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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 4, 2020 6:57:52 GMT -5
Jon Heyman @jonheyman · 11h A-Rod reportedly calls Mets sale rigged. Of course Steve Cohen has the $ to buy the team AND absorb its losses. A-Rod had to put together a “consortium” and still needed help, consorted w/banned exec Luhnow, brought in Urlacher. Source: “A-Rod made mistakes.” It was $ vs mistakes
A-Rod has some chutzpah claiming the sale process was unfair. Forgetting the fact he doesn’t have the money to buy the Mets, he served one if the longest PED suspensions in baseball history and is fortunate to have major announcing jobs and a stunningly rebuilt rep as it is.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 4, 2020 8:51:15 GMT -5
Yankees injury updates: Gleyber Torres close, Giancarlo Stanton progressing, James Paxton throws ahead of schedule Today 8:10 AM
By Randy Miller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Cross your fingers, knock on wood and walk around carrying a rabbit’s foot, Yankees fans. In the worst way, your team needs its recent run of encouraging health news to continue.
A little over a week ago, their injury list was littered with nine players, most of them stars. It’s down to six with second baseman DJ LeMahieu, reliever Zack Britton and backup catcher Kyle Higashioka taking turns returning starting last weekend, and shortstop Gleyber Torres is due back Sunday.
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Pitchers Luis Severino and Tommy Kahnle are recovering from Tommy John surgery and won’t be back, but the Yanks are optimistic that they’ll be getting everyone else back before the regular season ends three weeks from Sunday: designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton, right fielder Aaron Judge and left-handed starter James Paxton.
Besides that, and we’re not trying to be a jinx, the Yankees haven’t added a player to the IL since Judge began his second stint on Aug 28.
When’s the last time the Yanks went a full week without someone getting hurt? Was it during Obama’s second White House term?
Here are the latest encouraging updates:
GLEYBER TORRES
Torres was expected to be out 2-to-3 weeks after straining his left hamstring running out a groundball on Aug. 20. It’ll be 2 ½ weeks if he is back by Sunday, which is the plan.
“This weekend is definitely a possibility,” Boone said.
Torres reported to the Yanks’ Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre camp on Thursday to get at-bats in simulated games for two or three days.
“If all goes well there, then we might have him travel to us Saturday to be ready to play Sunday,” Boone said. “So that’s kind of the hope and the possibility, but let’s get him through these next couple of days where he can get some regular at-bats and log some innings in the field.”
* * *
JAMES PAXTON
Paxton was supposed to not throw for two weeks after suffering a flexor strain during his Aug. 20 start, but he started light tossing two days early on Thursday.
“My understanding is it went very well.,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Now it will be that buildup. I don’t know exactly what the progression is, but the hope would be that he would be back and pitching for us (after) he gets built up.”
Paxton hopes to make one or two starts this month. He could start two games if he’s back in about 2 1/2 weeks.
* * *
GIANCARLO STANTON
Stanton, who has missed 22 games since straining his left hamstring on Aug. 8, has been running pain free, but not full speed.
“He’s still a bit away, but Stanton had a good day (Wednesday) upping his running,” Boone said. “And he has been throwing and hitting. It’s more getting over that last hurdle to where he can really let it go from a running standpoint, then we can start to think about getting him into some (sim) game activities.”
* * *
AARON JUDGE
Judge missed nine games when he was on the IL with a right calf strain from Aug. 12-25, and counting Thursday’s game he’s missed nine more since returning to the IL after re-straining the calf during his Aug. 26 return game.
Yankees GM Brian Cashman said a few days ago that Judge’s latest calf issue was less severe than the first time he got hurt, but he’ll probably miss twice the amount of time to make sure the issue gets 100 percent healed.
Commenting on Judge and Stanton’s progress recently, Boone said, “I don’t know exactly when, but we absolutely feel like they’re going to be back. That gives us some excitement. We’ve just got to spend these next several days getting them healed up and getting them right knowing the kind of role they’re going to play for us down the stretch and through October.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 4, 2020 8:52:15 GMT -5
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 4, 2020 14:38:12 GMT -5
Yankees Place Gio Urshela, Jonathan Loaisiga On Injured List
By Steve Adams | September 4, 2020 at 2:24pm CDT
The Yankees announced Friday that third baseman Gio Urshela and right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga have been placed on the 10-day injured list. Urshela is dealing with a bone spur in his right elbow, while Loasigia has “a medical condition that prevents him from playing and necessitates placement on the injured list,” per the team’s release. Manager Aaron Boone tells reporters (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Lindsey Adler) that Loaisiga’s condition is not Covid-19 related. Infielder/outfielder Miguel Andujar and righty Miguel Yajure are up from the team’s alternate site.
