Game 92. Bullpen comes through. Yanks 7, Indians 4.

What was supposed to be a pitching duel between Cy Young candidates Luis Severino and Corey Kluber turned into a bit of a slugfest, as neither pitcher had his best stuff. The Yanks (61-31) rallied late to win 7-4 and stay 3 1/2 back of Boston, who won their 10th straight.

Severino struggled right off the bat, giving up a double, groundout and single for a run, and after a caught stealing, gave up a HR. The Yanks were down 2-0.

In the third, Brett Gardner hit the first of his two HR for the game, a 2-run shot that tied it up.

Severino gave the lead right back to Cleveland, giving up a run in the bottom of the third to make it 3-2.

Didi Gregorius, who homered off Kluber twice in Game 5 of last year’s ALDS, tied the game with a HR (16) in the fourth, and later in that inning Stanton singled, advanced to third on an error on Hicks’ sacrifice bunt. Bird, heating up, doubled to make it 4-3. The Yanks loaded the bases with no one out but could not tack on more runs.

Severino gave up a HR in the fifth that tied the game.

In the eighth, Gregorius walked, and with one out, Hicks doubled him in. Hicks stole third and scored on a SF by Bird that make it 6-4.

Gardner hit his second HR (9) of the game in the ninth for the final score of 7-4.

Not a good game for Austin Romine, who got the golden sombrero (0 for 4, 4 strikeouts).

Gardner 2 HR, 3 RBI
Didi solo HR
Bird 2 RBI
Andujar 2 hits

Great job by the bullpen. 4 IP, no runs, no hits.

Severino 5 IP, 4 R, 9 H, 1 W, 1 K. Gave up 2 HR.  2.31
Warren 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.  1.85
Robertson (W, 6-3, 3.19) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Betances (H, 14) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.  2.68
Chapman (S, 25) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.  1.38

Other notes. Hopefully MLB is wrong. They give Boston a 62 percent chance of winning the division, the Yanks, 38 percent.

The Yanks are 16-13 without Gleyber Torres, 45-18 with him.

Ex-White Sox backup INF Sammy Esposito (member of 1959 AL Champs) has passed away at age 86.

As for Manny Machado wanting to play SS? He’s a great hitter, but if he comes to the Yankees, the Yankees already have Didi. The defensive runs saved above average stat has Manny at -20, Didi -1. Big difference defensively.

Albert Pujols tied Ken Griffey, Jr. on the all-time HR list with #630 last night. The only players with more are Barry Bonds 762*, Aaron 755, Ruth 714, A-Rod 696* and Mays 660.

Football player LeSean McCoy is in trouble, apparently beating the heck out of his girlfriend. We’ll see what kind of punishment the law and the NFL enforce.

 

 

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Game 87. Yanks edge Toronto in 10, 2-1.

The Yanks used little ball to beat the Blue Jays, 2-1 on Sunday.

In the first inning, with one out, Judge singled, Stanton doubled, and Andujar drove in the run on a groundout.

Domingo German was good, giving up just a game-tying HR in the sixth.

In the top of the tenth, Greg Bird was HBP, and Tyler Wade PR for him. Romine moved him over with a bunt, and Brett Gardner drove him in with an RBI single.

With the win, the Yanks (58-29) stay 2 back of Boston, because Boston beat pathetic (25-64) KC.

Today’s game was the one that ESPN wanted to move to a night game but the Yanks protested and had put back to an afternoon affair because they have a DH in Baltimore tomorrow. It’s an old straight twi-night DH.

Gardner GW RBI single.
Judge 2 hits.
Stanton 2 hits (but GIDP twice later in the game, when we hoped to break it open. Oh, well.)

German 6 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 2 W, 5 K. Gave up 1 HR.  5.06
Warren 2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 3 K.  1.93
Green (W, 5-1, 1.91) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K
Robertson (S, 2) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.   3.35

The All-star selections will be announced today. More on that later.

Game 83. 3 HRs lift Yanks over Braves 8-5.

The Yanks (55-28) got off to a 6-0 lead and hung on to beat Atlanta 8-5 Tuesday night. By doing so, they remain one game behind Boston.

Aaron Hicks hit a 2-run HR in the first (15) to give the Yanks a quick lead.

Funny thing about Kyle Higashioka. He’s something like 2 for 30 in his MLB career, but both hits are homers. HR #2 was hit in the second, 3-0 Yankees.

Five walks led to two Yankees’ runs in the third, with Brandon Drury and Higashioka drawing theirs with the bases loaded.

