light crowd can’t dampen a Yankees’ win, 6-4.

In the Yankees’ last home game of the season, the weather was horrendous, and the crowd was light because of it. The wind made fly balls and pop ups an adventure, as it did on Sunday. But unlike on Sunday, when the Yankees lost, the Yankees (79-77) won a back-and-forth contest today against Arizona, 6-4.

The game was a makeup of the Saturday rainout.

Arizona struck first, as wildness hurt Yankees’ starter Clarke Schmidt in the first inning. With one out, a walk, then with two outs a WP, then a HBP. Then a double for two runs.

The Yanks had two on and no one out in the bottom of the first, but couldn’t score, and in the bottom of the third, a sharp grounder by Aaron Judge with two out and a man on second was snared on a nice play, keeping the Yanks off the board.

The Yanks did tie it up in the bottom of the fourth when Gleyber Torres led off the inning with a double and Austin Wells crushed a 2-run HR (2) into the RF bleachers, 420 feet away.

Both teams were kept off the board until the top of the seventh, when Arizona took a 3-2 lead, but the Yanks tied it right back up in the bottom of the seventh on a 443-ft. HR (2) by Oswald Peraza deep to LF. Judge came up with a man on and two out later on in the inning, but his long drive to RF was caught at the top of the fence. It surely would have been an RBI double, maybe even a two-run HR. It was close. So Judge was robbed twice of hits today.

Arizona kept the yo-yo game going, scoring in the top of the eighth to go up 4-3.

But the Yanks finished off the Diamondbacks with a three-run rally in the bottom of the eighth. Torres and Wells started the inning off with singles, and Anthony Volpe walked to load the bases. After Oswaldo Cabrera struck out, Peraza walked to force in the tying run, and Estevan Florial’s SF put the Yanks up 5-4. Everson Pereira then singled to give the Yanks an insurance run, and Clay Holmes had a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to shut the door.

With the win, the Yanks are now 3 games up on last-place Boston with six games left in the season as they try to avoid the cellar and consign last place to Boston. It’s a small consolation to a disappointing season, but it’s a consolation, nonetheless. Now also to keep that streak of non-losing seasons alive.

The next three games are in Toronto, then the Yanks close out the season this weekend in Kansas City.

Before the game, Tommy Kahnle was put on the IL. His season is over. Matt Bowman was brought up.


LeMahieu 2 hits
Torres 2 hits.
Wells 2 hits, 2 RBI. 2-run HR (2).
Peraza 2 RBI. Solo HR (2).
Pereira 2 hits, RBI.

Schmidt 4 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 3 W, 3 K. 1 WP. 1 HBP 4.65
Weissert 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. 4.15
Ramirez 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. 2.72
Hamilton (W, 3-2) 1 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 2 K. 1 HBP. 2.73
Holmes (S, 22) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 2.95

Game 152. Yanks back at .500 after wasting King’s gem.

When the Yankees started stretching out Michael King to see if he can transition into a starter, I was skeptical. After all, King had a record of 0-6 with an ERA of 6.23 as a starter, as opposed to his very good record as a reliever.

But King has taken his opportunity and run with it. He has done extremely well with this chance, and it looks like he will be in the rotation next year. And there is a domino effect to that, which I will get to.

After this season of injuries, Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes, both of whom were disappointing his year, would join possible CYA winner Gerrit Cole in the rotation. Now add King at #4. If the Yanks can only add 25-year-old Yoshinobu Yamamoto to that. Yamamoto, since 2020, is 55-19 in Japan with an ERA around 1.60. Now it is Japan, but those numbers scream at you.

I do not expect the Yankees to retain Frankie Montas, Domingo German and Luis Severino. Montas and Severino are free agents. The Yanks can use all the money from those three to go after Yamamoto.