Urshela, 28, has continued last year’s breakout showing in 2020, getting out to a very strong .272/.358/.515 start at the plate and swatting six homers in his first 120 plate appearances. He heads to the injured list, alongside shortstop Gleyber Torres, less than a week after DJ LeMahieu returned from the injured list. The Yankees are also without key sluggers Aaron Judge (strained calf) and Giancarlo Stanton (strained hamstring).
There’s no further information on Loaisiga at this point. It’s a rather ominous update on the 25-year-old righty, who has pitched quite well in 17 frames with the Yankees in 2020. Loaisiga has a 20-to-4 K/BB ratio and a 3.18 ERA in that short time, and he’s also induced grounders at a solid 48.8 percent clip. His absence will be felt by the Yankee pitching staff, but the greater concern is his overall well-being. Best wishes to the young right-hander on a full recovery.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 4, 2020 14:40:15 GMT -5
Game 1 of 2 King vs Eshelmen
1. DJ LeMahieu (R) 3B 2. Luke Voit (R) DH 3. Brett Gardner (L) CF 4. Clint Frazier (R) RF 5. Mike Ford (L) 1B 6. Gary Sanchez (R) C 7. Mike Tauchman (L) LF 8. Thairo Estrada (R) 2B 9. Tyler Wade (L) SS
1. Cedric Mullins (S) CF 2. Anthony Santander (S) RF 3. Jose Iglesias (R) DH 4. Renato Nunez (R) 1B 5. Chance Sisco (L) C 6. Hanser Alberto (R) 2B 7. DJ Stewart (L) LF 8. Rio Ruiz (L) 3B 9. Andrew Velazquez (S) SS
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 5, 2020 3:21:58 GMT -5
Yankees Promote Clarke Schmidt
By Connor Byrne | September 4, 2020 at 8:00pm CDT
The Yankees have selected right-hander Clarke Schmidt’s contract, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News was among those to report. They optioned righty Ben Heller in a corresponding move.
The 24-year-old Schmidt, whom the Yankees chose 16th overall in the 2017 draft, has become one of their highest-regarded prospects, owing in part to impressive minor league production. He divided last season between High-A and Double-A, combining for a 3.47 ERA with 10.1 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 90 2/3 innings.
In the wake of his 2019 performance, Schmidt earned top 100 prospect rankings at The Athletic (No. 51), Baseball America (No. 64), ESPN.com (82), and MLB.com (94). Keith Law of The Athletic wrote that the former Tommy John patient has a chance to turn into a No. 3-4 starter in the majors.
If Schmidt’s able to provide mid-rotation type of production immediately, it would be a boost to the playoff-contending Yankees, whose starting staff hasn’t lived up to expectations in 2020. Gerrit Cole hasn’t given the club the elite production it anticipated when it signed him to a nine-year, $324MM contract last winter; James Paxton has dealt with injuries and struggled when healthy; and J.A. Happ and Jordan Montgomery have fallen flat. The Yankees’ best starter has been Masahiro Tanaka, who has logged a 3.38 ERA/3.85 FIP over 26 2/3 innings.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 5, 2020 3:28:55 GMT -5
Yankees barely hold on, beat Orioles in extra innings | Rapid reaction Updated Sep 04, 2020; Posted Sep 04, 2020 Yankees
Baltimore Orioles' Anthony Santander, left, gets back safely to second next to New York Yankees shortstop Tyler Wade (14) on a pickoff attempt during the third inning of the first baseball game of a doubleheader, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) APAP By Brendan Kuty | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
No matter how poorly the Yankees are playing. No matter how many leads they give up. They can at least rely one one thing:
The Streak.
The Yankees extended their long-running ownership of the Orioles with a 6-5 win in nine innings in the first game of their doubleheader on Friday at Camden Yards. It happened after the Yankees surrendered a three-run lead, a day after they gave up a pair of three-run leads in a loss to the Mets.
The Yankees have beaten the O’s in 19 straight games and in 18 consecutive games at Camden Yards.
It was thanks to Miguel Andujar’s go-ahead single in the top of the frame that scored reliever Jonathan Holder, of all people, from third base.