A double by Gardner, single by Judge and a WP made it 6-0 in the fourth.

Laugh-er?  Nope.

Domingo German unraveled in the fifth, giving up 3 runs on back-to-back HR, and A.J. Cole had to come in and get out of a jam. He left the bases loaded.  6-3.

Adam Warren gave up a 2-run HR in the seventh. 6-5.

Chasen Shreve (of all people) came in for Warren and got out of a two-on, one out jam in the eighth.

In the bottom of the eighth, Giancarlo Stanton sliced a 2-run HR (20) right around the RF foul pole to make it 8-5 Yanks. Most of his HR go well over 400 feet, and this one may have only been 320, if that, but we’ll take it.

Judge 2 hits
Stanton 2 hits, HR, 2 RBI
Hicks HR, 2 RBI
Higashioka HR, 2 RBI

German 4 1/3 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 3 W, 6 K. Gave up 2 HR.   5.37
Cole (W, 3-1, 5.76) 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 4 K.    But 2-0, 0.61 as a Yankee.
Warren 1 1/3 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 0 R, 1 W.  2.11  Gave up 1 HR.
Shreve 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.  4.85
Chapman (S, 24) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.  1.43

Game 80. Ugly loss. Boston 11, Yanks 0.

The Yanks ran up against their nemesis, Chris Sale, last night and lost to Boston 11-0. Sale has the lowest ERA against the Yanks of any pitcher in the past 100 years.

The loss drops the 53-27 Yanks one game behind 56-28 Boston. Tonight is game 81, meaning the last game of the first half of the season.

Since the Yanks only got two hits in the game, one against Sale and one against a reliever, it probably would not have mattered if the Yanks threw Ford, Gomez, Ruffing, Guidry, or Pettitte on the mound against Sale. It probably wouldn’t have mattered because Sale was that dominant.

But it wasn’t any of those Yankees legends on the mound. It was Sonny Gray. And Gray’s struggles against Boston (and not just as a Yankee) continued.

I give Gray a lot of credit for standing up to the interviewers after the game and in answering all their questions honestly instead of cowering in the trainer’s room. But in watching that interview on the post game YES show, I also had the feeling I was listening to a lost soul who had that deer in the headlights look.

Gray is 1-6, 6.98 in his career vs. Boston. When you feel more confident in maybe starting Jonathan Loaisiga, in what would have been his fourth MLB start, against Boston than Gray, well ….  at least Boston hasn’t seen Loaisiga and maybe you catch lightning in a bottle. And remember, “Johnny Lasagna” had only as 45 IP above Low A before pitching in the majors.

But in watching body language, doesn’t it seem like Loaisiga is more calm and collected and that Gray is scared to throw a pitch?

Gray got the first two hitters out, then gave up a single, walk, single, and with two strikes, a grand slam. The Yanks didn’t even come up to bat yet, and were down 4-0 to Sale. Game effectively over at that point. Then Gray gave up two more runs in the second and was knocked out in the third.

Gray is 5-6, 5.44. Here is a damning stat. Of all pitchers with a dozen or more starts as a Yankee at Yankee Stadium, Gray has the worst ERA, 7.10. That’s worse than Pavano, Jeff Johnson, Tim Leary, Scott Sanderson…. worse than anyone, even Ed Whitson. In 14 starts at Yankee Stadium, including as a member of the Oakland A’s facing the Yankees, Gray is 4-6, 6.78.

He’s getting booed, and as long as he is pitching like this, the boos will get more merciless.

We have a problem.

One reporter from Newsday suggested Cashman “work his magic” and trade Gray. Of course, the Yanks have to get a starter first, then trade Gray, and right now, you are trading low on Gray.

I hope he can get straightened out. But it could be that Gray is better suited for a small market team like Oakland and that he can’t handle NY. We’ve seen it before. One scout a few weeks ago suggested that that wasn’t going to be the case, and said the Yanks have and will continue to have a problem with Gray.

One thing we do know. This isn’t good with Gray. It has to improve or Gray and the Yankees would be better suited if he pitches elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Austin Romine, with a tight hamstring, was removed early from last night’s game for precautionary reasons. Hopefully it’s just a day-to-day thing and Romine doesn’t have to go on the DL. But Gary Sanchez already is on the DL and won’t be back for a month. Losing Romine would be a crippling blow. The lack of Yankees’ catching depth was proven in this year’s MLB draft when they took catchers in BOTH the first and second rounds.

