Game 150. Yanks slide further back in WC race with 11-1 loss.

Gerrit Cole has been the Yankees’ best player this year in terms of WAR (wins against replacement), with Aaron Judge #2.

Cole, the Yankees’ ace pitcher, didn’t have it yesterday as the Yankees got hammered by Cleveland, 11-1. In leaving the mound, Cole undeservedly got booed by Yankees fans frustrated by the loss and by the fact the Yankees’ postseason hopes may be slipping away.

There are some guys that may deserve the boos, but Cole isn’t one of them. For without him, where would they be? But the frustration, after two losses of 11-3 and 11-1 this weekend, was understandable, if misdirected.

If the Yanks don’t right themselves, they may find themselves being behind yet another team in the wild card standings.

Wild card Standings
Boston 86-65 — top Wild Card seed as of now
Toronto 84-65 -1 from Boston, 2nd wild card seed as of now
YANKEES 83-67 – 2 1/2 from Boston, -1 1/2 from Toronto
Oakland 82-67 -3 from Boston, -2 from Toronto and only 1/2 game behind the Yankees.
Seattle 80-69 -5 from Boston, -4 from Toronto and 2 1/2 behind the Yankees.

Cole didn’t have it from the get-go, giving up 2 runs in the first. I don’t know if that hamstring issue was bothering him.

He gave up 3 more in the third, and it was 5-0 Cleveland.

The Yanks got their only run in the bottom of the third on a HR by Gio Urshela (13).

Cole gave up a HR in the fifth, 6-1. Another HR in the sixth, 7-1.

Cleveland got an unearned run in the seventh courtesy of an error by D.J. LeMahieu. 8-1.

The bleeding continued as the Indians, with help from a passed ball by Kyle Higashioka, got two runs in the eighth off of Clarke Schmidt. Yet another passed ball by Higashioka led to the final Cleveland run in the ninth. 11-1.

2 errors, 2 passed balls, 2 unearned runs. The Yanks need to tighten the defense.

After his outing on Friday, Luis Gil was sent down and Estevan Florial was brought up. After his outing Sunday, Clarke Schmidt was sent down. Expect Domingo German up.

LeMahieu 2 hits
Rizzo 2 hits
Urshela 2 hits, Solo HR (13)

Cole (L, 15-8) 5 2/3 IP, 7 R, 10 H, 1 W, 7 K. Gave up 2 HR, 1 HBP. 3.03
Luetge 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. 2.74
Schmidt 2 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 W, 4 K. 5.68

Cole’s chances for the CYA took a hit with this outing.

Remaining games: 3 at home vs. Texas, 3 @ Boston, 3 @ Toronto, close with 3 at home vs. Tampa Bay. Personally, I think the Yanks have to go at least 9-3 to make the playoffs. We’ll see.

Game 145. 5 Yankees’ HRs lead to 7-2 win and a virtual 3-way tie for 2 wild card slots.

The Yankees hit 5 HR in a 7-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles Tuesday night and in so doing are in the middle of a 3-way virtual tie for the two wild card spots.

Here is how it looks right now.

Yanks and Toronto both 81-64 .559 —
Boston 82-65 .558 —- virtual tie, .001 back
Seattle 78-67 -3
Oakland 77-67 – 3 1/2

(Forget the division, Tampa Bay is up by 9 and their magic # to clinch is 9).

Gerrit Cole returned to the mound after leaving early last time because of tightness in his left hamstring. He got his 15th win, but had to leave after five innings due to a high pitch count (108).

The Yanks got on the board right away. D.J. LeMahieu led off the game with a single and Aaron Judge followed with a 2-run HR (34).

With one out in the third inning, Anthony Rizzo was HBP and Giancarlo Stanton followed with a 2-run HR (28). Luke Voit made it back-to-back HRs with #10 and the Yanks were up 5-0.

Cole had settled down after getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning. Baltimore touched him for a run in the fifth, but with two on and two out, Cole ended his night with a strikeout.

Michael King replaced Cole and threw three scoreless innings. King’s career numbers are better in relief than as a starter.

Joey Gallo made it 6-1 in the eighth with a HR (34) and LeMahieu homered (10) in the ninth to make it 7-1.