Holder, who pitched a scoreless eighth inning, was forced to be the extra-innings runner since the Yankees subbed out the DH. Holder moved to third base from second on DJ LeMahieu’s grounder to first base to start the inning. Andujar’s one-out base hit fell into shallow right off Tanner Scott and Holder scored without breaking a sweat.
It was the first time Holder had scored a run since high school. He earned the win. Holder was the first Yankees reliever to score a run since Mike Stanton in 2000.
Chad Green got the save. He gave up a run, but benefitted from a pretty 5-4-3 double play with no outs. Miguel Andujar made a pretty snag and throw.
The win snapped the Yankees’ two-game losing streak and they improved to 21-16.
In the eighth, the Yankees had runners on third base and first base. Gary Sanchez, the extra-innings runner on second, moved to third base on a wild pitch. Mike Tauchman walked, but Thairo Estrada lined out and pinch hitter Aaron Hicks got doubled up.
With the game knotted in the seventh, the Yankees wasted runners on second base and first base with no outs.
They were up, 4-1, after the third inning and gave it right back.
In the fourth, Rio Ruiz crushed a two-run homer off King, a 92-mph two-seamer that barely moved from the middle of the plate. It was Ruiz’s seventh of the year and it scored Hanser Alberto with one out.
In the next frame, with two outs, reliever Ben Heller surrendered a solo shot to Renato Nunez for a 4-all tie.
A three-run third inning for the Yankees broke a 1-all tie.
With the bases loaded, Brett Gardner smoked a line drive up the middle to score Tyler Wade and DJ LeMahieu. After Clint Frazier walked to load the bags again, Mike Ford lined out and Gary Sanchez struck out. But Mike Tauchman, who was in a 2-for-28 slump, worked a full-count walk, fouling back multiple 97-mph heaters from Branden Kline before taking his base. But Thairo Estrada fanned to end the threat.
Zack Britton gave the Yankees a stress test in the sixth, loading the bases but holding the O’s scoreless. He was all over the plate for 29 pitches, his early breaking balls bounces before the plate and tagging catcher Gary Sanchez in the shoulders.
The teams traded homers at the start. King gave up a leadoff homer to Cedric Mullins and then, in the second inning, Gary Sanchez bombed his seventh homer of the season, a shot to left field.
The Yankees were surely looking for a little bit more from the rookie King. With their pitching staff depleted due to so many consecutive games and a few extra-innings contests, the Yankees would have liked more than the four innings and three runs King gave them. King gave up four hits, struck out three and walked two.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 5, 2020 3:30:01 GMT -5
Yankees’ Deivi Garcia, Clarke Schmidt can’t stop Orioles, epic winning streak ends | Rapid reaction Updated 11:55 PM; Today 11:55 PM Deivi Garcia
New York Yankees starting pitcher Deivi Garcia throws during the first inning of the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Baltimore. This is a makeup of a game that was postponed on Aug. 5. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) APAP By Brendan Kuty | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
You know there’s something wrong when the Yankees can’t beat the Orioles.
New York’s 19-game winning streak over the O’s ended with a 6-3 loss at Camden Yards in Game 2 of their doubleheader on Friday night. The Yankees won, 6-5, in nine innings in the first game.
The Yankees (21-17) remained locked in second place with the Blue Jays. They’re 5 1/2 games behind the Rays with 22 games remaining.
The Yankees’ streak went back to April 4, 2019. Their 18-game victories streak at Camden Yards, which dated back to 2018, also came to an end. The Yankees feel to 0-7 in games in which they didn’t hit a home run. They were held to just four hits, including two from Erik Kratz.
It fell apart when manager Aaron Boone was backed into a tough pitching change.
With two outs and two on in the fifth inning, Boone went to top pitching prospect Clarke Schmidt, a starter, to rescue the inning. It was his first big-league appearance. It didn’t go well.
Schmidt gave up three straight hits, including a two-run double to Pat Valaika. Four runs scored to turn a 3-2 lead into a 6-3 deficit.
Schmidt also pitched the sixth when he nearly gave up a three-run bomb, but left fielder Brett Gardner caught it at the warning track.
Boone was arguably backed into a corner. He didn’t have top-notch relievers Zack Britton, Aroldis Chapman or Chad Green available, since they had pitched the earlier game. Boone likely wanted to use Adam Ottavino in case of a closing situation. Earlier in the day, the Yankees put Jonathan Loaisiga on the 10-day injured list with an undisclosed medical issue.