The Yanks sent Giovanny Gallegos down to AAA and haven’t made a move yet, pending Romine’s leg. Kyle Higashioka is Romine’s backup right now, and Higashioka is 0 for 21 now in his MLB career. If Romine has to go down, Wilkin Castillo would be coming up from SWB. Castillo, 34, last played in the majors in 2009, and has just 22 games of MLB experience. A switch-hitter, he was an OF/IF back then before being converted to a catcher. He started this year in independent league baseball. He only hit .218 last year for SWB, .244 now.

One guy the Yanks did have was 38 year old Erik Kratz, but they traded him to Milwaukee a few weeks ago when they re-signed Castillo. In 14 games for the Brewers, Kratz has hit 3 HR. Go figure. In his brief Yankees’ career, Kratz was 2 for 2 last year.

Not much to say about last night’s game. As mentioned, Gray put the Yanks into an early 6-0 hole, they couldn’t do anything against Sale, and Boston dominated.

With the ace, Severino, on the mound tonight, let’s hope Seve is as dominant tonight against Boston as Sale was against the Yanks last night.

The offense has been sluggish lately as well, with a couple of shutouts. Let’s hope they awaken.

Gleyber Torres hit cleanup last night, the youngest Yankee to do so since Mickey Mantle in 1953.

Brandon Drury was called up and played 1b last night.

Gray (5-6, 5.44) 2 1/3 IP, 6 R, 7 H, 2 W, 0 K. Gave up Grand Slam.
Warren 2 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 4 K.  1.35
Gallegos 2 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 1 W, 3 K.  3.86    Gave up 1 HR. Sent down to AAA
Holder 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K.  2.01
Shreve 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K.  4.97

 

Game 77. Yanks blank Phils, 6-0.

Aaron Hicks led off the game with a HR (11) and that was all Luis Severino needed as the Yanks blanked the Phillies 6-0 Tuesday night.

In the third, with one out, Hicks and Judge singled. Didi reached on an error, loading the bases. After Stanton struck out, Torres singled in two runs, and Bird singled in another. 4-0 Yanks.

In the fourth, Romine doubled, went to third on a WP and scored on a SF by Hicks.

Didi hit HR #15 in the fifth for the final score of 6-0.

If Severino isn’t in CYA conversation….

Hicks 2 hits, solo HR, 2 RBI
Didi solo HR.
Stanton 2 hits,
Torres 2 hits, 2 RBI

Severino (W 12-2, 2.10) 7 IP, 0 R, 6 H, 0 W, 9 K.
Warren 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.   1.56
Shreve 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K.  5.00

Game 75. Struggling Shreve costs Yanks game in 12th, 7-6. Sanchez to DL.

Chasen Shreve has been struggling badly lately, and it cost the Yanks dearly on Sunday when his only pitch of the game was hit for a walk-off HR in the bottom of the 12th, making the Yanks lose 7-6 to the Rays.

Meanwhile, Gary Sanchez appears to be out a while with a hip/groin injury. It looks like Austin Romine will step into the starting catcher role and that the Yanks will bring up Kyle Higashioka from AAA to backup Romine.

The only thing is, Higashioka can’t hit. In his only MLB games last year, 9 of them, he was 0 for 18.

This year, at AAA SWB, he has hit .191 with 5 HR and 22 RBI. Ugh. In 109 games at the AAA level, he has only hit .222-17-64.

Domingo German had nothing today and was hit hard. He gave up 2 runs in the first, and seems to always have trouble with the first batter. I don’t know what’s up with his bullpen preparation, but wasn’t it in the last game where his first pitch was hit for a HR? Today? Leadoff triple followed by a double. Two runs given up in the first inning right away.

The Yanks took a 3-2 lead in the second on a 3-runG HR (11) by Miguel Andujar.

But German gave up a HR in the second that tied the game, and three more runs in the third to put Tampa Bay up 6-3.

Doubles by Didi and Stanton cut it to 6-5 in the fifth.

In the eighth, Stanton, who went 5 for 5, homered (19) to tie the game.

In the top of the ninth, Clint Frazier clubbed a ball that ricocheted off a speaker and was caught for an out. If the speaker wasn’t there, could it have gone for a possible game-winning HR? Maybe.

This park, and the Rays’ poor attendance, have been a disgrace to MLB for years, now.

Come the twelfth, and after the Yanks’ bullpen had pitched eight no-run, no-hit innings, Shreve blew everything with just one pitch.

