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Game 102: Win it for Judge

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(Presswire)

The Yankees lost even though they won last night. Aaron Judge took an errant pitch to the right wrist and suffered a chip fracture that will sideline him at least three weeks. Judge is the best player on the team and one of the very best players in baseball. For all intents and purposes, he is irreplaceable. The Yankees will have to get by without him the next month or so. Sucks, but it is what it is.

The best way for everyone to feel better about Judge’s injury? Another win. The Royals stink. They’ve scored the fewest runs (367) and allowed the most runs (564) in baseball this season, and we saw enough sloppy defense and silly baserunning — I still can’t believe Alex Gordon got thrown out at the plate to end last night’s game — that it’s no mystery why they’re so bad. Treat them accordingly. Go win a game for Judge. Here are tonight’s lineups:

New York Yankees
1. LF Brett Gardner
2. RF Giancarlo Stanton
3. SS Didi Gregorius
4. CF Aaron Hicks
5. 2B Gleyber Torres
6. 1B Greg Bird
7. DH Miguel Andujar
8. 3B Neil Walker
9. C Austin Romine

LHP CC Sabathia

Kansas City Royals
1. CF Whit Merrifield
2. RF Rosell Herrera
3. 3B Mike Moustakas
4. C Salvador Perez
5. LF Jorge Bonifacio
6. DH Lucas Duda
7. 1B Hunter Dozier
8. SS Alcides Escobar
9. 2B Adalberto Mondesi

RHP Brad Keller

The bad news (aside from Judge’s injury, of course): It is raining in New York. Has been for a while and there are scattered showers in the forecast pretty much all night. Not sure if there’s enough of a window to play a full nine innings, so make sure you have a lead after the top of the fifth, Yankees. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm ET and you can watch on WPIX. Back-to-back WPIX broadcasts? That’s weird. Anyway, enjoy the game.

Injury Updates: Judge (wrist) could begin taking dry swings as soon as next week, and Aaron Boone said it is “pretty realistic” that he’ll return to game action in three weeks. Boone made it sound like Judge could be back with the Yankees in three weeks. That’d be cool … Sonny Gray (hand) is fine after taking that comebacker to the thumb yesterday. X-rays came back negative and he’ll make his next start as scheduled … Clint Frazier (post-concussion migraines) is going to Tampa to continue his rehab. He won’t be cleared to return until he is completely symptom free and the Yankees don’t have a firm timetable for his return … Jacoby Ellsbury (oblique, hip, foot, back) has not yet started baseball activities and there is no timetable for his return. Frazier and Ellsbury won’t be options while Judge is sidelined.

Roster Moves: Tyler Wade was called up to fill Judge’s roster spot. Will he actually play this time around? Who knows … J.A. Happ is not with the Yankees yet because his flight to New York was delayed by the weather. He’s not on the active roster yet. Happ is tentatively scheduled to start Sunday and, if you care about such things, he will wear No. 34.

Update (6:47pm ET): The Yankees say they “do not intend” to start tonight’s game on time. That’s a new way of announcing a delay. No word on a start time yet.

Game 98: A Quick Trip to Tampa

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So charming. (Presswire)

We interrupt this homestand to bring you a quick three-game series in Tampa. As I’ve been saying, the schedule is very weird this year. The Yankees just played two (supposed to be three) games at home against the Mets, now they’re in Tampa for three games against the Rays, then they go back home for four against the Royals and two against the Orioles. What?

Well, whatever. Three games at Tropicana Field are coming up and they we don’t have to worry about another rainout after last night. It’s always a playable 72-ish degrees inside the gloomy Trop. The Yankees are 0-3 in this building so far this year, though two of those three games were extremely winnable, so it’s not like they got blown out. That series doesn’t matter now. Go out, win tonight, then move on to the next one. Here are the lineups:

New York Yankees
1. LF Brett Gardner
2. RF Aaron Judge
3. SS Didi Gregorius
4. DH Giancarlo Stanton
5. CF Aaron Hicks
6. C Gary Sanchez
7. 1B Greg Bird
8. 3B Miguel Andujar
9. 2B Neil Walker

RHP Luis Severino

Tampa Bay Rays
1. CF Kevin Kiermaier
2. 3B Matt Duffy
3. 1B Jake Bauers
4. DH Ji-Man Choi
5. LF Joey Wendle
6. 2B Daniel Robertson
7. RF Mallex Smith
8. SS Willy Adames
9. C Jesus Sucre

RHP Hunter Wood

Hot and sticky in St. Petersburg today, so a good day to spend inside an air conditioned dome. Tonight’s series opener will begin at 7:10pm ET and YES will have the broadcast. Enjoy the game.

