Max Fried (#54, 31, LHP, 0-0, 3.86) vs. Mitch Keller (#23, 29, RHP, 1-0, 1.50)
YANKEES
DH Ben Rice L
RF Aaron Judge R
2B J. Chisholm L
1B P. Goldschmidt R
C Austin Wells L
SS A. Volpe R
CF T. Grisham L
LF J. Dominguez S
3B O. Cabrera S
PIRATES
3B K. Hayes R
DH B. Reynolds S
CF Oneil Cruz L
C Joey Bart R
RF A. McCutchen R
LF Tommy Pham R
1B E. Rodriguez S
2B Jared Triolo R
SS I. Kiner-Falefa R
Don’t like that Belli is already hurt. That’s a funky ass lineup without Belli.
Bellinger is out of line up with a stiff back.
Keller with a semi-intentional BB to Judge.
Challenge
Geez louise, that was bad.
I love the hot mic picked up the ump shouting, “All right, I heard it already!”
Lousy called strike 3 on Jazz. And then he follows up with another bad one to Goldschmidt.
Dudes, if you know the ump has a wide zone, don’t take pitches on the edge!
Not gonna blame professional hitters for not swinging at pitches 5 inches off the plate, just because this ump is on a power trip.
But the pros know that the ump has a big impact on the situation, no? I mean more for Goldy than Jazz. Jazz couldn’t have known.
But they spend decades honing their approach and learning the strike zone. They can’t just switch it off. The guys whi do this probably don’t make the majors.
Another Challenge
What is a fucking swing?!
Some guys have no business being a HP umpire.
Now Fried ISN’T getting the outside call!
What a weird play by Judge. Hopefully he’s okay.
I think he might miss a game due to that hit. It wasn’t MAJOR, but it looked like the sort of thing that could really wrench your back.
That’s the second time in the last two days that Grisham didn’t score from first on a double. Isn’t he supposed to be fast?!
He doesn’t want Jasson to get RBIs?
LOVE that hustle double by Waldo.
Cabrera, 2-run 2B.
I’m loving watching Rice out of the blocks this year. If he’s for real, that would be an incredible boon.
They’re chanting “overrated” at the guy hitting .417 with 5 home runs in Game 7.
You’re kidding, right?
I guess they’re right, since he K’ed.
Pirates fans doing that is a giant joke. WTF?
Please let that just be a normal bad at-bat, and not him being hurt.
56 pitches through 1 2/3 is good, right?
I don’t know what that guy said, but we need him to teach it to us.
That was one hell of a mound visit.
I liked that other Hayes catching a popup better.
Maybe he struck out because he was just stunned that anyone would actually go for that chant.
Fried is getting hit. That’s only the first hit allowed, but I don’t like the contact so far.
Brian, don’t do that.
Another hard hit ball.
Now soft contact fucks them again. Grrr…
Now Fried with the balls no where near close enough to tempt a swing. Is that a Yankee coaching strategy?
Hilariously, Flaherty liked how they handled it. We liked the THEORY, John, it was the execution that was weird.
What a play by Waldo! Soft contact worked there!
Phew, good job getting out of that, Fried!
He got out of it.
They can do that?
I think Fried is a great pitcher, he just needs to be a bit sharper, but I still think he’s very good overall.
Absolutely
I didn’t think we were worried on that level
Very weird scoring change on Waldo’s double to make it now a single and an error. That was NOT an error.
Volpe, Grisham prevent the avoidable too-quick inning, good on them!
Jasson.
You love to see a two-out rally
Is Jasson coming around? I can’t get myself to hope without being ready for it to be crushed, but the man is talented.
Just saw the highlight video. Where on earth did they come up with an error there? I mean, he could have moved faster, but the ball didn’t get by him, he didn’t bobble it, he didn’t throw it to the wrong place… there’s no way that stands, right? (Not that it’s a big deal.)
Grok, is it bad to be at 75 pitches through 2.2 and give up a 2 out RBI single to the worst hitter in the lineup
80 pitches after 3.