It was a rough way end an otherwise solid night for the Yankees’ other top pitching prospect Deivi Garcia, who went 5 2/3 innings. Garcia ended up surrendering four earned runs on five hits, two walks and six strikeouts. It came on the heels of his phenomenal debut, six scoreless innings against the Mets on Sunday.
Garcia dominated the first inning and then coughed up a two-run shot in the second inning to Ryan Mountcastle.
The Yankees battled back over the next couple innings. In the third, Thairo Estrada’s groundout brought home Tyler Wade. In the fourth, Kratz singled in Brett Gardner and Miguel Andujar for a 3-2 lead. Andujar got the start at third base with Gio Urshela going to the 10-day injured list with a bone spur in his right elbow earlier in the day.
Aaron Hicks and Luke Voit, the Nos. 1 and 2 hitters, each went 0-for-4. Brett Gardner, Clint Frazier and Mike Ford combined to go hitless in nine at-bats.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 5, 2020 3:44:38 GMT -5
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 5, 2020 3:46:56 GMT -5
Gio Urshela, Jonathan Loaisiga join crowded Yankees injured list; Aaron Judge begins baseball activities By Kristie Ackert New York Daily News | Sep 05, 2020 at 1:30 AM
BALTIMORE — The Yankees continue taking hits to their roster when they can least afford it. Gio Urshela and Jonathan Loaisiga were the latest losses for the Yankees. Before Friday’s doubleheader against the Orioles at Camden Yards, the Yankees announced that Urshela had re-aggravated the bone spur in his right elbow during Thursday’s game at Citi Field. Loaisiga is dealing with a non-COVID related medical condition that has him back in New York resting.
That gives the Yankees eight players on the 10-day IL and two that are out for the season. Miguel Andujar was being rushed from Scranton to Baltimore to take Urshela’s spot, but at least for the first game of the doubleheader Friday, DJ LeMahieu was playing third. Miguel Yajure was activated for Loaisiga’s spot in the bullpen.
With 24 games left there is not a lot of time for the players on IL to get back, but Aaron Boone said they are hopeful to have a full, healthy roster before the end of the regular season, including with Aaron Judge, who began baseball activities Friday afternoon.
“I’m not giving you a time frame or anything, based on the injury and based how he’s tracking now. I am confident that he’ll be back before the postseason,” Boone said of Judge, who is in his second stint on the IL with a strained right calf. Gio Urshela Gio Urshela (Kathy Willens/AP)
Gleyber Torres, who was in Scranton getting at-bats against live pitching Friday, is close to returning from a strained left hamstring and left quad, could be back in the lineup possibly Sunday, Boone said.
James Paxton (forearm strain) began throwing this week and Giancarlo Stanton (strained left hamstring, is not running at 100%, but is progressing in his rehab.
It comes during a tough stretch when the Yankees are playing their final 33 games in 31 days and started 12 in 11 days with Friday night’s game. Boone is trying to balance winning, which is imperative to keep themselves among the top six in the American League for the playoffs, and keeping his remaining players healthy.
If Andujar could get on track it would be a huge help, but for now Boone is playing LeMahieu at third
“It’ll be a mix-and-match and we’ll try and get creative. Obviously, as we go through this tough stretch, trying to find a place where I can give DJ a day and obviously Luke’s been running out there a ton,” Boone said. “From a scheduling standpoint it’s challenging, we’re gonna need to lean on everyone during this time.”
With Urshela and Loaisiga, they would be eligible to come off the IL for the final two weeks of the season if they have no issues. [More Yankees] Yankees ’super bullpen’ looks more like a liability these days »
Urshela has been dealing with the bone spur for a couple weeks, but tests Friday revealed no new damage.
“It was no change from the previous, it’s still the bone spur,” Boone said. “There’s no change. So overall is very good news. He’ll be down for a couple days, but should be able to resume baseball activities in the next couple of days. And then I would probably be likely to join us in the 10 days.”
It’s a huge blow to the Yankees’ lineup, which has struggled over the last two weeks, Urshela has been one of the few with a productive bat. He was hitting .326/.433/.520 with a home run and five RBI in the last eight games after missing three with this same issue.
Loaisiga has a 5.18 ERA in 17 innings over eight appearances this season.