Injury Updates: Clint Frazier does not have another concussion. He has been diagnosed with post-concussion migraines, which are apparently pretty common. Frazier was placed on the MLB disabled list because the migraines started when he was still in the big leagues. Specifically, they started after this play … Gleyber Torres (hip) is on track to return Wednesday … Jacoby Ellsbury (oblique, hip, foot, back) still has not resumed baseball activities. He is still rehabbing his various injuries and does expect to play at some point this season. Gonna be awfully convenient when Ellsbury is ready to be activated off the disabled list on September 1st.

Game 93: Opposites

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(Presswire)

Only three more games until the All-Star break. Each year it’s right around now that I start to feel like players are in survival mode. Just finish up these last few games, stay healthy, then enjoy the break and recharge the batteries. The Yankees have played eight games in the last seven days. I’m sure the guys are feeling it.

Anyway, there are two rookies on the mound tonight: Domingo German vs. Shane Bieber. German no-hit these Indians for six innings in his first career big league start a few weeks ago. Bieber is a top prospect — MLB.com ranks him as the game’s 90th best prospect — though it’s more of a command and pitchability profile than a blow-you-away profile. The opposite of German, basically. Here are tonight’s lineups:

New York Yankees
1. LF Brett Gardner
2. DH Aaron Judge
3. CF Aaron Hicks
4. RF Giancarlo Stanton
5. 1B Greg Bird
6. 3B Miguel Andujar
7. 2B Neil Walker
8. C Kyle Higashioka
9. SS Tyler Wade

RHP Domingo German

Cleveland Indians
1. SS Francisco Lindor
2. LF Michael Brantley
3. 3B Jose Ramirez
4. DH Edwin Encarnacion
5. 1B Yonder Alonso
6. 2B Jason Kipnis
7. RF Tyler Naquin
8. C Yan Gomes
9. CF Greg Allen

RHP Shane Bieber

Another very nice night in Cleveland. The Yankees have enjoyed some nice weather these last few days. Tonight’s game will begin at 7:10pm ET and you can watch on YES locally and MLB Network out of market. Enjoy the game.

Injury Update: Gary Sanchez (groin) will begin a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton on Sunday. He’s going to play seven innings Sunday, then travel with the team for their road trip to Toledo to continue the rehab assignment. Sounds like Gary will be back right after the All-Star break if all goes well … Jacoby Ellsbury (oblique, hip, foot, back) has not yet resumed baseball activities and there’s no timetable for his return. At this point, it seems unlikely he’ll be back before rosters expand on September 1st. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if Ellsbury is conveniently ready on September 1st.

All-Star Game Update: Aroldis Chapman withdrew from the All-Star Game to rest his achy left knee, he said today. He’s been replaced on the All-Star roster and is ineligible to play in the game, though he will be in Washington next week to take part in all the All-Star activities. Chapman is available to pitch this weekend.

Game 73: A Trip to the Trop

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(Presswire)

The season is nearly halfway complete, and the Yankees are just now making their first trip to Tropicana Field. Very weird schedule this year. I’m not complaining. The Trop stinks. Just pointing out the schedule is weird. First of three in St. Pete tonight.

