Game #31. Volpe sparks Yanks, Calhoun HRs in 4-2 win.

Anthony Volpe homered, and later stole two bases to set up an insurance run, and Willie Calhoun hit his first Yankee HR as the Yankees (16-15) beat Cleveland 4-2 last night.

The Yanks have won each of Gerrit Cole’s starts this season, even though, like last night, Cole didn’t get the decision in all of them.

Cole wasn’t on his “A” game, but still gave up only two runs (both in the third) in six innings of work.

Volpe hit his third home run of the season with one out in the bottom of the sixth, then Gleyber Torres doubled. Torres came around to tie the game on a single by Anthony Rizzo.

Calhoun homered (1) in the bottom of the seventh to give the Yanks the lead.

In the bottom of the eighth, Volpe led off with a single, stole second and third, and scored on a D.J. LeMahieu single. Volpe is 10 for 10 in stolen base attempts this season.

Harrison Bader came off the IL. Franchy Cordero was sent down.

Jonathan Loaisiga had surgery for bone spurs in his elbow. His expected return isn’t until August or September. Lou Trivino had TJ surgery and will miss all of this season and most of next year.

Carlos Rodon’s back is still acting up. At this point, I don’t expect him before the All-Star break. I wanted Rodon (who didn’t) but the 6-year, $162MM pitcher hasn’t pitched a game for the Yanks yet and pitched in only one game in spring training. Sigh.

Volpe 2 hits, 2 SB (10) solo HR (3).
Rizzo 2 hits, RBI.
LeMahieu RBI
Calhoun solo HR (1).

Cole 6 IP, 2 R, 5 H, 3 W, 8 K. 1 HBP 1.35
Marinaccio 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 2.19
Peralta (W, 2-0) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 2.38
King (S, 2) 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 3 K. 1.56.

I wouldn’t mind King as the closer. Clay Holmes ERA since the All-Star break last year is 5.29.

Game #30. Questionable pitching move costs Yanks in 3-2 loss.

It will be interesting to see what the media says about tonight’s game. I think they will mirror my opinion.

As far as I am concerned, there are some major mistakes Aaron Boone made tonight in the Yanks’ 3-2 loss to Cleveland that drops to Yanks to .500 (15-15).

Memo to Boone. When someone does as well as Domingo German did tonight, you let him win or lose his own ballgame. Can you imagine a manager coming out to the mound to take out a Gibson or Seaver when Gibson or Seaver had a 2-hit shutout going with only two outs to go? You would have had to drag them off the mound. Maybe German should have told Boone to **** off. Heck, Cole probably would have. German was dealing. His pitch count was low. It’s his game to win or lose.

Instead, Aaron Boone interjected himself into the game and blew it.

Memo #2 to Boone. If you are going to bring in a reliever, why not the reliever you had warming up for two innings who dominated a few days ago (Michael King)?

Memo #3 to Boone. Clay Holmes isn’t Goose Gossage or Mariano Rivera. Stop treating him as if he is. He’s shaky.

The Yanks had a 2-0 lead entering the ninth. Jose Trevino hit a solo HR (3) in the third inning and later that inning, D.J. LeMahieu had an RBI single.

German took a one-hit shutout with a low pitch count into the ninth. After an out, he gave up a hit.

Then Boone pulled him for Holmes. I checked Twitter and the reaction was just like mine from many people. It was “NOOOOOOOO!”

And it backfired. Three runs for Cleveland. Maybe German gets a DP ball and the Yanks win. He was dealing. But it was HIS game to win or lose there.

Boone overmanaged as far as I and many others are concerned.

LeMahieu 2 hits, RBI.
Trevino solo HR (3).

German 8 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 6 K. 4.46
Holmes (BS, 2; L, 0-2) 0 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. Made one HUGE error. 3.72
Peralta 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 1 K. 2.53

Judge to 10 day IL, backed up to April 28. Jonathan Loaisiga surgery to remove bone spur from elbow. Back August or September. Lou Trivino going for more tests. 13 Yanks on IL. Hoo boy.

Game #27. Awaiting results of MRI on Judge’s hip, Yanks fall to Texas, 5-2.

Aaron Judge went for an MRI on his hip, and full results are not in yet, so we don’t know yet if he is day to day or requires an IL stint. But he wasn’t in the lineup last night.

And neither of course were Harrison Bader (at least he is now on rehab in the minors), Giancarlo Stanton or Josh Donaldson, all of whom are on the IL.