Boone was vague about the issue, adhering to health and privacy laws, but seemed optimistic he could return. Loaisiga was also not with the team Thursday, Boone said, adding he was getting tested to try and find out what was medically wrong with him.
“Hopefully, it’ll be something that doesn’t keep him down long. He’s home now. Resting. So, we’re hopeful that in both cases, it’ll be short term situations for those guys,” Boone said. “I just want them to get well. And the fact is, I think there’s a realistic chance that they will be back and continue to be major contributors for us in the regular season, and then hopefully on into the postseason.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 5, 2020 3:48:13 GMT -5
Yankees ’super bullpen’ looks more like a liability these days By Kristie Ackert New York Daily News | Sep 05, 2020 at 1:28 AM
BALTIMORE — They used to call it a “super bullpen” and a strength of the Yankees. After the last two weeks, however, the Bombers’ relief corps looked more like a liability. Closer Aroldis Chapman blew two games in the last week, but Aaron Boone said he was not thinking about shaking up the roles at the back-end of the bullpen.
“I do feel like just watching Chappy and kind of digging in, I do feel like he’s very close to what he normally is,” the Yankees manager said of the closer. “I do think there’s an element of him kind of still working through, having not really had spring training.”
Chapman began the regular season on the COVID-19 list and has made just five appearances this season. Two of those have been disastrous and one controversial. Chapman has two blown saves, allowing four earned runs, including two home runs, in four innings pitched. By comparison, Chapman allowed 14 earned runs and three home runs over 57 innings pitched in 60 appearances last season.
Boone believed Chapman just needed more work.
“Throwing just a few bullpens on his way into the season and is still working into that mid season form, that game mode,” Boone said. “But I feel like he’s actually a lot closer than a couple of his results have been. And hopefully with the continued reps and getting out there, he’ll get back to his dominant self.” [More Yankees] Gio Urshela, Jonathan Loaisiga join crowded Yankees injured list; Aaron Judge begins baseball activities »
Chapman is serving a three-game suspension for throwing a controversial “wild pitch” behind the head of Rays’ pinch-hitter Mike Brosseau on Tuesday. MLB ruled it intentional, but Chapman appealed the decision. Aroldis Chapman has not been so dominant his last few outings. Aroldis Chapman has not been so dominant his last few outings. (Kathy Willens/AP)
The Yankees bullpen obviously took a hit when Tommy Kahnle went down with a torn ulnar collateral ligament at the start of the season. They took another hit Friday when Jonathan Loaisiga went on the injured list with a non-COVID-related medical condition, according to Boone. JUDGE-MENT DAYS
Aaron Judge was on the field at Yankee Stadium, according to the YES Network, working out and doing some baseball activities. Boone said Friday he was confident Judge would be back from his second stint on the IL with a right calf strain before the end of the regular season on Sept. 27.
“He is starting to get back into introducing some baseball activity stuff,” Boone said. “It’s been slow getting to that point, but I know he’s feeling good now. We’re hopeful over the next couple of weeks we’ll be on the road to getting him back.” GLEYBER DAY WEEKEND
Gleyber Torres, on the IL with a strained left hamstring/quad since Aug. 24, has a “good chance” of being in the lineup Saturday night. [More Yankees] Gio Urshela, Jonathan Loaisiga join crowded Yankees injured list; Aaron Judge begins baseball activities »
The shortstop had seven at-bats at the Yankees Alternate Training Site in Scranton Friday, according to the Scranton Times-Tribune reporter Conor Foley. Then he posted a picture on Instagram from his hotel room in Baltimore Saturday night.
“We’re gonna talk about that, but there’s a good chance of that,” Boone said of having Torres active Saturday.
The 23-year-old infielder hit .394 with 13 homers, four doubles and 20 RBI against the Orioles last season. It helped him finish with a 3.1 WAR hitting .278 with 38 homers over the season.
So far this year, Torres has not been as hot. When he went down with the double injury to his left leg, Torres was slashing .3231/.341/.636 with one home run and six RBI. He had 17 strikeouts and 12 walks in 78 at-bats. SCHMIDT HAS ARRIVED
The future is now. With Clarke Schmidt making his major league debut Friday night, piggybacking off Deivi Garcia, the Yankees got a glimpse of what their future pitching looks like. [More Yankees] Yankees struggle, split twin bill against Orioles; Yankees prospects get big-league experience »
Schmidt was brought in with two runners on base and two outs in the fifth inning, something he had only done twice before in his professional career and once in college. He allowed two earned runs on three hits, he walked one and struck out one in 1.1 innings work.