As for the Yankees, my goodness they are red hot right now. They’ve won four straight and 17 of their last 21 games. That includes taking three of four from these very same Rays at Yankee Stadium last weekend. Things are going pretty great right now. Looking forward to it continuing this weekend. Here are tonight’s lineup:

New York Yankees
1. LF Brett Gardner
2. DH Aaron Judge
3. RF Giancarlo Stanton
4. SS Didi Gregorius
5. C Gary Sanchez
6. CF Aaron Hicks
7. 1B Greg Bird
8. 3B Miguel Andujar
9. 2B Gleyber Torres

LHP CC Sabathia

Tampa Bay Rays
1. CF Kevin Kiermaier
2. 3B Matt Duffy
3. C Wilson Ramos
4. DH C.J. Cron
5. 1B Jake Bauers
6. 2B Daniel Robertson
7. RF Carlos Gomez
8. SS Willy Adames
9. LF Johnny Field

RHP Ryne Stanek

It is hot and sticky in St. Petersburg and a comfortable 72-ish degrees inside Tropicana Field tonight. Tonight’s game will begin at 7:10pm ET and WPIX will have the broadcast. Enjoy the game.

Injury Updates: Masahiro Tanaka (hamstring) will throw a bullpen session Sunday and again Tuesday. He’s going to stay behind in Tampa after the series to continue his rehab work. If all goes well, he could throw a simulated game late next week … Jacoby Ellsbury (oblique, hip, foot, back) is feeling better and hopes to begin playing in minor league rehab games soon. He said he’s confident he’ll play this season.

Game 71: The Kid vs. The King

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(Presswire)

Last night, one of the Yankees’ young fill-in starters threw a gem in the series opener against the Mariners. Domingo German was great. Retired 18 straight at one point. Tonight, another young fill-in starter gets the ball, this time Jonathan Loaisiga. Johnny Lasagna threw five scoreless innings in his MLB debut last week. It wasn’t always easy, but five scoreless is five scoreless.

Loaisiga will be opposed tonight by King Felix Hernandez, who has hardly pitched like royalty this year. Felix has a 5.44 ERA (4.67 FIP) with career worsts in several categories. All those innings — Hernandez threw 191 innings as a 20-year-old and averaged 218 innings a year from 2006-15 — have finally caught up to him. Father Time remains undefeated. The Kid vs. The King tonight. Here are the lineups:

New York Yankees
1. CF Aaron Hicks
2. RF Aaron Judge
3. SS Didi Gregorius
4. DH Giancarlo Stanton
5. 2B Gleyber Torres
6. C Gary Sanchez
7. 1B Greg Bird
8. 3B Miguel Andujar
9. LF Clint Frazier

RHP Jonathan Loaisiga

Seattle Mariners
1. 2B Dee Gordon
2. SS Jean Segura
3. CF Mitch Haniger
4. DH Nelson Cruz
5. 3B Kyle Seager
6. LF Denard Span
7. 1B Ryon Healy
8. RF Ben Gamel
9. C Mike Zunino

RHP Felix Hernandez

It is cloudy and humid tonight and there is rain in the forecast. It’s not supposed to arrive until 10pm ET or thereabouts. If the game moves as quickly as last night, the rain won’t be a problem. If not, well, make sure you have a lead after four and a half innings, boys. Tonight’s game is scheduled to begin at 7:05pm ET and you can watch on YES locally and MLB Network out-of-market. Enjoy the ballgame.

Injury Update: Brett Gardner (knee) hit yesterday and went through pregame activities today. Aaron Boone said he’ll probably sit Gardner tomorrow as well. This is Gardner’s fourth straight day out of the lineup. The Yankees will face a lefty tomorrow, then play three games on turf over the weekend, which is not great for a dude with knee trouble. Why isn’t Gardner on the disabled list? I hate when the Yankees play shorthanded for like seven days to avoid a ten-day stint on the disabled list … Masahiro Tanaka (hamstrings) is playing catch and could soon throw off a mound to start working his way back into game shape … Jacoby Ellsbury (oblique, hip, foot, back) has not yet started baseball activities.

Games 68 & 69: Let’s Play One and a Half

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Back in Washington. (Greg Fiume/Getty)

Rather than enjoy an off-day, the Yankees are in Washington today to play a doubleheader against the Nationals. Except it’s not really a doubleheader. It’s a one-and-a-half-header. The Yankees and Nationals are completing their May 15th suspended game tonight, then, a half-hour after that, they’ll make up their May 16th rainout.