Sal Romano, who turned down a DFA assignment to SWB and elected to become a free agent, re-signed with the Yankees (lot of head scratching there) and the Yanks then turned around and DFA’d Brooks Kriske. Romano started the ninth for the Yankees. He got a K, but a single walk and single made it 7-2, and Romano got injured on that RBI single, so Aroldis Chapman came in. Chapman got a K, then threw a WP, putting runners on second and third, so things got a bit hairy, but another K by Chapman ended the game.

Besides the Romano/Kriske DFA switch, Clarke Schmidt went back to SWB after his Sunday start, so that freed that spot for Romano. Domingo German was sent to SWB to start a rehab assignment.

LeMahieu 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR (10)
Judge 2-run HR (34)
RIzzo 2 hits.
Stanton 2 hits, 2 RBI, 2-run HR (28)
Voit solo HR (10)
Gallo solo HR (34; Tex/NYY)
Urshela 2 hits.

Cole (W, 15-7) 5 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 3 W, 7 K. 2.75
King (H, 1) 3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 3.48
Romano 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. 6.12 (Reds/NYY/Brewers)
Chapman 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 1 WP. 3.65

Game 144. Yanks comeback to edge Twins in 10, 6-5. Back in tie for 2nd WC spot.

The Yanks came back from a 5-0 deficit to edge the Minnesota Twins 6-5 in 10 innings in a Monday afternoon makeup game.

With the win, the Yanks moved back into a virtual tie for the 2nd wild card spot. Here is how things stand.

Toronto 81-63 — 1st wild card
Yankees 80-64 -1 .556 virtual tie for 2nd wild card
Boston 81-65 -1 .555 virtual tie for 2nd wild card
Seattle 78-66 -3 from Toronto, -2 from NYY/BOS
Oakland 77-66 -3 1/2 from Toronto, -2 1/2 from NYY/BOS

The Yanks made some changes before the game. With recent errors defensively from Gio Urshela and Gleyber Torres at 3B and SS respectively, Torres moved back to 2B, D.J. LeMahieu took over at 3B, and Tyler Wade was at SS. Also, Kyle Higashioka caught more because it was a day game after a night game, but even there, Higashioka is better defensively than Gary Sanchez. We will see who catches Gerrit Cole tonight, a job usually handled by Higashioka.

But just because he did not start yesterday’s game, doesn’t mean Sanchez couldn’t finish it. And finish it he did.

Yankees’ starter Luis Gil put the Yankees in an early hole, giving up two 2-run HRs in the first inning. The Yanks were down 4-0 before they even came to bat. Gil settled down after that, lasting six innings. After that first inning, he only gave up one more run—on a HR in the third inning.

Meanwhile, after five innings, the only hit the Yanks had was on a fifth inning bunt single by Joey Gallo.

The Yanks got a run in the sixth when Wade walked, stole second, went to third on a flyout, and scored on a SF by LeMahieu, who was robbed of a double on the play by a great catch.

Gallo made it 5-2 in the seventh with a HR (33).

In the bottom of the eighth, PH Anthony Rizzo led off with a walk. Sanchez PH for Higashioka and flied out. After LeMahieu flied out, Brett Gardner walked on a full-count pitch. It was a controversial call that got Twins’ manager Rocco Baldelli ejected. After a pitching change, Aaron Judge homered (33) to tie the game.

No one scored in the ninth, although Aroldis Chapman made things hairy once again.

The game went into extra innings, with that ghost runner I hate. Clay Holmes kept the Twins off the board in the top of the tenth.

Gleyber Torres was the ghost runner for the Yankees in the bottom of the tenth. Gio Urshela, who took over at SS, struck out trying to bunt Torres over, but Sanchez laced one to the wall for the game-winning hit.

Judge 3-run HR (33)
Gallo 2 hits, solo HR (33)
Sanchez game-winning single in bottom of the tenth.

Gil 6 IP, 5 R, 7 H, 1 W, 8 K. Gave up 3 HR. 2.88
Heaney 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. 5.76 (LAA/NYY)
Abreu 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 4.19
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. 3.70
Holmes (W, 8-3) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 4.07 (Combined Pit/NYY) .

Clarke Schmidt was sent back to SWB. Sal Romano decided to become a free agent rather than go to SWB.

Game 143. Yanks drop to 4th in division, out of wildcard spots, after 7-6 loss.