And let’s face it and be honest here. No one expected Willie Calhoun to be the Yanks’ cleanup hitter at any time this year, did they? Calhoun did drive in one of the Yankees’ two runs last night.

More honesty. With the lineup the Yanks had last night, which featured four guys hitting below .200, and with them facing 2x CYA winner Jacob DeGrom, you didn’t expect much, did you? Granted anything could happen in a game, but as for me, my expectations were low. Heck, I was wondering how many hits the Yankees WOULD get.

As it was, DeGrom left with an injury in the fourth inning, but the Yanks (15-12) still couldn’t do much against his relievers. They only got two runs and five hits in the game.

Meanwhile, Clarke Schmidt was …. Clarke Schmidt. It’s becoming apparent that the Yankees need Luis Severino and Carlos Rodon back in the rotation ASAP. See Schmidt’s season stats below. For his career, Schmidt has a 3.22 ERA as a reliever (5-3) but in 11 MLB starts, is 0-6 with an ERA of 6.00.

At some point, the numbers don’t lie.

Granted, Schmidt didn’t get much help in RF from Franchy Cordero, out there because Judge is out. Cordero could not come up with two balls that went for doubles that Judge may have caught. After the game, Cordero was sent down to AAA and it appears Jake Bauers coming up from AAA will be the corresponding move.

The Yanks need to tread water until they get healthy. The number of injuries is frustrating, and news coming in regarding Jonathan Loaisiga and Lou Trivino has not been encouraging.

Hopefully the news on Judge won’t be bad, and hopefully Harrison Bader is back in a week.

Schmidt (L, 0-3) 5 IP, 5 R, 10 H, 1 W, 8 K. 1 HBP Gave up 1 HR. 6.84.
J. Cordero 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 2.61
Abreu 1 IP, 0 R, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1.46

Game #8. Brito and Yanks tough out 4-1 win.

Jhony Brito’s second MLB start (and game) didn’t start out well. Two singles and a sac fly in the first three batters gave Baltimore a run. You wondered, being it was only his second MLB game, how Brito would handle it.

He handled it fine. Although he wasn’t “on”, throwing 92 pitches in five innings, he gave up only one more hit and no runs after that in the Yankees’ (5-3) 4-1 win over the Orioles Saturday night.

It’s early, only eight games into the season, but once Carlos Rodon and Luis Severino come off the injured list, it appears as if Brito should stay in the rotation, and Clarke Schmidt should be the one leaving it.

The Yanks tied the game in the top of the fourth via walks to Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres and a two-out, RBI single by Aaron Hicks.

A three-run rally in the top of the fifth was the game decider. Anthony Volpe, who had been strugging lately, led off the inning with a triple. A bit further to the left and he would have had his first MLB HR. As it was, it hit the high scoreboard in right field. D.J. LeMahieu gave the Yanks a 2-1 lead by following Volpe’s triple with a double. A WP moved D.J. over, and he scored on a sac fly by Aaron Judge. Giancarlo Stanton then crushed a 436 ft. HR (3) over the tall, pushed-back wall in LF to make it 4-1.

Three Yankees relievers combined for four shutout innings.

Before the game, in order to make room for Brito coming up, Jonathan Loaisiga was put on the IL with elbow inflammation. The Yanks also put Josh Donaldson on the IL and brought up Willie Calhoun. Tommy Kahnle was put on the 60-day IL.

LeMahieu RBI double.
Judge 1 for 2, walk, RBI SF.
Stanton 2 hits, solo HR (3).
Hicks RBI single
Volpe triple (First MLB XBH)

Brito (W, 2-0) 5 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2 W, 2 K. 0.90
King (H, 1) 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. 3.60
Peralta (H, 2) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 0.00
Holmes (S, 2) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 1 WP 4.91

Game #6. Cole, Gleyber and Trevino star as Yanks beat Phils, 4-2.

In a battle of aces, Gerrit Cole outdueled the Phillies’ Aaron Nola and got help from Gleyber Torres and Jose Trevino as the Yankees (4-2) beat the Phillies 4-2 on a dreary Wednesday afternoon in the Bronx.

The Yanks struck in the bottom of the first on a single by Aaron Judge, who stole second (1) and scored on a broken-bat single by Torres.

RF Franchy Cordero threw out a runner at second to end the top of the fourth. In the previous inning, Cole picked off Trea Turner to end the top of the third.

