Game 35. Yanks beat Orioles 6-2.

Luis Severino gave up just one hit over six innings and the Yankees hit 3 HR as they beat Baltimore Monday night 6-2. The win improves the Yankees’ record to 26-9.

The Yanks got a run in the top of the third inning when with one out, Josh Donadson singled, and a forceout later, Giancarlo Stanton doubled home Anthony Rizzo.

In the fourth inning, Jose Trevino hit his first HR of the season, a 3-run shot, to put the Yanks up 4-0.

The only hit off Severino was a fourth inning HR by Anthony Santander.

In the ninth, Donaldson (5) and RIzzo (10) hit back-to-back HRs to put the Yankees up 6-1.

Santander hit his second HR of the game in the bottom of the ninth off of Aroldis Chapman. Final score 6-2. Santander had two of Baltimore’s three hits in the game, and both of his hits were homers.

Donaldson 3 hits, solo HR (5)
Rizzo solo HR (10)
Torres 2 hits
Trevino 2 hits, 3 RBI. 3-run HR (1)

Severino (W, 3-0) 6 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 W, 7 K. 1 HBP. Gave up 1 HR. 3.63
Loaisiga (H, 5) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 5.52
Green (H, 3) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.14
Chapman 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. 2.13

C Ben Rortvedt has a knee injury now (before had oblique rib strain). The knee may require surgery.

Minor League Report. Waldichuk dominates at AA.

A concerning thing is that some Yankees’ prospects are off to very slow starts. In fact, there is an article (I think from NJ.com) on the internet about the regression of Jasson Dominguez, the Martian.

Ken Waldichuk isn’t one of them, however. Read on.

AAA: SWB (10-19) lost 2-1. SWB’s team batting average right now is just .221. They got just 3 hits.

Wesneski (L, 0-4) 5 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 W, 6 K. 2.48 (With that record and ERA, no run support). (#8 prospect)
Greene 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 4.97
Lane 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 1.64
Bristo 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 6.35

AA: Somerset (17-9) split a DH.
Game 1: Lost 6-3, getting just 2 hits.

Medina (L, 1-2) 5 R, 3 ER, 2 H, 3 W, 2 K. 1 HBP 3.60 (#12 prospect)
Maciejewski 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 4 K. 1 WP. 1 Balk. 3.94
Ramirez 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.50
Ernst 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K. 2.45

Game 2: Won 3-2 on a one-hitter. Here is where Waldichuk dominated.
SS Anthony Volpe solo HR (4). The #1 prospect is struggling, hitting just .195.
RF Michael Beltre 2 hits, 2 RBI

Waldichuk (W, 3-0) 5 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 3 W, 12 K. 1.14 (#6 prospect)
Loseke (S, 1) 2 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K. 1 WP. 1.72

HIgh A: Hudson Valley (14-12) split a DH.
Game 1: won 2-0. They only got 2 hits, but Jersey Shore only got 1.

Sikkema 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. 0.00 (#20 prospect)
Barclay (W, 3-2) 3 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 W, 5 K. 1 HBP. 1.29
Myatt (S, 1) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W 2 K. 1.69

Game 2: Lost 4-0, getting just 3 hits.

Castano (L, 0-3) 4 IP, 4 R, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 W, 4 K. 2 HBP. 1 Balk. 4.50
Diaz 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.86
Mauricio 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. 7.36

Low A: Tampa (13-13) lost 6-5.
DH Jasson Dominguez 2 hits. (The “Martian” is struggling at .235)
CF Madison Santos 2 RBI
LF Raimfer Salinas solo HR (1)
C Ben Rortvedt 1 for 2 on rehab.

Panacual 4 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 4 W, 6 K. 3.20
Messinger 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. 1 HBP. 1 WP. 5.40
Holloway (BS, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 2.70
Dees 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 4.91
Neely 1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 W, 0 K. 7.30
Milam (L, 3-2) 1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.00

Rain wreaks havoc again. Here are some minor league results. Rortvedt begins rehab.

Rain Saturday washed out the Yankees game (to be made up Monday afternoon) as well as the games of their AA and High A farm teams. Here are the games that WERE played.