The suspended game is currently tied 3-3 in the middle of the sixth inning. The top of the sixth just ended, and, when they begin tonight, Bryce Harper will lead off the bottom of the sixth. Also, the Yankees technically don’t have a pitcher in the game! Brett Gardner pinch-hit for Masahiro Tanaka in the top of the sixth. Aaron Boone said this afternoon Chad Green will “start” the suspended game. Sixth inning of a tie game with the middle of the order due up? That’s a Chad Green situation all the way.

How did they get here? Tanaka allowed a solo homer to Anthony Rendon in the first inning and run-scoring hits to Andrew Stevenson and Pedro Severino in the second to put the Yankees in an early 3-0 hole. The Yankees stormed back thanks to Tyler Austin, who hit a two-run opposite field homer against Gio Gonzalez in the fourth, and a sac fly in the fifth to tie the game 3-3. Here are the current lineups:

New York Yankees
1. CF Aaron Hicks
2. RF Aaron Judge
3. LF Giancarlo Stanton (due to lead off the 7th)
4. C Gary Sanchez
5. SS Didi Gregorius
6. 1B Tyler Austin 1B Neil Walker
7. 3B Miguel Andujar
8. PH Brett Gardner (will be replaced by Green)
9. 2B Gleyber Torres

Washington Nationals
1. SS Trea Turner
2. RF Bryce Harper (due to lead off the 6th)
3. 3B Anthony Rendon
4. LF Matt Adams
5. 2B Howie Kendrick ???
6. 1B Mark Reynolds
7. CF Andrew Stevenson ???
8. C Pedro Severino
9. RHP Wander Suero

Austin is in Triple-A and has been replaced in the lineup by Walker. Boone could’ve replaced him with Greg Bird, but chose not to. Kendrick is injured and Stevenson is in Triple-A, and I have no idea who is replacing them. Everyone on each team’s 25-man roster is eligible to play in the suspended game provided they were not removed from game already. Example: Gio Gonzalez started for the Nationals, was pinch-hit for by Moises Sierra, who was then replaced by Suero. Gonzalez and Sierra are no longer eligible to play in the suspended game. Also, there is no 26th man for the suspended game. Only tonight’s makeup game.

It is disgustingly hot and humid in Washington today. Real feel temperature is over 100° right now, and by the end of the night, it’s expected to get down into the low-90s. Gross. At least there’s no rain in the forecast. The suspended game will resume at 5:05pm ET and you can watch on YES locally and MLB Network out-of-market. The second game will begin 30 minutes after the suspended game ends, and that will also be on YES locally and MLB Network out-of-market. Enjoy the game and a half.

Injury Updates: Gardner is dealing with inflammation in his right knee and is day-to-day. He went for an MRI yesterday that came back clean, and he is expected to be available to pinch-hit in tonight’s game … Jacoby Ellsbury saw a back specialist last week and is getting ready to “ramp up” baseball activity. We’ll see.

Roster Move: Welcome back, Clint Frazier. Frazier has been called up and Ronald Torreyes has been sent down, the Yankees announced. Didn’t see that coming. I thought Clint would be the 26th man tonight, but he’ll be available for the suspended game as well. (He was on the original roster for the suspended game anyway.) With Gardner banged up, it makes sense to carry another outfielder for the time being … Gio Gallegos will be the 26th man tonight.

Update (6:42pm ET): The Yankees dropped the completion of the suspended game earlier this afternoon. Now here are the lineups for the makeup game tonight:

New York Yankees
1. CF Aaron Hicks
2. RF Aaron Judge
3. SS Didi Gregorius
4. LF Giancarlo Stanton
5. 2B Gleyber Torres
6. 1B Greg Bird
7. 3B Miguel Andujar
8. C Austin Romine
9. RHP Sonny Gray

Washington Nationals
1. RF Adam Eaton
2. SS Trea Turner
3. CF Bryce Harper
4. 3B Anthony Rendon
5. LF Juan Soto
6. 1B Mark Reynolds
7. 2B Wilmer Difo
8. C Pedro Severino
9. RHP Erick Fedde

First pitch is scheduled for 6:45pm ET and Gallegos has been activated as the 26th man.