Francisco Lindor hit 3 HR against the Yankees as the Mets won Sunday night 7-6 in a game that featured a bench-clearing incident regarding whistling/tipping of pitches.

The loss was the Yanks 12th in their last 15 games. It dropped them to 4th in their division, and as of now, they are out of the wild card picture.

Wild Card Standings (Tampa Bay, The Chicago White Sox and Houston lead their divisions)

Boston (81-64)/Toronto (80-63) in a virtual tie for the two wild card spots.
NYY 79-64, one game back
Oakland and Seattle each 77-66, three games back of Bos/Tor, 2 back of the Yankees.

The Yanks have an afternoon makeup game against the Twins today (Monday afternoon). They have to pick things up. Just 19 games to go.

The Yanks got two runs in the top of the first inning. D.J. LeMahieu and Anthony Rizzo both walked. Aaron Judge, who had to leave the game later because of dizziness, struck out. Giancarlo Stanton doubled in one run, and Joey Gallo hit a SF to bring in another. Amazing stat in that it was only the second SF of Gallo’s career.

The Yanks were forced to start rookie Clarke Schmidt because of their pitching woes. It was just Schmidt’s second MLB start and his fourth MLB game. He gave up a run in the bottom of the first, and stranded two.

In the bottom of the second, an error by Gleyber Torres led to three unearned runs when Lindor hit a 3-run HR, his first of three homers for the game. 4-2, Mets.

A SF scored a run for the Mets in the fifth, and it was 5-2.

With one out in the top of the sixth, Gallo walked and Torres hit a 2-run HR (7) and it was 5-4.

Lindor hit his second HR in the bottom of the sixth and it was 6-4. Apparently he whistled going around the bases as if to signal and mock the Yankees for whistling and accusing them of tipping off pitches to hitters.

In the top of the seventh, LeMahieu singled, and two outs later, Stanton hit a 2-run HR (27) to tie the game. He jawed at Lindor while circling the bases and the benches emptied. Brett Gardner mocked the thumbs down gesture that the Mets used against their fans recently.

Lindor hit his third HR of the game in the bottom of the eighth to give the Mets a 7-6 lead and they hung on for the win.

Stanton had a chance to get in the last word, but with two on and two out in the top of the ninth, he popped up to Lindor to end the game.


LeMahieu 3 hits
Stanton 2 hits, 3 RBI, 2-run HR (27)
Torres 2-run HR (7) but a huge error that allowed 3 unearned runs to score which helped cost the game.

Torres and Urshela once again made errors. Sanchez had a PB. The Yanks’ defense has to tighten up.

Schmidt 4 1/3 IP, 5 R, 2 ER, 7 H, 3 W, 2 K. 1 HBP. Gave up 1 HR. 4.15
Heaney 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 5.83 (LAA/NYY)
Peralta 2 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. 3.89 (SF/NYY)
Green (L, 7-7) 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gave up 1 HR. 3.28

Andrew Velazquez was sent down to make room for Schmidt.

23 runs, 10 HR, and a 14-run 9th inning for Hudson Valley. Minor League Report.

AAA: SWB (59-46) lost their 9th game in a row, 9-6. Starting P Clarke Schmidt (#5 prospect) 4 1/3 IP, 4 R, 2 ER, 6 H, 0 W, 6 K. C Donny Sands (#28 prospect) 2 hits, 3 RBI.

AA: Somerset (63-44) won 7-3. Starting P Hayden Wesneski (#15 prospect) 6 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 2 W, 10 K. 1 HBP. Gave up 2 HR. CF Brandon Lockridge (#19 prospect) 2-run HR. SS Oswaldo Cabrera (#16 prospect) 2-run HR. RF Isiah Gilliam 2 hits, solo HR.

High A: This one may take me all day to type up. Hudson Valley (64-43) won 23-4. They hit 10 HR in the game, and scored 14 runs in the top of the 9th inning.

SS Anthony Volpe (#1 prospect) 3-run HR
SS Eduardo Torrealba (replaced Volpe) 2 hits
CF Everson Pereira (#13 prospect) 3 hits, 6 RBI. ALL THREE HITS WERE HOME RUNS. 2 solo and a grand slam.
C Austin Wells (#6 prospect) 5 hits, solo HR.
RF Frederick Cuevas 2 RBI
3B Andres Chaparro 3 hits, 2 RBI, solo HR
DH Carlos Narvaez 2 hits, 4 RBI. Grand slam.
OF Jake Sanford (#23 prospect) 2 hits, 2 RBI, 2-run HR.
1B Eric Wagaman 5 hits, 2 RBI, 2 solo HR.
2B Luis Santos 3 hits.