AAA: SWB (10-18) lost both games of a doubleheader.

Game 1: lost 9-2, getting just four hits.

D. Garcia (L, 0-2) 3 2/3 IP, 6 R, 4 ER, 4 H, 3 W, 4 K. gave up 1 HR. 2 WP 9.17 (#29 prospect)
McClain 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. 6.52
Espinal 1 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 1 W, 0 K. 9.82

Is anyone else (I’m sure you all are) concerned about the regression of Deivi Garcia? Garcia is 3-9, 7.23 at AAA between last year and this. Garcia is still young, turning 23 in less than two weeks, but his regression is concerning. I think, based on recent results, it’s time to send Deivi down to AA and promote Ken Waldichuk (#6 prospect) from AA to AAA. Waldichuk is 2-0, 1.45 in four starts at AA this year, 28 K in 18 2/3 IP. Between 2021 and 2022, Waldichuk has gone 6-3, 3.67 at AA with 136 K in 98 IP.

Game 2: Lost 7-6 in 10 innings.
RF Phillip Evans 2 hits, 2 RBI. 2-run HR (2)
2B Jose Peraza 2 hits, RBI

Clarke Schmidt 2 1/3 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 W, 3 K. 3.86 (#7 prospect)
Mujica 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 13.50
Banuelos (BS, 1) 2 1/3 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 3 W, 2 K. 1 WP 3.32
Miller 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.48
M. Gomez (L, 1-1) 2 1/3 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 4 H, 2 W, 2 K 1 HBP 2.13

Low A: Tampa (13-12) lost 3-2.
DH Ben Rortvedt solo HR as he starts a rehab assignment

Champlain 4 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 W, 6 K. 2.70
Cortijo 1 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. 4.50
Watson (L, 1-2) 2 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 W, 0 K. 3.71

Leading off. Josh Donaldson?

When you think of a leadoff hitter, images of Rickey Henderson, Mickey Rivers, Willie Randolph, or a Lou Brock or Maury Wills come to mind. Speedy guys who get on and steal bases.

Even guys like Horace Clarke and Bobby Richardson (and Richardson was NOT a good choice for a leadoff hitter. He hit .266 in his career, never walked, had an OBP of just .299, and even in 1961, with Maris and Mantle hitting 115 HR behind him, only scored 80 runs that year).

But the Yankees’ leadoff hitter this year could be … Josh Donaldson.

We’ll see how it works out. It seems unconventional, but then, for most of the 1950s, the Yankees’ leadoff hitter was Hank Bauer, and Bauer didn’t hit “the mold” either. And LeMahieu isn’t the speed demon, but with averages over .300 in 2019 and 2020, did fine there as far as getting on base for the big guys.

Newly acquired Jose Trevino will be the backup catcher, as the Yankees sent down the trio of Max McDowell, Rob Brantly and David Freitas. Ben Rortvedt is still out with an oblique injury.

Yanks trade Abreu and minor league P to Texas for catching depth in Jose Trevino.

While most of us were consumed by the Final Four last night, Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman was busy making a trade. With Ben Rortvedt most likely missing the start of the season due to an oblique injury, Cashman wanted more catching depth other than David Freitas, Rob Brantly and Max McDowell. He traded RHP Albert Abreu and minor league LHP Robert Ahlstrom to Texas for C Jose Trevino.

In 30 games as a Yankee in 2020 and 2021, Abreu was 2-1, 5.68, ERA+ 77 in 38 IP. He is 26.

Ahlstrom, 22, hasn’t pitched in a minor league game yet, spending last year at the University of Oregon, where he was 9-3, 2.50 in 14 starts.

Trevino, 29, has been with the Rangers from 2018-2021, appearing in 156 games, hitting .245-9-55, OPS+ 70. He bats righty.

S.T. Game 2. Yanks Tie O’s, 3-3. C hurt. Trade rumors.

The Yanks (0-1-1 in spring training) tied Baltimore 3-3 on Saturday.

Newly acquired C Ben Rortvedt will probably miss the start of the season due to an oblique strain. This opens the door for Rodolfo Duran (who homered in Game 1), David Freitas (who homered yesterday) Max McDowell or Rob Brantly to start the season as Kyle Higashioka’s backup catcher unless the Yanks trade for one.