If Yamamoto can be signed by the Yankees, then the Yankees still have Clarke Schmidt, Randy Vasquez and Jhony Brito, along with prospects like Clayton Beeter, Will Warren, Chase Hampton and the Yankees’ minor league player of the year, Drew Thorpe. The Yanks could trade one or two of them and/or other prospects to fix needs in other areas, such as third base if they are not sold on Oswald Peraza, or left field if they are not sold on Everson Pereira or Oswaldo Cabrera. They could sign Cody Bellinger as a free agent for the outfield and hope when Jasson “The Martian” Dominguez recovers from the Tommy John surgery he had yesterday (expected recovery time frame 9-10 months) that they could have an outfield of Dominguez/Bellinger/Judge. Or, if another prospect develops, move Bellinger to 1B to replace Rizzo, and have an OF of say, Spencer Jones/Dominguez/Judge, or replace Jones with Cabrera or Pereira or…. you get the idea.

Anyway, King in the rotation with Yamamoto opens up possibilities to improve elsewhere.

All King did last night to make his case was to pitch seven innings, give up just one run, and strike out 13.

Alas, the Yankees (76-76) wasted his effort. Blame a terrible offensive effort, as well as a terrible job by the bullpen.

Manager Aaron Boone was ejected in the second inning for arguing balls and strikes. Home plate umpire Lance Barrett was horrible last night (you can see some of his horrible calls on Twitter), just like Bill Miller was the night before. Calling strikes at pitches at one’s ankles that you need a golf club to hit. Calling strikes on pitches a few inches off the plate. It is ridiculous how umpires are not held accountable. No postgame press conference questioning their calls. MLB should change that. For example, Giancarlo Stanton talked to the press like a man after last night’s game. He addressed his terrible (.188 now) season and said something has to change and how he was working hard and how he felt about his season. He stood up and faced it. Stanton is 2 for his last 39 with 17 strikeouts. Ugh. As much as Stanton’s performance has been frustrating and terrible this season, at least give him credit for facing the music. But no postgame press questions for the umpires, per MLB. That is flat out cowardly. It allows poor umpires like Angel Hernandez, Laz Diaz, Miller, Barrett to just continue being poor. No accountability. At this point, I am all for the robot umps. MLB and the umpires brought it upon themselves. If they lose their jobs, so be it.

King gave up his only run in the top of the third, when with two out, he gave up three consecutive singles, the last one an infield hit that deflected off of King.

Meanwhile, the Yankees’ offense was doing nothing. They struck out 14x in the game, as did Toronto.

The game got away in the eighth inning. Tommy Kahnle relieved King and was horrible. Toronto scored two runs without getting a hit. Kahnle walked the leadoff hitter, got a force out, then threw two wild pitches. He got a ground out for the second out, and the runner had to hold at third, but then Kahnle walked the next three batters to force in a run. Ian Hamiliton relieved Kahnle, and walked the first batter he faced to force in another run before he finally got the third out. Five walks in the inning, two wild pitches. No hits. But now the Yanks were down 3-0, and the way the offense was floundering, it could have been 30-0.

Hamilton gave up three more runs to Toronto in the top of the ninth to make it 6-0. Austin Wells hit his first MLB HR in the bottom of the ninth and the Yanks avoided being shutout but lost 6-1.

The loss put the Yanks at .500 at 76-76. They have not had a losing season since 1992, but that streak is in jeopardy, especially since 7 of the Yanks’ last 10 games are against Toronto and Arizona, two teams in playoff contention.

Wells 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR (1). First MLB HR.
Cabrera 2 hits.
Peraza the Golden Sombrero. 0 for 4, 4 strikeouts.

King (L, 4-7) 7 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 0 W, 13 K. 1 WP 2.66 Deserved better.
Kahnle 2/3 IP, 2 R, 0 H, 4 W, 0 K. 2 WP 2.66
Hamilton 1 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 2 W, 1 K. 2.65
Weissert 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 4.70

Game 147. Yanks salvage DH split behind Judge’s slam, Peraza HR, DJ Double.

The Yankees (74-73) moved back into a fourth place (last) tie with Boston (but Boston has tiebreaker, winning the season series) by winning the nightcap of a day/night doubleheader, 8-5. At this point in the season, the two things to play for are to finish ahead of Boston, and therefore out of the AL East cellar, and to finish with a winning record.