Hudson Valley had 27 hits in the game, 10 HR.

Here is the 9th inning. 5 HR, 2 of which are grand slams.

HR (Chaparro)
Single
HR (Sanford)
HR (Wagaman)
Single
Pop up (out #1)
Walk
Single loads bases
Walk forces in run
Single drives in run
Grand Slam (Narvaez)
Fly Out (out #2)
SIngle
Walk
Single (loads bases)
Grand Slam (Pereira)
Walk
Lineout (inning finally over. Wonder how long timewise it took?)

Low A: Tampa (70-36) won 8-5. #2 prospect Jasson Dominguez 3 hits, 3 RBI, 2-run HR. #26 prospect Ryder Green 2 solo HR. 3B Tyler Hardman 2-run HR.

Minor league action, 8-31-21. King, Torres on rehab.

AAA: SWB (59-41) lost both games of a doubleheader.

Game 1: Lost 5-1. SS Gleyber Torres 0 for 3 on rehab. Starting P Michael King, rehab, 2/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. 1 HBP. Gave up HR. Only threw 21 pitches. Clarke Schmidt (#5 prospect) 4 1/3 IP, 1 R. LF Jonathan Davis solo HR.

Game 2: Lost 3-0.

AA: Somerset (60-42) won 13-10. First really bad outing of the year for #9 prospect Ken Waldichuk. 1 1/3 IP, 7 R, 5 ER, 5 H, 1 W, 1 K. SS Oswald Peraza (#3 prospect) 3 hits, 3 RBI, 3-run HR. #16 prospect 3B Oswaldo Cabrera 4 hits, 3 RBI. C Josh Breaux (#18 prospect) 2 hits, 3 RBI. DH Dermis Garcia 2 hits, 3 RBI, 3-run HR. 1B Chad Bell 2 hits.

High A: Hudson Valley (63-39) lost 9-7 despite hitting six homers. #1 prospect SS Anthony Volpe solo HR. #13 Prospect CF Everson Pereira solo HR. #6 prospect C Austin Wells 2 hits. 1B Andres Chaparro 2 hits. #23 prospect Jake Sanford 3 hits, 2 RBI, 2-run HR.
LF Pat DeMarco 2 hits, solo HR. 2B Eduardo Torrealba 2 hits, both solo HR, 2 RBI.

Low A: Tampa (67-34) lost 19-7 despite hitting six HR themselves. #7 prospect SS Trey Sweeney solo HR, but made 3 errors. #2 prospect Jasson Dominguez solo HR. #25 prospect C Antonio Gomez 4 hits, Solo HR. 1B Anthony Garcia 2-run HR. 2B Benjamin Cowles 2 hits, RBI. DH Ben Rice 2 hits, solo HR. 3B Roberto Chirinos 2 hits., solo HR. Tampa hit 6 HR.


Usually minor league games end around Labor Day and MLB rosters expand to 40 in September. Not so anymore. Minor league games are going right through October 3 and MLB rosters only expand to 28.

Standings:
SWB tied for first in their division.
Somerset 1st by 3 1/2 games
Hudson Valley 1st by 11 games
Tampa 1st by 4 games

Minor league action 8-25-21.

It looks like P Corey Kluber will have another rehab outing with AA Somerset. OF Jonathan Davis, brought up 8-23 from SWB, was sent back yesterday.

AAA: SWB (57-37) crushed Lehigh Valley, 10-3. P Clarke Schmidt (#5 prospect) rehab: 3 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 1 W, 5 K, 1 HBP. SS Kyle Holder 3 hits, 2 RBI, solo HR. DH Socrates Brito 2 hits. 1B Armando Alvarez 2 hits, 3 RBI.

AA: Somerset (57-40) lost 5-3. P Ken Waldichuk (#9 prospect) no decision, 5 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 2 W, 5 K. Gave up 1 HR.
C Josh Breaux (#18 prospect) solo HR. CF Michael Beltre 3 hits, RBI.