Speaking of trades, Miguel Andujar is on the block. He’s blocked in the Bronx by Rizzo, Gallo, Donaldson, LeMahieu and Kiner-Falefa. I’d expect him to be dealt soon.

Besides a 2-run HR by Freitas, the Yanks got a solo HR by Josh Donaldson yesterday.

Pitching:

Waldichuk 3 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 0 W, 1 K. a top pitching prospect
Holmes (BS) 2 2/3 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 3 W, 3 K.
Barclay 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Greene 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.

Luis Severino is supposed to pitch today in the Yanks first home S.T. game.

Yanks pull off major deal, reconfigure infield.

As I was about to write about the Yankees’ inactivity in the free agent and trade market, I woke up to a major trade the Yankees have made that has reconfigured their infield. I am now waiting for more dominoes to fall.

The Yankees have traded C Gary Sanchez and INF Gio Urshela to the Twins for 3B Josh Donaldson, INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa (who the Twins just picked up from Texas the day before) and C Ben Rortvedt.

Going: Sanchez hit .204-23-54 (OPS+ 99) for the Yanks last year. His defense behind the plate has been a problem. After a great start to his career (20 HR in 53 games in 2016, 33 HR in 2017 and a 2x All-Star), Sanchez hasn’t fulfilled his potential. Since 2017, he has only hit .201, including seasons of .186 (2018) and .147 (2020).

Urshela was with the Yanks 2019-2021, and established himself with the club. Only a .225 hitter before coming to the Yanks, Urshela broke out in 2019, hitting .314-21-74, OPS+ 133 that season. Last year he hit .267-14-49, OPS+ 96. As a Yankee, he hit .292 in 243 games, with 41 HR and an OPS+ of 119 while providing great defense at 3B.

Coming: Donaldson, 36, is a 3x All-Star and 2x Silver Slugger who won the MVP award for Toronto in 2015, when he hit .297-41-123 and led the AL in RBI (OPS+ 151), the majors in runs scored and the league in total bases and SF. He has received MVP consideration 6x, and finished in the top 10 three other times besides his winning the award in 2015. Last year he hit .247-26-72, OPS+ 127. He has played for Oakland (2010, 2012-2014), Toronto (2015-2018), Cleveland (2018), Atlanta (2019) and Minnesota (2020-2021). It’ll be interesting how Donaldson and Gerrit Cole get along after Donaldson’s comments about the Spidertack and Cole last season. His 162 g. average is .269-34-98, OPS+ 135. In 39 postseason games, he has hit .260-5-16.

Kiner-Falefa, 27 soon, can play 3B, SS and even catch. He won a Gold Glove at 3B in 2020. Last year he hit .271-8-53 with 20 SB for Texas, OPS+ 85. His 162 games average is .265-7-49, 16 SB, OPS+ 81. He’ll be a stopgap until prospects like Oswald Peraza and/or Anthony Volpe are ready. If the Yanks are only going to hae a stopgap SS for a year or two, he’s the one I wanted. Kiner-Falefa has played for Texas (2018-2021).

Rortvedt, 24, is a lefty hitting catcher who only has 39 games of MLB experience, all last season. He hit .169-3-7 (15 for 89), OPS+ 41. As of now, Kyle Higashioka takes over as the Yankees’ #1 catcher, so I am waiting for another shoe to fall. Is another trade coming?

The Yankees also signed two guys for minor league depth.

They brought back Tim Locastro, OF, 29, who played in 9 games for the Yankees last year. Locastro was selected off the Yankees in November via waivers by Boston but then Boston released him later. Locastro is known for his speed (31 SB in 34 attempts) and is a .231 career hitter with 5 HR and an OPS+ of 78 in 432 at bats. Loacastro has played with the Dodgers (2017-2018), Diamondbacks (2019-2021) and Yankees (2021).

They also signed 1B Ronald Guzman (Texas 2018-2021), a lefty hitter. Guzman hit 16 HR in 2018 for Texas and has a .227 career batting average with 31 MLB HR in 737 at bats, OPS+ 86.

Waiting for more signings/trades.