From Bill Ladson:
A day after the Yankees won the American League East title, outfielder Aaron Judge was not in the lineup Friday night for a much-needed day off.
The last game Judge had off was on June 19 against the Orioles; that was both the last game he didn’t start and the last in which he didn’t appear at any point. Friday ended a streak of 83 games for Judge.
“I’ve been wanting to give him a day off, so I finally get him one here,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I’m planning on these [regulars playing] this weekend. But a few of them will get at least a day and go from there.”
But New York had a chance to clinch the top seed in the AL postseason because the Guardians lost to the Astros, 5-2. The Yankees were unable to capture the top spot because they lost to the Pirates, 4-2, at Yankee Stadium. New York needs one win or one Cleveland loss to have home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs. The Yankees will try to get that victory on Saturday, when they send rookie Luis Gil to the mound to face Pirates ace Paul Skenes.
Aaron Judge wanted a day off, so whatever, but boy, it sure seems to me that you should first clinch home field advantage BEFORE you take a day off, ya know? The magic number was one Yankee win and one Guardian loss, that should have presumably occurred before Sunday, ya know? So Judge could have taken Sunday off.
In any event, Judge sat, the offense sucked, and Tommy Kahnle (who has been excellent this season) blew the game on a two-run homer to Bryan Reynolds after Rodon gave up two solo shots in the sixth inning after being given a 2-0 lead.
Rodon’s dumb face watching the game-tying home run is the featured image, but Kahnle giving up the home run could be the featured image, as well. Kahnle gave up two runs and his ERA went up to just 2.11 to show how good of a season he’s had.
Carlos Rodon ended his season with a decent year, although I don’t get why he has apparently been locked into the Game 2 start for the Yankees against the Tigers (as, well, come on, we all know the Tigers are winning that Wild Card series, right?).
Luckily, the Guardians lost, so now the Yankees can still clinch home field advantage (and a loss to the Tigers in the ALDS) by EITHER splitting their last two games OR the Guardians splitting THEIR last two games. I suspect that the Yankees will not go 0-2, and I definitely don’t think the Guardians are going 2-0, so the odds are pretty good still. Would have been better had Judge played Game 1, though.
Even if Judge was 100% unavailable, letting Grisham face Chapman instead of pinch hitting Stanton was the white flag indicating the Yankees had no interest in trying to win that game.
I agree, but how is it possible that they had no interest in winning the game? What does that even mean?
Prior to today’s game, the Yankees made the following roster moves:
•Recalled RHP Will Warren (#98) from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
•Optioned RHP Cody Poteet to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
RAB Fresh longman. The 15-day rule takes Poteet out of play for the ALDS, though he was unlikely to be on the roster anyway.
J Domínguez (S) LF
J Soto (L) RF
A Judge (R) CF
A Wells (L) C
G Stanton (R) DH
J Chisholm Jr. (L) 3B
A Rizzo (L) 1B
O Cabrera (S) SS
J Berti (R) 2B
It’s interesting that they used their D line-up yesterday, but close to the A lineup today. To maximize both Judge’s stats and the team’s win probability, you’d think they’d punt the Skenes game, but they’re going right at him. FWIW, I like that attitude.
(Although I know there’s no way that’s their thought process, unfortunately.)
Question:
Let’s say Judge needs one HR on the last day of the season.
The game is at Yankee Stadium and the score is tied in the bottom of the 9th.
Bases loaded, no outs. Judge at the plate. The other team brings all their outfielders to the infield. Judge hits a fly ball to the warning track.
The run crosses the plate before Judge even gets to first.
Judge has to get to first and touch the base, so they don’t get the ball, tag the base, and then he’d be out and the runners recalled.
If that’s true, then can Judge keep running the bases until someone retrieves the ball… and get that last home run?
The Athletic: Juan Soto meets with Hal Steinbrenner, says Yankees owner ‘really cares for players’
I think they want The Martian to win the LF job but he’s not really hitting much. And he probably won’t do a lot against Skenes.
That was impressive. I mean, a few bad calls, but really – the umpires are wrong all the time, the calls were well within wretched umpiring norms.
That strike to Soto that curled right back into the zone from not even close, and the last pitch to Judge… wow.
Congratulations to Paul Skenes on his first career 26-strikeout perfect game.
Not even really attempting the reverse jinx, just observing how filthy his stuff is.
Gil has looked good at times but also has given up 3 very hard hit shots.
Yankees not named Soto or Judge still aren’t hitting much. Wells, Volpe, Rizzo, left field look like automatic outs. They didn’t do much against the O’s and a shutout looked imminent if Burnes had not left the game.
Cx a shutout the rest of the way.
A hit and a run, I’m impressed.