Also, Rice leading off seeing a ton of pitches.
Swung at ball four there, Rice.
The balls are MUCH closer to the zone this inning.
I didn’t like all of the hard contact BEFORE the home run. Geez, Fried. I guess he’s the type of guy who rounds into form as he goes?
You’ve been reminding us how he started last year… and where he ended up.
As I noted last time, Fried struggled to start the season last year, as well, and then buckled down and was excellent for the rest of the season. I hope that’s what we’re seeing this season, as Fried just looks OKAY so far, for such a great pitcher.
Ha, jinx, Pete! 🙂
The (de la) Cruzes are undeniably cool.
Why am I only now realizing he’s the son of Charlie Hayes
That was hilarious, Fried was so shocked that he had Cruz off second that he threw wildly to Jazz.
53 pitches already for Fried.
Nice K by Fried.
Two in a row for Judge. A thing I don’t want to worry about. It really didn’t look bad to me, but…
That last strikeout was on an amazing pitch on the outside corner. The previous at-bat was the bigger issue, where he just swung through a fastball.
Good to hear. Don’t have the video subscription yet, so appreciating the reports.
And now Goldie staves off the potential crazy-short inning! Good man.
Prediction Judge, Chisholm and Volpe 2025 will not surpass Maris, Mantle, Skowron 1961
Why would you challenge that?!
Second two-out rally of the game. Wow.
Volpe!
Over 90 pitches in the 4th.
Judge with as many strikeouts as the entire rest of the team.
Can anyone explain why Keller is still in this game
No?
Not a ball to Grisham, according to GD.
(the 2nd-to-last pitch of the AB)
Nice challenge for the Martian.
Does that count as rising to the challenge?
Clutch bases loaded HBP.
So, three Yankees HBP already.
NOT a strike, but ball 4, according to GD.
Nice game for Cabrera.
Did they do that chant again, btw, on the next Judge AB?
No. I think it was probably just one dude driving it, honestly.
WOW, what a play by McCutchen!! Saved three runs right there! 38 years old and he still has some wheels out there!
An out, but Rice seems to be looking really good.
Yeah, he fucking NAILED that one, Cutch just made a great play.
How many other managers have kept their job as long as Shelton with so little success.
Yeah, it IS a bit surprising. He hasn’t had a single season CLOSE to .500 in five seasons (ten under the last two years being the closest he has come).
How many other owners have kept their team as long as Bob Nutting with so little success
Owners? Without looking, I’m guessing – quite a few.
Name that Yankees has gotta be Robby Richardson.
Oh wow, I’m wrong! It’s VERY close to Richardson, but not Richardson. So it was Tony Kubek instead.
But what does Tony Kubek have to do with Pittsburgh? Richardson won the MVP in the 1960 World Series against the World Series, being the only losing player to ever win the award (and he played roughly 1957-1965 for the Yankees), Tony Kubek didn’t do shit in that series.
Kubek, ball hitting him in the throat, game 7, 1960 WS,
Oh right, good call. For some reason, I thought that was a different World Series. Okay, fair enough, YES!
Ruh roh on some of these Judge swings…
The low number of historic home runs by the Yankees in this game is faintly disturbing – at least, I’m not used to it.
It must be at least tied for some kind of record! 😉
They know that they already have the record for most home runs through seven games, so they’re not bothering today.
Is someone hurt on the Pirates? How is their backup catcher their first baseman?
Ah, Spencer Horwitz was going to be their first baseman.
Nice AB by Wells here.
Amazing they haven’t gone down 1-2-3 even once.
Fucking soft contact hurting them again.
Fried, buddy, come on.
Great pickoff move by Fried!
Judging by the report on GD, this has to be the single greatest defensive play in the history of baseball:
“Pitcher Max Fried picks off Isiah Kiner-Falefa at 1st on throw to pitcher Max Fried. “
Brian, remember the Flash playing tennis with himself? (It happened at least twice.)