“Obviously, as a starting pitcher, that’s a tough first big league assignment,” Boone said. “And he came in and I thought he did a good job of spinning this breaking ball right away and you know, probably the breaking ball maybe a little too up but but generate some weak contact from our castle and just out of the reach of [Tyler Wade] and then and then obviously they scored a few runs off him.
“So not an ideal situation to bring him in but by need and glad he got out there to to get one under his belt.”
After using six pitchers in the first game of their doubleheader on Friday night, the Yankees reached down into their depth and activated Schmidt to the 28-man major league roster between games of the doubleheader. Schmidt had never pitched higher than Double-A Trenton before this season, but impressed everyone in spring training and during the summer camp.
Schmidt was on the taxi squad this weekend, which surprised him. He was even more surprised between games of the doubleheader when Boone told him he was being activated. [More Yankees] With Rays up by 5, Yankees real battle could be for second place in the AL East »
He felt ready though.
“I was more so just like, amped up, I think it was like, but no sort of nerves at all. I didn’t feel, which I was actually surprised about. I didn’t feel like any type of turning in my gut or any type of doubt or anything like that,” Schmidt said. “I was ready to go.... I think sometimes you teeter, that line of being too amped up sometimes. And I felt like that was kind of the case.
“I tried to do too much on pitches... try to just make guys just strike out and look foolish every time when sometimes you gotta stay within yourself and keep it in the zone a little more,” Schmidt said of his debut experience.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 5, 2020 3:50:39 GMT -5
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 5, 2020 4:19:09 GMT -5
After rare win over Yankees, Orioles seek repeat
The Baltimore Orioles finally did it in the second game of their Friday doubleheader with the Yankees: They ended their 19-game, head-to-head losing streak against New York and their 18-game, head-to-head losing streak in the teams' meetings at Camden Yards.
Now, the Orioles will aim for a rare winning streak against New York when the teams square off again Saturday night in Baltimore.
The Orioles (17-21) were happy to end the two skids with a 6-3 victory in the Friday nightcap, the first time that second-year Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde has defeated the Yankees at Camden Yards. New York won the opener 6-5 in nine innings.
"We've had a tough time against them," Hyde said. "They're a good club. We've had opportunities in the past and haven't finished it. Tonight we finished the second game of the DH."
The Yankees (21-17) and starter Gerrit Cole will try to bounce back on Saturday.
Cole (4-2, 3.91 ERA) had won 20 consecutive decisions dating back to last year before losing each of his past two starts. He gave up a combined nine runs on 13 hits in 10 innings in defeats against the Atlanta Braves and Tampa Bay Rays.
Cole examined game tape to see if he might have been tipping his pitches.
"I didn't find anything substantial there," he said Friday, according to Newsday. "I just felt there was probably a lot of different factors that have contributed to it. But not one main thing. ...
"Part of that is a product of guys being ready for the pitch, (part of it) is missing in a bad spot and maybe not catching a break a couple of times. There's room for improvement there, but certainly it's not very far off. Fine-tuning would be how I would describe trying to get it better."
Cole hasn't pitched much against Baltimore, going 1-0 with a 2.29 ERA three career starts. However, one of those outings was a July 29 win, when he limited the Orioles to three runs on four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked two.
Baltimore left-hander Keegan Akin (0-0, 3.52 ERA) will make the second start of his major league career Saturday in his first career appearance against the Yankees.
His first start came Monday against the Toronto Blue Jays, when he yielded two runs (both unearned) on three hits in 4 1/3 innings. Akin fanned six and walked two.
"Keegan was fantastic," Hyde said. "He was excellent. I loved all the early strikes, how aggressive he was with his fastball and how he challenged their hitters. These were guys he faced in the minor leagues and I think he had a good feel for how to attack them, and he did."
The Yankees lost two more players to health issues on Friday, as third baseman Gio Urshela (bone spur in right elbow) and right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga (illness) went on the 10-day injured list. According to manager Aaron Boone, Loaisiga isn't experiencing problems related to COVID-19.
Normal second baseman DJ LeMahieu started at third base in the opener Friday, and infielder/outfielder Miguel Andujar got the start at third in the nightcap.
