From Bryan Hoch:
Aaron Judge called it “incredible,” saying that he’d never seen anything like it before on a baseball diamond. Aaron Boone described it as “probably our play of the year so far.” Paul Goldschmidt marveled at the throw, referring to it as “an absolute cannon.”
To Cody Bellinger, it was just a play that needed to be made.
Bellinger charged fearlessly for Juan Soto’s sinking seventh-inning liner, snaring a shoestring catch before firing a strike to first base that doubled off Francisco Lindor, shifting momentum as the Yankees held on for a 6-4 Subway Series win over the Mets on Sunday at Citi Field.
I mean, pretty clearly, that’s the game right there. If he DOESN’T try to make that catch (and chose to play it on a hop instead, which was the safest play), it’s Pete Alonso up as the tying run with runners on first and second and no out. If he tries that and MISSES, then it’s to the wall, and it’s 6-5 with a runner on at LEAST second base (probably third) and Pete Alonso up with no outs.
Instead, it was 6-4, and Alonso up with two outs and no one on.
Gamechanging play. And remember, Bellinger ALSO saved a game against Kansas City earlier this season when he made a diving catch in right field! So that’s one game saved, and one game PROBABLY saved (to be fair, worst case scenario would have had it 6-5 in the seventh, runner on third with no outs. Not a “game over” situation).
Anyhow, pretty good win, except for Max Fried collapsing a bit in the fifth, allowing FOUR STRAIGHT hits to give up two runs. And Lo, the ONLY pitcher to pitch well in the Toronto series, didn’t pitch as well this time around, giving up two runs. To be fair to Lo, though, he had some bad luck, as he should have gotten out of the inning with only one run scoring, but also to be fair, it was his own fuckup that led to the scoring. He botched a throw to first on a slow grounder, which allowed one run to score, and then the double play ball he got after that led to another run, when it should have been the end of the inning. I’m not down on Lo, but that wasn’t ideal.
Tim Hill and Devin Williams have pitched quite well, though, so there’s at least SOMEthing in the bullpen. It’ll help when Cash trades for another reliever.
The offense was fine, and, well, come on, the offense has just been plain ol’ fine PERIOD. It’s the pitching and the defense that has sucked.
Jazz and Fried join Judge in the All-Star Game. That’s an impressive enough amount of guys in the game for the Yankees. Juan Soto didn’t make it for the National League, but if anyone drops out, he’ll be in, I assume.
I don’t think Tim Hill pitching big spots in the eighth will be a solution in the long run and Devin got helped yesterday by the ump and Lindor. He was ungood in his previous appearance.
I agree on Hill, but it’s better to have a guy performing over his head while everyone else sucks than having EVERYone suck, ya know?
https://bsky.app/profile/remembersomeguys.bsky.social/post/3ltffybdiba22
and the new Nationals interim manager
Career Yankee OPS 689. Peraza career OPS 567, 487 this year. phenom career 668. Waldo career 641.
Warren, Schlittler (prob) and Stroman vs Seattle Gilbert, Evans and Woo. Advantage Seattle each game.Toronto gets the Chisox and townies get Colorado at home. After Seattle the Cubbies come in. Could be a long hot Summer week.
Yeah, it definitely is not a great end of the first half for the Yankees, schedule-wise. At least the Red Sox and the Rays play each other while the Yankees are playing the Cubs.
Boone says they’re the best team in the AL; who they play shouldn’t matter. Did the 1998 Yankees care? The 1927 team? No! So neither should the 2025 future world champions!
We will not lose today!
Well, neither shall we win today.
Rays losing, townies crushing again and could easily pass us by the end of the month.
They’re playing the Rockies at home. I wouldn’t take too much from it. Why, by the way, are the Red Sox hosting the Rockies while the Yankees had to play the Rockies in Coors?
With Cruz and Schmidt gone, Weaver useless, and Gil a month away it’s hard to see this team going to the post season.
Help us Cam Schlittler, you’re our only hope.
Back to sole possession of second place!
Good news Yankees now in sole possession of second place in the East. Bad news now 3.5 behind Toronto and only 3 ahead of the townies.
Jazz officially back to second base!
The weird thing, though, is that the move will now send LeMahieu to the bench. They must reeeeeally think he can’t play third base anymore.
Peraza is an excellent third baseman defensively, but he can’t hit at ALL!
They really did have to upgrade the defense. And they can always DFA LeMahieu.
What do they do when they pinch hit for Peraza? Who plays third?
maybe dj gets a few late at bats and then gives any runs back in the field?
if peraza doesn’t start hitting maybe they call up rojas or make a trade.
Kirschner Boone on how DJ took the news: “not great necessarily, but that’s kind of the situation we’re in right now.”
Aaron Boone said playing third base is a challenge for DJ LeMahieu physically. There are no plans of playing him there. He’s viewed as a bench bat.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is expected to be the everyday 2B, Aaron Boone said. Oswald Peraza is at 3B tonight “and we’ll see.”
That’s encouraging
Rice and Trent sit, Martian leads off, o/u on how long Warren lasts 2.2 innings.
95% chance rain, possibly very heavy 6/7 pm
My opinion of Boone is he’s a nice guy just a little slow. It’s why he’s always a batter or two too late to take out a struggling relief pitcher. Why he’s always late recognizing batters who are slumping. This move of Jazz is just another example; weeks after we called for it here he wakes up and makes the move.
And it’s why they’ll never win a WS with him as the manager.
Among possible pick-ups for 3B MLB.com lists… IKF.
If that happens then screw baseball.
More good news Yankees Place Mark Leiter Jr. On IL With Fibular Head Stress Fracture. he suffered the injury while covering first base in a game against the Reds on June 24th. Leiter was racing Elly De La Cruz to first and landed a bit awkwardly around the bag.
Beeter up
Jesus Christ, what the fuck is Cash going to have to give up for a reliever now?