Gil 3 home runs allowed, not so much.
Closing out the season in style, I have to say.
Well, I take all my complaints.
Obviously that one day of rest did Judge a world of good.
How is this team close to the best record in the AL?
The team motto should be something like
Limping to the Promised Land
There are no good teams in the AL like the Dodgers.
The O’s actually were worse the last 2-months, that is how, combined with a great start by the Yankees. That, and the Astros horrendous starts to the season.
Losing 4/5 to the O’s and Pirates not encouraging. Failure to hit except a few innings against the O’s pen, a theme for a while, discouraging. Wells hitting under 100 for close to 50 ABs discouraging.
That HBP made a lot of contact with Rizzo’s wrist.
Whether it’s for a hit or a sacrifice Soto is the only good bunter on the team. It’s pathetic that Waldo and phenom are so bad.
Down 3, Judge up next, where was Soto going? That’s twice today he was thrown out at 2nd.
The best thing about Dennis Santana when he was here was the way he wore his pants, with the socks all the way to the knees. With the Pirates he’s wearing the standard boring pajama pants.
Why is Judge resting 2 straight days? 😎
The team seems to have no desire to have HFA.
Will Warren? Why him over Poteet. Neither is likely to make postseason roster but still another injury and they would need along man.
Seriously Warren is Brooks Kriske. Maybe he has a future (I doubt it) but not now. What’s wrong with Cash for bringing him up and Boone for using him in a 2 run game?
Warren 1ip 3r 2h 10.32 era. Does anybody in the FO know anything?
HE FUCKING STINKS!
I’m ashamed. Judge’s day off was worth every second. He’s a transformed man.
Cashman, Boone, saboteurs.
THE MOST PRODUCTIVE, WORTHWHILE DAY OFF EVER!
Thank GOD Judge took yesterday off! Wouldn’t want him to go on hitting the way he had been for the past few weeks!
For F’s sake.
Maybe even a better game than Ohtani’s 5 for 6 or whatever he was!
I never pulled too hard for any player after Mattingly retired, and I never did, it was team over players. Until Judge, that is. That is why when he has a game like this, it is so frustrating.
Judge shoulda stood in bed, instead, a platinum sombrero. Now he has added to it. Per Wiki (before today).
***********
Sammy Sosa, Ray Lankford, Javier Baez, and Aaron Judge are the only players to earn a platinum sombrero more than twice.
Judge wanted the day off. You can question WHY he wanted a day off when he was about to get a week off, but he wanted the day off.
Brian, I’m not blaming Boone and Cashman.
From the start, this was on Judge. Given where he was, given what it meant to the fans and the world, he should have insisted on playing even if THEY had insisted he sit.
And the idea that one day would save his health, rather than disrupt his rhythm, is faintly absurd.
Anyway, now we have the pudding, I suggest we all look there for the proof.
Okay, so not starting the game thread only worked the one time. Duly noted. 😉
Sooooo….DJ LeMahieu is totally going to be starting at first base in Game 1 of the ALDS, isn’t he?
Anthony Rizzo has a fractured finger, Aaron Boone said. “We’ll see what we have as the week moves forward. It doesn’t totally rule him out. It’s a pain tolerance thing.”
It isn’t as if he is any good, though. But the guy cannot catch a break (no pun intended).
Warren 5.91 era in the minors, 10.32 here. Impressive numbers.
Which team won their division and which team stinks?
Congratulations to the Cleveland Whatevers on HFA.
I don’t get how you are going to play in games with a broken finger. Ugh, poor Rizzo.
Fingers? Four and five.
Fingers was cool. Imagine if we had HIM in the bullpen…
He wouldn’t be any good without that handlebar mustache.
Sounds like either Rizzo will play in pain and be less of a factor offensively or Rice will play. Boone never mentioned DJ.
Then he will catch a glimpse of DJ’s downcast eyes.
Will Judge play Sunday? His 5K performance lowered his SLG to .701, and no Yankees player has had a .700 SLG since Mickey Mantle in 1956.
I think it’ll depend on whether Cleveland wins tonight. If they win, then tomorrow’s game still matters. If they lose, it really doesn’t.
I can’t see how a day of rest could hurt. Unless they go to extra innings, how many more times could he strike out? And as for getting to sixty home runs, or the other records – who cares, except for… everyone else?
Well HFA is decided. The Yanks sure backed into that one.
I’ll take it!
I’d rather the Yankees had to avoid being swept by The Pirates to get HFA. Should be a rule if The Pirates sweep you, you can’t get HFA. Go Brewers. Go Braves.
So, the Cleveland Whatevers lose, the Bronx Booners get HFA.
go yankees
Your 2024 New York Yankees:
Slouching towards Bethlehem