The pitchers’ duel continued into the bottom of the sixth, when D.J. LeMahieu led off with a double and scored two outs later on a single by Torres.

The Phils got a run in the top of the seventh to cut the Yankees’ lead to 2-1, but in the bottom of the seventh, Jose Trevino hit a 2-run HR (1) to put the Yanks up 4-1.

The Yanks needed Jose’s blast, because last year’s NL HR king, Kyle Schwarber, homered in the top of the eighth to make it 4-2.

Clay Holmes put the Phils to rest in the ninth.

Torres 3 hits, 2 RBI, 2 SB (also CS once). He had 10 SB all of last year. He has 5 already this season.
Trevino 2-run HR (1).

Josh Donaldson had to leave the game with a tweaked hamstring.

Cole (W, 2-0) 6 1/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 3 W, 8 K. 0.73
Loiasiga (H, 2) 1 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1 HBP. Gave up 1 HR. 2.70
Holmes (S, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. 6.75

Game #4. Yanks pummel Phillies, 8-1.

Gleyber Torres reached all five plate appearances, including with a HR, and Anthony Rizzo also homered as the Yankees (3-1) beat the Phillies 8-1 Monday night.

Nestor Cortes gave up 7 hits in 5 innings, but worked out of trouble, giving up just the one run.

A misplay by Phillies’ CF Brandon Marsh gave D.J. LeMahieu a leadoff triple to lead off the bottom of the first, and after a couple of walks, a groundout RBI by Giancarlo Stanton and an infield single by Torres made it 2-0 Yankees.

Torres’ HR (2) in the bottom of the third made it 3-0.

The Phillies got a run in the fourth to make it 3-1.

In the top of the fifth, Cortes helped himself. With a man on second and two out, a single to right. RF Franchy Cordero’s throw home was over the head of catcher Jose Trevino, but Cortes was backing up. Marsh stopped after rounding third, and was in no man’s land. Cortes fired to third and got Marsh going back to the bag for the third out—-Cortes’ last out of the game. Between that play and the misplay earlier, not a good night for Marsh, whose hair and beard really make you think of Holy Week (which this is) in another way. You know who he could play in a Passion Play.

Cortes’ play turned the game around and in the bottom of the fifth the Yanks broke the game open with a 5-run inning. Rizzo hit a 2-run HR (1), Cordero added a 2-run double, and Jose Trevino added an RBI single.

Meanwhile the Yankee bullpen tossed four scoreless innings.

LeMahieu 2 hits.
Rizzo 2-run HR (1)
Torres 2 for 2, 3 walks, HR (2) SB (3)
Cordero 2-run double
Trevino 2 hits, RBI

Cortes (W, 1-0) 5 IP, 1 R, 7 H, 0 W, 3 K. 1.80
Hamilton 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 W, 2 K. 0.00 Brito was sent down, Hamilton brought up.
Loaisiga 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 0.00
Holmes 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 10.80

Limiting damage. The Phillies got 11 hits, but only 1 run.

Game #1. Cole, Judge, Torres lead Yanks to 5-0 Opening Day victory.

Opening day is always nice, but there are times when opening day at Yankee Stadium isn’t nice. Like when it’s 40 degrees on March 30. Why MLB doesn’t just have the northern teams like the Yankees, Boston, Cleveland, etc. start down south who knows. Of course, starting the season later but having doubleheaders would be nice, but old-time DH’s would cost money. A shorter schedule (like back to the old-time 154) would cost money as well. So, we (and the players) freeze. Oh, well…. anyway, a cold opener for the Yanks, who the Giants, .

Gerrit Cole became the first Yankees pitcher ever with 10 or more strikeouts on Opening Day, and Aaron Judge picked right up where he left off after hitting an AL record 62 HR last season. In his first time up this season, Judge hit a solo HR.

Gleyber Torres hit a 2-run HR in the bottom of the fourth to put the Yanks up 3-0.

RBI singles by D.J. Lemahieu and Aaron Judge in the seventh made it 5-0.


Lemahieu RBI single.
Judge 2 hits, solo HR (1), 2 RBI
Torres 2-run HR (1), SB
Volpe MLB DEBUT 0 for 2, walk, SB
Cabrera Golden Sombrero. 0 for 4, 4 strikeouts.


Cole (W, 1-0) 6 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 2 W, 11 K. 0.00
Peralta (H, 1) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 1 Balk. 0.00
Loaisiga (H, 1) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 0.00
Marinaccio 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 3 K. 0.00

S.T. Game 32. Yanks beat Rays 8-4.