High A: Hudson Valley (61-36) won 4-0. LF Jake Sanford (#23 prospect) 2 hits, 2 RBI, 2-run HR.

Low A: Tampa (64-31) lost both games of a doubleheader.

Game 1: Lost 13-6. SS Trey Sweeney (#7 prospect) 2 hits, RBI. CF Jasson Dominguez (#2 prospect) 2 hits, 2 RBI, 2-run HR. 3B Ben Cowles 2 RBI.

Game 2: Lost 6-4. Sweeney DH’d. 2 hits. 3B Tyler Hardman 2 RBI, 2-run HR. 2B Cooper Bowman (#30 prospect) 2 hits, RBI.

Minor League Action 8-18-21.

AAA: SWB (53-35) won 9-1. Starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt, rehab: 3 1/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 W, 4 K. gave up 1 HR. Brian Keller got the win with 3 2/3 scoreless relief innings, 5 K. Miguel Andujar, rehab: LF, 0 for 2 with a walk. CF Estevan Florial 2 hits, RBI. 1B Chris Gittens 2 hits, 2 RBI, a 2-run HR. RF Greg Allen 2 hits. C Rob Brantly 2 hits, 4 RBI, a 2-run HR. I wonder how and if the Yanks have room for Schmidt and/or Andujar. Remember Torres and Urshela are still on the IL and Holmes is still on the Covid-IL. Tough decisions coming.

AA: Somerset (54-37) lost 6-5. DH Oswaldo Cabrera solo HR. CF Michael Beltre 2 hits. Starter Ken Waldichuk no-decision, 3 R, in 5 IP.

High A: Hudson Valley (57-35) lost 11-7. DH Austin Wells 3-run HR. 1B Andres Chaparro 2 hits, solo HR. 2B Roberto Chirinos 2 hits, RBI.

Low A: Tampa (61-28) won 3-2. SS Benjamin Cowles 2 hits, RBI. C Carlos Narvaez 2 RBI, solo HR.

Minor League action, 8-11-21.

AAA: SWB (49-32) lost 9-3. 1B Armando Alvarez 2 hits, solo HR. 3B Max Burt 2-run HR. Adam Warren 2 scoreless IP of relief, but starter Asher Maciejewski 4 IP, 8 R.

AA: Somerset (52-33) split a DH.

Game 1: Lost 3-2. Clarke Schmidt started. 3 2/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 W, 1 K. Gave up 2 HR. Schmidt off 60-day IL, put at AAA after this game. CF Brandon Lockridge 2hits, solo HR.

Game 2: Won 3-0. Hayden Wesneski CG Shutout. 7 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 2 W, 7 K. C Chase Illig 2 RBI. LF Isiah Gillam 2 hits.

HIgh A: Hudson Valley (54-32) lost 7-6. DH Austin Wells 2 hits, 2-run HR. 3B James Nelson 2 RBI.

Low A: Tampa ppd.

Minor league action, games played 8-5-21. Top prospect Dominguez hits HR.

The Yanks traded minor league C Kellin Deglan to Toronto.

AAA: SWB (48-28) lost 5-3in 11 innings. SS Andrew Velazquez 2 hits, RBI. C Donny Sands 2 hits, 2 RBI. Deivi Garcia 4 1/3 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 4 W, 6 K. 1 Balk. AAA ERA 7.02. Tough year for the youngster.

AA: Somerset (50-30) lost 4-0. SS Oswald Peraza 2 hits. Clarke Schmidt rehab start: (L) 2 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 4 K.
Ken Waldichuk in relief: 5 2/3 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 0 W, 10 K, 1 WP but gave up 2 HR.

High A: Hudson Valley (53-28) won 5-3. CF Everson Pereira 2 hits. C Anthony Seigler 2 hits. RF Jake Sanford 3 hits. LF Pablo Olivares 2 hits, RBI. 1B Kyle MacDonald 2 hits, 2 RBI. 2B Eduardo Torrealba 2 hitgs, RBI.

Low A: Tampa (56-24) won 8-1. Yankees’ top prospect, 18 yr. old Jasson Dominguez, CF, 2 hits, 2 RBI, a 2-run HR. LF Ryder Green 3 hits. SS Benjamin Cowles 2 hits, 3 RBI.