Before the game, the Yanks sent down Matt Bowman, who had pitched in and given up a HR in, the day part of the doubleheader (a 5-0 loss) and activated Luke Weaver, who they just claimed off of waivers from Seattle.

Three singles, a walk, and an error by Yankees’ SS Anthony Volpe led to two Boston runs in the bottom of the first inning off of Yankees’ starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt. It was a rough night for Volpe, who was charged with a couple of errors.

The Yanks came back with five runs in the top of the second. Estevan Florial led off the inning with a single, and one out later, Oswald Peraza doubled Florial to third. Oswaldo Cabrera walked, and an out later, D.J. LeMahieu beat out an infield hit, call overturned upon review, to keep the inning alive and to drive in Florial. Aaron Judge followed with a grand slam (32) to make it 5-2.

Boston pecked away. Yankee-killer Rafael Devers did it again, homering in the bottom of the third to make it 5-3. The Red Sox got another run in the bottom of the fifth to cut it to 5-4. This was because of Volpe’s second error of the game, although this error could have easily been charged to LeMahieu.

Boston tied it up at 5 in the bottom of the seventh.

In the top of the eighth, Volpe led off the inning with a single. An out later, Cabrera singled Volpe to second. An out after that, LeMahieu doubled in Volpe to make it 6-5.

Oswald Peraza hit his first HR of the season, a 2-run shot, in the top of the ninth to give the Yanks insurance runs by making it 8-5, which wound up as the final score.

LeMahieu 3 hits, 2 RBI.
Judge 4 RBI. Grand slam (32) . Drew 3 walks.
Volpe 2 hits, but made 2 errors in field.
Peraza 2 hits, 2 RBI. 2-run HR (1).

Schmidt 5 1/3 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 7 H, 3 W, 3 K. 1 HBP 4.56
McAllister (H, 2) 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 5.40
Peralta (W, 4-2) (BS, 3) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 2.83
Kahnle (S, 2) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 4 K. 2.25

Game 144. Yanks squeak out 3-2 win over Boston in 1st game of DH.

I don’t know how many bullpen moves the Yanks have made recently, but it seems like someone is dropping every day. Before today’s game, the Yanks put Jonathan Loaisiga on the IL and called up Zach McAllister.

The Yanks (72-72) won the first game of a day-night DH today (makeup of last night’s rainout) by a score of 3-2.

Yankees’ starter Randy Vasquez gave up two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Yankee-killer Rafael Devers homered off Vasquez to start the inning, and one out later, Vasquez gave up a double. A groundout moved the runner to third, but instead of getting out of the inning by only giving up one run, Vasquez threw a WP that enabled the runner to score. After a walk, Vasquez was pulled for Jhony Brito, and Boston didn’t score for the rest of the game, although they came close. More on that in a bit.

The Yanks winning rally came in the top of the sixth, when they scored all three runs. Everson Pereira led off the inning by getting HBP, then Kyle Higashioka singled Pereira to second. D.J. LeMahieu then doubled in Pereira, with Higashioka stopping at third. A flyout by Aaron Judge wasn’t enough to score a run, but Gleyber Torres then came through with a 2-run single. The Yanks went on to load the bases with one out, but Estevan Florial, called up when Jasson “the Martian” Dominguez went down with his UCL tear, flied out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, Clay Holmes got the first batter for an out, but then walked three men in a row to load the bases. He then got a DP to end the game. Whew.

Since coming off the IL, Aaron Judge has 12 HR, but only 18 RBI and has hit only about .220. That isn’t Judge. I really wonder if that toe is bothering him, and if not, if he got into bad habits because of compensating for that toe. At this point, shutting him down isn’t a bad idea.

The Yanks struck out 14X in the game.

Torres 2 RBI
Higashioka 3 hits.

Vasquez 3 2/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 W, 3 K. 1 WP. Gave up 1 HR. 2.67
Brito (W, 7-7) 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 1 W, 2 K. 4.69
Kahnle (H, 14) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.37
Peralta (H, 18) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 2.89
Holmes (S, 19) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 3 W, 0 K. 3.00