From Bryan Hoch:
Gleyber Torres rose slowly from the chalky dirt, having landed a few feet shy of returning to the safety of third base. The momentum created by a few timely swings had vanished, leaving the Yankees’ infielder to ponder how quickly a situation could shift.
Representing the tying run, Torres was tagged out in a key rundown play during the seventh inning on Tuesday evening, short-circuiting a budding rally. A Colton Cowser homer soon tilted the score back in the Orioles’ favor, sending the Yankees to a 5-3 loss at Yankee Stadium.
“When it comes down to it, stuff like that can’t happen,” said Yankees captain Aaron Judge. “We can’t keep shooting ourselves in the foot with mistakes like that on the basepaths. But it happened, and we’ve got to move on and get ready for tomorrow.”
The Yankees had been limited to Judge’s Major League-leading 56th home run through six innings, with Dean Kremer working five of those frames.
Anthony Rizzo touched Cionel Pérez for a one-out ground-rule double, and Alex Verdugo legged out a two-out infield single that prompted Baltimore to call upon Yennier Cano.
Torres greeted the right-hander with his third hit of the game, a ground-rule double that hopped the right-field fence and brought home Rizzo to cut the deficit to 4-2.
The one thing I’ll say is that while Ian Hamilton having two bad outings in a row sucks, otherwise, the relievers who Boone used tonight weren’t the Yankees top guys, while the BALTIMORE top guys almost blew the game, so that’s something. Aaron Boone for some reason, once the game was 3-1 in the sixth inning, decided to go to the bottom of his bullpen in Tim Mayza and Mark Leiter Jr., and they gave up an extra run.
But still, even with that in mind, and Clarke Schmidt’s mediocre outing, the featured image has to go to Gleyber for his baserunning blunder in the 7th inning, getting thrown out in a rundown after deciding to try to take home once Juan Soto tried to stretch his single into a double. It took a great play by Gunnar Henderson (who didn’t even TRY to get Soto out at second, choosing instead to instantly throw home instead), so it wasn’t as bad it looked at the time (plus, Judge would have just been walked, and the slumping Austin Wells probably would have ended the rally), but it was still pretty darn bad.
I like the fight to come back, though, and Rizzo got a big hit, which is nice, as well.
In any event, like I said before Game 1, just win ONE of these games, dudes.
Verdugo’s hot start is so far behind us and there is not a single use for him on the team – and no situation I wouldn’t prefer to have Grisham or Dominguez in. His defense is overrated and he’s an automatic out at the plate. He’s also not fast and lefties are killing us.
DJ is also cooked but will be here next year and beyond. Get rid of Dugie and bring the extra righty and hope he finds something.
The answer is that Judge needs to learn to hit pitches way out of the strike zone for HRs.
Or use an oar.
Curry Concerning news for the Yankees as Nestor Cortes, tonight’s scheduled starter, is getting an MRI on his left elbow. Cortes has been dynamic lately (1 ER in 15 1/3 innings) and loomed as a valuable weapon in the postseason, as a reliever or a starter. #yankees #cortes
Nestor getting MRI on left elbow?
Hopefully they can win one against the Pirates.
If they lose all 5 and Balt wins all 5 and the division, will that be enough to get Boone fired? If yes, I say “go for it”!
It sucks about Nestor, but he was unlikely to be much of a factor in the postseason as it were, so it’s not that big of a deal, provided he’s healthy for next season.
TJS would suck.
I think he could be a very good Ramiro Mendoza bridge guy who could pitch the 5th and 6th or even the 7th, considering how often Gil and Rodon have elevated pitch counts. More Cortes, less Holmes and Leiter.
Presumably Poteet would be even BETTER in that role, though, no? He added a sweeper in the minors. I think he’s going to be a big asset in the playoffs (I’d also love to actually SEE Beeter before the season is over. If they were going to punt on last night’s game, why the fuck wouldn’t they just try Beeter?!).
Current Yankees-to-win-the-World Series prices at Circa Sports in Vegas:
Yes: +450 (or 9/2, or roughly a 16.2% implied probability once you take out the vig)
No: -595 (1/5, 83.8%)
If you have a spare $60k laying around you can make yourself an easy 10k betting that “No.”
we want beeter
He should get an audition soon. Is Colter Bean still available?
Greg Joyce Nestor Cortes will be shut down for 7-10 days, likely get PRP. Unsure what comes after that, but he’s holding out hope for possibly returning at some point in the playoffs.
Said the ligament is good, but MRIs being sent to Dr. ElAttrache and Dr. Meister for additional opinions.
Some hope for next season, at least!
Martian back in Left, Verdugo sits tonight.
It’s the Martian, the mighty Martian
Verdugo sits toniiiight
Wee heeheehee weeoh aweem away
Wee heeheehee weeoh aweem away
So let it be written,
So let it be done.
Now, and forevermore.