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 5, 2020 7:37:47 GMT -5
Yankees’ Aaron Boone explains putting Clarke Schmidt in tough spot in debut Today 8:30 AM Manager Aaron Boone
Yankees manager Aaron Boone put his top pitching prospect in a difficult situation in his debut in a 6-3 loss to the Orioles on Friday night. (Rob Carr/Getty Images/TNS) TNSTNS By Brendan Kuty | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
It backfired.
Whether Yankees manager Aaron Boone had a good explanation for putting top pitching prospect Clarke Schmidt in a precarious spot in his big-league debut, it didn’t matter. Schmidt still failed and it was a big part of why the Yankees lost, 6-3, to the Orioles in Game 2 of their doubleheader on Friday night at Camden Yards.
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Schmidt allowed four runs to score on three straight hits, including a two-run double, before getting out of the frame. He would pitch a scoreless sixth.
Why go to Schmidt — a career starting pitcher with no big-league experience — with two runners on and two outs with a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning of a crucial mid-season game?
Boone said he pretty much had no choice.
The breakdown:
Out of arms: Boone said that he was left to chose between Schmidt or fellow rookies Miguel Yajure and Albert Abreu, who had pitched the night before. Luis Cessa was only available in an emergency spot, Boone said.
Top options down: The Yankees couldn’t go to Zack Britton, Aroldis Chapman or Chad Green. Each of them had pitched in the earlier game. For Britton and Chapman, it was their second straight day of work. For Green, it was his third. If Boone turned to Adam Ottavino, it would have been his third straight day. The Yankees rarely use a reliever three days in a row during the regular season.
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Confidence in Schmidt: “He’s got a lot of confidence, a lot of belief in his ability when he gets on the mound,” Boone said. “I wasn’t so worried about him from a psyche standpoint.” The Yankees had told Schmidt just before Game 2 that he was going to be a bullpen option. He was ready for it. Plus, Schmidt was stretched out and could pitch multiple innings. “With what we have and what we know of Clarke from the makeup standpoint, was pretty convicted to roll with him,” Boone said.
Pushed Deivi Garcia far enough: Boone said he didn’t want Deivi Garcia to throw much more than 90 pitches. He got to 95 and that’s when Boone called it a night.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 5, 2020 9:02:35 GMT -5
Yankees’ Gleyber Torres likely back Saturday | What it means Today 9:00 AM Gleyber Torres
Yankees shortstop Gleyber Torres.AP By Brendan Kuty | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
It was at the end of Yankees manager Aaron Boone’s talk with reporters, but it was maybe the biggest news of all.
Two-time all-star shortstop Gleyber Torres had posted a picture that said he was in Baltimore earlier in the night Friday, before the Yankees’ lost, 6-3, in Game 2 of their doubleheader with the Orioles.
Was Torres about to be activated from the injury list?
“We’re going to talk about that, but there’s a good chance of that, yes,” Boone said before logging off the Zoom call.
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Torres had been on the injured list since Aug. 24, when he was diagnosed with a strained left hamstring and left quad.
On Friday and Thursday, Torres worked out at the team’s alternate training site at PNC Field in Moosic, Pa. He played in a simulated game on Friday, in addition to hitting in the cage and taking grounders.
Torres was having a very un-Torres-like year at the plate before he got hurt. In 24 games, he had hit .231 with a homer, six RBI and a .636 OPS. In 2019, Torres hit a 38 homers and drove in 90 runs.
The 25-year-old had also been struggling with playing shortstop everyday after spending his first two years in the majors as a second baseman.
With Torres’ return, the Yankees will reshuffle their infield. They could go in a bunch of directions.
With Gio Urshela (right elbow bone spurs) on the IL as of Friday, the Yankees could put DJ LeMahieu at third base with Tyler Wade shifting to second base. They could also made wade play third and keep LeMahieu at second base, where he’s a Gold Glove-caliber defender.
Or the Yankees could start LeMahieu at first base, allowing Miguel Andujar to play third base and Wade to take over at second base. Luke Voit has been dealing with foot pain and was the team’s DH in both of Friday’s games.
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Figure the Yankees’ lineup looks something like this when Torres returns:
1. DJ LeMahieu, 2B
2. Luke Voit, DH
3. Aaron Hicks, CF
4. Gleyber Torres, SS
5. Clint Frazier, RF
6. Gary Sanchez, C
7. Mike Ford, 1B
8. Miguel Andujar, 3B
9. Brett Gardner, LF
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