On their first career at bats, they hit back-to-back home runs, making them the first teammates in Major League Baseball history to hit back to back home run on their first career plate appearance, in the same game. Tampa Bay RHP Ryan Garton is the fourth rookie to retire a member of the 500 home run club when he struck out Rodriguez on Friday night.
Advertisement
New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez acknowledges the crowd before his last game as a Yankee against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on August 12. The 331-foot drive down the right-field line landed in the first row over the short porch, about 3 feet fair. Austin’s shot just cleared the right-field fence as he displayed power going the opposite way, while Judge crushed a 457-foot monster to straightaway center. Starlin Castro homered two innings later – his second home run in as many days – and Aaron Hicks went deep the inning after that, also his second homer in as many days.
The game started with Judge making a nice running catch for the final out of the first inning, so right away he showed off his athleticism.
For the first time in Yankees franchise history, five players age 26 or younger hit home runs Saturday.
The Boston Red Sox are two games back after a 6-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks that saw home runs from Sandy Leon and Brock Holt.
Aaron Judge is sure to be getting more high-fives if he continues to hit the long ball.
Dan Straily struck out six and Cincinnati’s offense exploded for eight runs in the sixth inning in a victory over Milwaukee at Miller Park.
We have gotten a glimpse already of one of their young studs, as Gary Sanchez got his first hits and home run of his Major League Baseball career this week, and looks ready to contribute on a full-time basis.
Sanchez (12-2) gave up two runs and three hits in a shaky first inning, then shut Houston down over the next six frames for his first win since July 25 against San Diego.
And the Rays (46-69) played flawless foils, serving up a season-high five home runs – four by starter RHP Matt Andriese – in the 8-4 loss that proved to be historic. He has thrown four straight quality starts, allowing exactly two earned runs in each of his last three. The 22-year-old was lifted for a pinch hitter after four innings and 85 pitches.
The Yankees are embracing their “Out with the old, in with the new” mentality more than ever before, and so far it seems to be working. With the Yankees being 3.5 games out of the second wild card spot these rookies could make their impact felt in meaningful games to both the season and their young careers, and Saturday they got off to a good start.
Advertisement
Manager Joe Girardi, fresh off an ugly week in which he had to wrestle with how to handle the departure of Alex Rodriguez while also trying to win games, was all for the additions of Judge and Austin – who joined other former prospects like Gary Sanchez and Luis Severino.
