Although Severino struggled early in the year, the Yankees ensured he spent time in the minors working on his weakest pitches.
Advertisement
Jake Odorizzi (7-5) won his fourth straight decision, allowing three runs and five hits in six innings. Other than the traded players, the most notable is Alex Rodriguez, who was officially released on Saturday after his emotional final game for the Yankees on Friday. Maybe these Yankees – if not in 2016, then maybe in 2017 – will do right by the 1996-2003 team, and the 1976-81 team, and the 1960-64 team, and so on.
“He told me that I had to work on my changeup”, the right-hander said after meeting with Girardi.
Only once before had two players homered in the first at-bat of their debuts in the same game, and they were on opposing teams: Brooklyn’s Ernie Koy and the Phillies’ Heinie Mueller in the first inning on April 19, 1938, at Philadelphia’s Baker Bowl. Austin and Judge finished their debut, both going 2 for 4 (.667 AVG) respectively.
But the 6-7, 275-pound Judge’s power is well-documented.
“I think we’re all excited because we know these two as people”, Hall of Famer and former Yankees great Reggie Jackson said.
Judge had already heard from friends and family near and far after Saturday – including his host family from Alaska, where he played one summer as a college freshman – when he and Tyler Austin (1-for-4) each homered in his first Major League Baseball at-bat.
The excitement surrounding the Yankees’ recent youth movement and ensuing hot streak offered a sliver of hope that they could still wriggle back into the playoff race, even with their depleted roster. NY is 60-56 – matching a season-high at four games over.500 – and has won four straight for the second time since the All-Star break to remain on the periphery of the American League wild card race while Tampa Bay (46-69) continues to play out the string with five losses in its last six contests.
Tanaka retired Tampa Bay’s first 10 batters before Kevin Kiermaier reached on a bunt single, Longoria singled and Miller homered into the left-field seats for a 3-2 lead. Andriese (6-4) took the loss.
“Jacoby was an old man today”, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said, a reference to 32-year-old center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, the elder in his starting lineup. So after a bacon burger and mac and cheese, first baseman drove through the night with mom and dad, arriving at a Parsippany, New Jersey, hotel around 6 a.m. When his flight was canceled, the Yankees sent a vehicle service to take him on the 5-hour drive. Didi Gregorius. In the seventh against Erasmo Ramirez, Gregorius went yard with a two-run shot to right to finish the scoring.
Rays: INF Logan Morrison (right forearm strain) and OF Oswaldo Arcia (right elbow strain) will be evaluated by the Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday and could be activated during the series against San Diego. But it turned out to be a one-off; Rivera would throw the first pitch of a game just five more times in his career. “So, I was comfortable Day One”. “Thank God he’s young, because if that was me, I would be a zombie right now”.
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. After a poor 2015, he was designated for assignment September 1, giving other teams a chance to claim him off waivers.
Advertisement
Everything seems to be falling into place for the Yankees.
