It feels as if they trade just one more star or have another teary-eyed press conference to announce a veteran’s departure, they will clinch a postseason berth. Barring a total collapse by the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox, winning the American League East would seem to be an all but impossible feat for the New York Yankees, who now sit 6 GB of Baltimore.
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It’s another day at Yankee Stadium on Sunday and another opportunity to honor their glorious past as Mariano Rivera’s Monument Park plaque dedication ceremony occurs prior to NY trying for a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays.
When Tyler Austin stepped to the plate for the first time, Aaron Judge was right behind him with familiar words of encouragement.
The future is now for the Yankees.
He was down 2-1 when he went into the fourth inning and got busted up for six runs. No other Yankees player had ever reached the center-field batter’s eye glass. In addition, recently-banged up Mark Teixeira, who is now 36 and his 8-year, $180 million contract going to expire, is retiring after this season and A-Rod retired after yesterday’s game.
“These are exciting young guys that obviously have to prove themselves here”, Yanks’ GM Brian Cashman said. “Today is a new day, but it has been a new day a lot recently”. It’s been a new day quite often lately, to be honest.
Center fielder Carlos Beltran, who lead the Yankees in several offensive categories, was also dealt away, as the Yankees tried to make their team younger. I think that is where the looseness is coming from as much as the exuberance of youth. Now they’ll come back and try to do the same thing tomorrow, because that’s what you’re supposed to do.
It was impossible not to draw parallels with the Yankees’ Core Four of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera in the house Saturday. It helped toughen and inspire them for the championship run that would come the next year. Sunday, that meant working six innings and allowing three runs on five hits while featuring an effective curveball and a well-located fastball.
And, of course, Joe Girardi, the current Yankee manager – who was booed yesterday because he didn’t start Alex Rodriguez at 3rd base in his final game, but was cheered today.
Severino, who sparked the Yankees’ playoff run late previous year, gave up eight hits, including two homers. And then they homered consecutively in their first at-bats, the first time teammates of any ilk had both homered in their debut.
The lead didn’t last long.
Thanks to Austin and Judge, the Yankees set the bar pretty high for how to banish one era and hype the fan base for the dawn of the potential next one. “It’s not every day that you get to do something like that”. The right-hander has back-to-back quality starts for the first time since early May and has won each of his past three outings.
That is why Adam Warren and Tyler Clippard were obtained, and so far they have combined for 16 innings and one run – not as dominant as Miller and Chapman, but just as effective.
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While Judge adds another dynamic to New York’s offense, Austin might prove to be more of a well-rounded hitter.
