From Bryan Hoch:
The well-struck drive hooked toward the right-field line in the ninth inning on Wednesday night, and a worst-case scenario could have easily flashed through Cody Bellinger’s mind. If that ball touched grass, the game would have been tied, and the Yankees’ outfielder recovered from an early stumble to attempt a do-or-die catch.
Bellinger left his feet, stuck his right hand up and felt a sweet smack against the pocket of his leather glove. Rolling onto his back, Bellinger raised both arms and savored the adulation pouring from the grandstands, having preserved the Yankees’ 4-3 victory over the Royals at Yankee Stadium.
“That might be my first game-saving catch, I’m not sure,” Bellinger said. “I was glad I came down with it. I had a little awkward second step there, and my head was bobbing a little too much. But I had a good beat on it and I saw the way the ball was going. I was just glad I was able to catch it and get the win.”
“Wow. That’s the reason he’s got gold on his glove,” Aaron Judge said of Bellinger, who won a National League Gold Glove Award with the Dodgers in 2019. “Very few people make that catch, especially in a big moment like that with the game on the line. To lay out there and extend it for the team, that was pretty impressive.”
The Yankees carried a one-run lead to the ninth inning after Judge’s go-ahead home run two frames prior. They asked right-hander Fernando Cruz to record what would become his first career save on a night when both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver were unavailable, having pitched in three of the club’s previous four games.
A two-out Maikel Garcia walk and a wild pitch put the potential tying run in scoring position, and when Cruz fell behind MJ Melendez with a 2-1 count, he leaned on his best pitch – a splitter which has proven to be a devastating swing-and-miss weapon. But Melendez made contact, sending a 100.9 mph liner in Bellinger’s direction.
“I thought I had tied the game, but they have a good outfield,” Melendez said. “[Bellinger] took it away. They took a couple of hits away from us. It was unfortunate.”
Bellinger covered 43 feet in 3.5 seconds to make the play, according to Statcast; Melendez’s ball had a hit probability of 43 percent. Bellinger said he was “definitely anticipating” the ball would be hit to him.
This is the first time I’ve seen this. Hoch basically wrote TWO game “wrap” stories. One about Judge’s home run, and one about Bellinger’s catch. My guess is that he had the Judge story ready to go, and then Belli’s catch was so good that he couldn’t help but follow up on that angle, as well, and his editors let him do BOTH stories. Funny stuff.
Now, was Belli’s catch one of those deals where the stumble made it look cooler? No doubt, but it was still a very good catch. A lot of people are using the catch to shit on Juan Soto, which I think is overdoing things, but, at the same time, yeah, no way Juan Soto makes that catch.
Mark Leiter Jr. and Fernando Cruz are both guys that Cash went out of his way to acquire because he liked that they had a lot of years left of control, and so far, both guys have had one INSANELY bad outing, and a bunch of good ones. Leiter’s ERA is down to 3.52, and Cruz’s is 2.79, and since both of them gave up three runs in a single inning earlier in the season, that’s saying a LOT.
Cruz’s problem has always been his low baseball IQ, and even tonight, you saw it in action, with him walking Maikel Garcia with two outs in the ninth inning, then throwing a wild pitch. Cruz could have been the goat tonight, but you have to give him credit for, well, you know, NOT being the goat. Leiter and Cruz being useful is a big bridge to get to Jonathan Loaisiga, who, when he returns, will hopefully be one of the best 7th inning relievers in baseball, and thus giving the Yankees one hell of a bridge to the end of the game with Lo/Weaver/Williams.
The biggest story of the game (and, of course, Judge finally hitting a home run was great. The dude is hitting over .400, so even without home runs, he’s been magnificent as a singles hitter) was the return of Clarke Schmidt, who had one bad inning, but you know, even in his bad inning, Trent Grisham’s bobble of the ball likely turned Isbel’s double into a triple, and the runner scored on a groundout, so Schmidt could have been out of that inning with only one run scored, so you gotta give him a lot of credit for the bounce back. Also, he was on a pitch count, and WITH the pitch count, he made it nearly through six with three runs allowed. This was a very big game for the Yankees, as Schmidt looked like the same strong pitcher he was last season, thus giving the Yankees two very good starters (well, one STUD, and one very good starter), one mediocre but trying guy in Carrasco, one intriguing guy with huge upside (Will Warren, who kicks off the next series in Tampa Bay) and one guy who…is also on the team.