Clarke Schmidt pitched 4 good innings before giving up a pair of runs in the fifth, good work from some bullpen guys and a HR from someone hoping to make the roster as the Yanks (13-17-2) beat Tampa Bay 8-4 today.

The Yanks now head to Washington, D.C. for an exhibition game tomorrow (Tuesday) against the Nationals. Wednesday is an off day but a workout day at Yankee Stadium before the season begins Thursday afternoon against the Giants.

Today’s highlights, a lot by minor leaguers.

Max Burt 1 for 2, RBI
Eric Wagaman 2 for 2, 3 RBI. 2-run HR.
Willie Calhoun 1 for 2, scored 2 runs. In running for last OF spot.
Donaldson 2 for 2
Rafael Ortega 1 for 2, solo HR. Walk. Competing with Calhoun and Florial for last OF spot.
Cabrera 1 for 2, RBI. Has had great spring.
Higashioka 1 for 3, RBI.
Hicks 1 for 1, RBI. Walk.
Florial 0 for 2. Out of options. If he doesn’t beat out Ortega and Calhoun for last OF spot could be DFA’d, waived, or traded.

Schmidt 4 1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 W, 7 K. 1 WP.
Peralta 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 Balk.
Loiasiga 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Holmes (Winner) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Marinaccio (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 3 K.
Ramirez (H) 1 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Diaz 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 1 K.

24 of the 26 roster spots have been settled.

Trevino, Higashioka
Rizzo, Stanton, LeMahieu, Volpe, IKF, Torres, Donaldson
Cabrera, Hicks, Judge

One more OF position. Ortega? Calhoun? Florial? Is there a trade or pickup coming?

Cole, Cortes, Schmidt, German, Brito
Holmes, Loaisiga, Marinaccio, Peralta, Cordero, King, Abreu

Greg Weissert could be the last BP piece. Ramirez has already been sent down, as was Krook. Once again, is there a trade or pickup coming?

So 2 spots undecided yet.

Oswald Peraza has been sent to AAA to start the season.

S.T. Game 25. Donaldson homers twice in Yanks’ 6-3 win.

Josh Donaldson homered twice and drove in four runs in the Yanks (10-14-1 in spring training) 6-3 win over Detroit on Tuesday.

Now is the time to start seeing results, with Opening Day 9 days away. You want to hit the ground running.

Luis Severino has not had a good spring before today, even though everyone says he is healthy. The day didn’t start out well, as he gave up a HR to the leadoff hitter and 2 runs in the first inning, but he settled in after that. His performance this spring has been concerning so far.

Torres 1 for 3, RBI.
Donaldson 2 for 3, 2 HR 4 RBI
Volpe 1 for 2. Double, walk, SB. #1 prospect. I think he should be starting SS.
Kiner-Falefa 1 for 3, was in LF
Alexander Vargas 1 for 1 double
Mickey Gasper 1 for 1
Ortega 1 for 3, SB

Severino 4 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 1 W, 9 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Holmes 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K
Loaisiga (Winner) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K.
Peralta 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Norwood 2 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2 W, 3 K. 1 WP

S.T. Game 23. Yanks fall to Toronto, 5-2. Cortes’ first outing.

Because of a hamstring strain, Nestor Cortes is a little behind the other pitchers. He made his first spring training start today and the rust showed as he gave up five runs as the Yanks (9-13-1 in spring training) lost to Toronto 5-2.

I usually don’t pay too much attention to spring training results until the last 10 days or so. That time is coming up.

Today’s highlights:

Volpe 1 for 3, walk, run scored. #1 prospect. As far as I’m concerned, he should be starting SS.
Judge 1 for 4, double.
Stanton 2 for 3, RBI
Donaldson 0 for 3
Willie Calhoun 1 for 3. Doesn’t play all OF positions like Hicks or Ortega, but as far as LF goes, he has hit better this spring than Hicks, Cabrera, Florial or Ortega.
Kiner-Falefa 0 for 1, walk
Cabrera 0 for 2.
Ortega 0 for 3.
Chaparro 0 for 1
Sweeney 0 for 1 #7 prospect

Cortes (L) 3 1/3 IP, 5 R, 3 H, 3 W, 4 K. Gave up 2 HR.
King 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1 HBP
Loaisiga 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Holmes 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Hamilton 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 0 K. 1 HBP