Saturday Links: Trade Deadline, Mets, Seigler, Ellsbury

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You can still play on my team any day, Jake. (Presswire)

The Yankees and Mets continue their three-game series with the middle game later tonight. It’s a 7pm ET contest. Until then, here are some links and notes to check out.

Mets may or may not consider fire sale

Depending who you ask, the Mets either will (Kristie Ackert) or will not (Bob Nightengale) consider trading Jacob deGrom and/or Noah Syndergaard if they don’t climb back into the postseason race. “Can circumstances change that? Yes. But I think that would be very, very remote. It’s not something we’re even considering or talking about,” said GM Sandy Alderson with regards to a potential fire sale.

The Yankees could use another starter in the wake of Jordan Montgomery’s Tommy John surgery, and gosh, either deGrom or Syndergaard sure would be a wonderful fit. Both this year and going forward. The thing is, even if the Mets do become open to trading them, the Yankees-Mets hurdle has to be cleared. Trade talks about Lucas Duda and Jay Bruce were reportedly contentious last August. Imagine talks about deGrom or Syndergaard?

I think Alderson and Brian Cashman would be willing to do a deal with each other. They’re two veteran executives who’ve won and lost their share of trades. They have the stomachs for it. Would ownership do it, specifically the Wilpons? Watching deGrom or Syndergaard potentially carry the Yankees to glory might not sit easy with them.

Seigler will catch, not pitch

Not surprisingly, scouting director Damon Oppenheimer confirmed to Brendan Kuty that the Yankees will use 2018 first round pick Anthony Seigler as a catcher in pro ball, not as a pitcher. Seigler is a switch-hitter with good all-around skills behind the plate. He’s also a switch-thrower who pitched with both arms in high school. From Kuty:

“Not at this point (do we see him pitching),” Oppenheimer said. “At this point, we’re seeing him as a switch-hitting catcher. The versatility he has and he’s shown throughout his high school career is something that’s attractive to us but the development as a catcher is the key here and that’s what we’re working on.”

Baseball America (subs. req’d) says Seigler “throws a changeup from the left side and changes his arm slot, while he can reach 92 mph from the right side to go along with a slider.” With Shohei Ohtani (and Brendan McKay in the minors) doing the two-way thing, I guess the Yankees could’ve considered it with Seigler, but nah. Catching is hard enough as it is. Imagine pitching as well?

As far as I know Seigler has never been considered a serious pro prospect on the mound. It’s always been catcher all the way. I guess Ohtani and the switch-pitching thing generated some buzz and led to the question being asked. No surprise the Yankees are sticking with Seigler behind the plate though. That’s where he’s best.

Yankees have insurance on Ellsbury’s contract

Jacoby Ellsbury has yet to play a game this season and, based on the way things are going, it seems unlikely he will play a game anytime soon. He’s dealing with oblique, hip, and back problems in addition to plantar fasciitis. According to Wally Matthews, the Yankees do have insurance on Ellsbury’s contract, and it will reimburse them 75% of his salary while he is on the disabled list. From Matthews:

A Yankees source told me the club has a similar policy (to David Wright’s) on Ellsbury, which has already begun to defray the bulk of his salary for the first two months of 2018. In an ideal world, Ellsbury would sit out the remainder of the season, the Yankees would muddle through with a rotation of Gardner, Hicks and Frazier in centerfield – and be reimbursed to the tune of $15,857,142.86.

It’s important to note the insurance does not change anything with regards to the luxury tax. Ellsbury still counts as $21.85M against the luxury tax. Nothing changes there. The insurance policy just means the Yankees get some cold hard cash back for Ellsbury’s injuries. I’m not a conspiracy theorist. I don’t think Ellsbury and the Yankees have a secret agreement to stay on the disabled list — that’s insurance fraud! — but the insurance sure is convenient, isn’t it?