Big win. Big sweep. It’s obviously way early, but they currently are tied for the best record in a shitty American League, and they look like they might have the pieces to keep it up with a good offense, non awful rotation, and decent bullpen.
The featured image is Bellinger’s hilarious celebration of his game-winning (also game-saving, but I think game-winning should be used if it actually ends the game) catch.
4-1, 4-2, 4-3…if they played one more game against KC it would have ended in a tie.
Nice win. I like breaking up the season into 9 18-game seasons, and if they can go 11-7 each time that would be great. 99 win pace with mostly bad starting pitching and a bunch of guys who can’t hit. Really strange. I guess other teams are worse…like KC.
I think the relative shittiness of the rest of the AL was a major
factor in certain lack of moves from the Yankees.
The best thing that the Yankees can hope for is that the outfield does well enough that they can afford to NOT need to sign Kyle Tucker this offseason. Signing Tucker would still be the best bet, of course, but if Dominguez is OPSing .800-ish as a 22-year-old, the need would be a lot less pressing.
They could then sign Munetaka Murakami to play third base, instead.
it was a tough start to the season and i’m pleased with how they have handled it so far.
the pitching has been bottom third but will now improve. the hitting has been good but there are reasons to think it could be sustainable.
the schedule was tough and the results have been acceptable.
what is there to complain about?
I think the biggest concerns are:
1. Rodon might just suck, and they need him to be decent, plus Carrasco and Warren might not be good enough to let them avoid using Stroman, and they need to be able to avoid using Stroman
2. Jazz and Volpe are out of place as middle of the lineup contributors
3. Multiple dudes are batting under .200.
4. DJ LeMahieu’s return looms
Also what happens when Stanton returns? You can’t send down your second best hitter
could Goldschmidt play third or second?
I’m not too worried about Stanton’s return. TOO many good hitters doesn’t worry me. And I assume someone will get hurt before Stanton returns.
Sure, but you can’t DH Rice AND Stanton
During the playoffs last year, was there ever a game where you were, like, “Shit, I am glad they don’t have a really good hitter to pinch-hit late in the game?”
I mean, if Stanton is willing to be a PH, or part of a platoon…it’s hard to carry two guys who don’t play the field though
Boone insists that they still think Rice can catch. If he ever became the backup catcher, that would open up things a lot.
“one guy who…is also on the team.”
top tier, Brian
concur, soft golf clap.
I just laughed out loud upon realizing the Yankees are playing the Rays as the “away” team in their own spring training stadium
I think Bellinger can improve some as his hard hit and EV are good but his BABIP is junk. He’s swinging harder than he has the last couple of seasons and that may be driving the higher K%. Wells seems to be driving a bunch of hard hit balls to the outfield for outs. His numbers look good but he’s been unlucky (again). Jazz also has a tremendously poor BABIP compared to his career rates and his xBA and XOBA.
Volpe just might be who he is. Dominguez isn’t exactly ripping the cover off the ball, but he might still be adjusting. The flashes of who he can be there are there.
Jasson vs. RHP is just fine, OPS 1.038. The problem is hitting against LHP, OPS 433.
Yeah, Jazz 26th in baseball in barrels/PA, he’s mostly been very unlucky
Dr. Frankenstein begs to differ.
Another piece of good news so far: Stroman isn’t getting to 140 innings.
“DJ LeMahieu’s return looms”
It’s incredible how this single phrase can almost make one lose all hope.
Maybe he’s learned how to loom and do that instead of trying to play baseball? I hear there’s money to be made selling that stuff at flea markets.
The Nationals bench coach and acting manager is…Miguel Cairo???
They should find a way to keep Stanton in the IL until the playoffs.
Dominguez batting eighth against a righty? WHY?
And BEHIND Escarra?!
I think Dominguez should be moved up to 5th against righties.
Goldschmidt
Rice
Judge
Bellinger
Dominguez
Jazz
Volpe
Catcher
Waldo
The should bat him between Rice and Judge. Now, when he’s young and impressionable, when his major league status is in the balance, is when he needs to get it established in his mind that he’s a force, that the nickname “the Martian” was no lie. He should get used to kicking ass, and Boone should help him get there.
Boone.
Ah, yes…. Boone…. will take him out after the 6th inning of every game.