Fried has that beat. Deion Sanders can only dream.
Fried shows why he’s so good, and why it’s so frustrating when he is being weird.
How is slipping in the shower a weird injury? The guy has a really messed up ankle, so you gotta figure it could EASILY be re-injured, right?
If Grisham continues to hit .545, he could be useful.
I don’t think that’s too much to ask.
Just saw The Cutch. (c)
Pretty nice.
Jasson need to just hit LH.
This Fried kid could be okay, I think.
THIS is the Fried I thought we would be getting. Maybe he really just needs some time.
Brian, he had one not-great start. One!
He was off for the start of this game, too, just a shitty opponent.
I don’t get why you pull Fried here. So he might go over 100 pitches, who cares?
I was thinking the same, but 98 pitches at the beginning of the season? I think I’m okay with it.
Cabrera is having a day
What is Flash talking about? Rice has really struggled against lefties!
Okay, Judge is fine.
The Judge is alright.
Mayza misses Matt Blake.
Underrate that!
I really like that ballpark. Too bad they have such bad teams.
Before today Rice was 140/548 vs LHP. The Martian was considerably worse 094/369 and it’s like YES is clueless how hopeless he is. Austin Wells is 175/509 and Waldo 209/567. Left handed relievers should have a field day.
Right?! It’s so weird to see them just ignore it.
That’s the downside of Fernando Cruz right there.
It’s going to be much nicer when Leiter and Cruz are the backend guys in the bullpen.
Weaver is a dominant setup guy, and then they’ll have Lo, Hamilton, and Cousins for the 7th inning.
Cruz is still a great backend of the bullpen guy, but you probably want guys like Lo and Hamilton ahead of him.
Cousins is on the 60 day. Hamilton has been terrible in 2 rehab games, Lo won’t be back until June.
In positive news Manager Aaron Boone said Thursday that LeMahieu was “probably a week away from heading out and getting live at-bats and starting the clock.”
Jeeez… who has the DJLM voodoo doll?
Yankee relievers have had their problems.
Is it Don or Bop who won’t be mentioning Volpe having pushed his BA up to .286 while maintaining his supra-1.100 OPS?
Torpedo bats for you, torpedo bats for you, torpedo bats for you, torpedo bats for everybody!
Heh.
He was pretty good in April last year and very good in May 293/812 and I’ll be thrilled if he can hit like he did last Spring. I look forward to capitalizing phenom.
This game is taking fucking FOREVER.
Is Manny coming up in the 12th with men on 2nd and 3rd, one out, and the Yankees ahead by one, as the game enters its sixth hour?
Now hitting 088 vs LHP with no XBHs, “not their strong side (Yankee switch hitters)” might be fair for Waldo but a bit of an understement for The Martian
Yeah, but – let the Martian play. It’s way too early for them to start jerking him around, Joba-style. In fact, with all the defensive replacing, they’ve been jerking him around too much as it is. I’d give him at least this season, and work on it hard with him, before I even considered making any major changes, giving up on what he’s done to get himself here.
I like the right call being made, but I don’t get why the head ump can ask for challenges. It’s weird. I get “Ask the other ump if you’re not sure,” but a REPLAY?
They sooooooooooooooooooooo don’t need DJLM now messing up what they have going offensively.
Kay just noted how it was surprising that everyone on the Yankees was happy about him hitting 62. “There was no resentment or jealousy!” Why the fuck would there have been any resentment or jealousy?!
Seriously?
It’s so weird. He was trying to explain how beloved Judge is in the clubhouse, which I’m sure is true, but why would you add the “no resentment or jealousy” as part of that?!
Agreed with Kay, though, that it’s absurd that the Pirates have no challenges, and yet the umps have now done their OWN challenges twice.
Rice should have been on base 4 times tonight, with a double and two stolen bases.
Dammit.
Just put the guy away already.
He did.
Yes.
Could have made it look more like putting guys away wasn’t a problem, but – he did!