Some improvements the Yanks need to make:

1. Catching depth. We see it now with Sanchez hurt. Higashioka is now the backup to Romine. A .191 hitter at AAA this year. 0 for 18 MLB career. .222 AAA in his minor league career.
2. Lefty relief specialist (outside of the closer Chapman). Shreve isn’t cutting it. They can pursue Brad Hand from SD. I don’t see one at AAA I like, but there is someone, Caleb Frare at AA, who is currently 3-1 with an ERA of 0.54. In his minor league career, the soon-to-be 25 year old is 17-12, 2.41.
3. First base. Greg Bird is struggling. .193-3-5 in 83 at bats (OPS+ 86). Neil Walker went 0 for 3 today and is at .192-2-14, and his OPS+ is around 50. The best of the lot so far has been Tyler Austin at .223-8-23, OPS+ 99 but Austin has only 8 walks to go with 53 strikeouts. I’d love to pursue a trade for Joey Votto of the Reds, if the Reds would pick up half of Votto’s salary because of the prospects the Yanks would give up for him. Votto, 35 in September, fields well, draws a ton of walks, is a lefty hitter, great OPS+. He’d fit in perfect. I’d offer Wade, Frazier, Bird, and a pitcher like Albert Abreu (and maybe one other low-end pitcher) for Votto, as long as the Reds (who aren’t going anywhere and have stunk for years) pick up half his salary in exchange for players who can help them rebuild. The Reds could honor Votto by trading him to a team that could possibly give him a ring. If Votto is unavailable, then the Yanks should cut ties with Walker now and bring up Brandon Drury to platoon with Greg Bird at 1B. Drury has been getting some games at 1B at AAA, and is experienced at 2B and 3B if you want to give Torres or Andujar a day off. He’s hitting .320 at SWB, and cutting Walker for Drury now seems like the thing to do. The Yanks haven’t been getting much from 1B, and unless Bird and/or Walker start heating up, why not try a Drury/Bird platoon? Especially since Drury’s .320 is being wasted at AAA?

   Gardner 2 hits.
   Stanton 5 for 5, HR, 2 RBI (half of team’s 10 hits)
   Andujar 3-run HR

German 3 IP, 6 R, 9 H, 0 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. 5.40
Warren 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 1.65
Holder 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.  1.84
Robertson 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 0 K.  3.34
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.   2.91
Green 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 4 K.   2.17
Shreve (L, 2-2, 5.19) 0 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. Threw 1 pitch = HR.

With the loss, the Yanks (50-25) fall into a virtual tie with Boston (the Yanks are percentage points ahead). The Yanks rearranged their rotation, setting themselves up for next weekend’s Boston series. So against the Phillies Monday-Wednesday, it’ll be Loaisiga, Severino and Cessa. After an off-day, CC goes with some extra rest Friday, then it’ll be Gray and Severino.

With today’s loss, the Yanks became the last MLB team this year to experience a 3-game losing streak.

 

 

 

 

Game 73. No O for CC again as Yanks fall, 2-1, to Rays.

Last Sunday, on Father’s Day, CC Sabathia pitched well but got no run support as the Yanks lost 3-1 to the Rays.

As Yogi Berra would have said, deja vu all over again. Last night, in his first start since then, also against the Rays, CC once again got no run support in losing 2-1 to the Rays.

With the loss, the Yanks’ (50-23) lead over Boston was nipped to one game because Boston won last night.

The Rays got one run in the fourth and another in the fifth. They would have gotten more in the fifth except for a great catch in RF by Giancarlo Stanton. CC hurt himself in the fifth by making a throwing error. The eventual game-winning run would turn out to be an unearned one.

The Yanks only got five hits in the game. They got their only run in the seventh on a one-out walk to Torres, and single to Gardner (back in the lineup after missing a few games with a sore knee) and a single by Judge.

Gardner had two of the Yanks’ five hits. They did draw six walks.

Luis Cessa, off the DL to replace A.J. Cole who went onto the DL with a pinched nerve in his neck, pitched two scoreless innings for the Yankees in relief.

Is it me, or are you waiting for the day when everyone in the lineup has a good day, about six HR are hit, they get some 20 hits, and the Yanks bomb someone, say 16-3? It’s been a while since they put up a 10-spot against an opponent, and I just have a feeling it’s coming.

Sabathia (L, 4-3, 3.18) 5 1/3 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 9 H, 1 W, 4 K. In and out of trouble all game.
Warren  2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.   1.84
Cessa 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 2 K.  3.00