Game 11: Jackie Robinson Day

On this date 70 years ago, the great Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier and made his big league debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He hit .297/.383/.427 with 31 doubles, 12 homers, 29 steals, 74 walks, and 36 strikeouts that season and was named Rookie of the Year. (There was only one Rookie of the Year award back then.) I don’t think there’s any question Robinson’s debut is one of the most important days in not only baseball history, but American history. The man is a true hero.

“You reflect on what Jackie went through, and the struggles that he went through for equality, and it makes your struggles feel like, ‘Really? You’re worried about this and you’re worried about that?'” said Joe Girardi this morning. “(He represents the idea) that we’re all created equal and we’re supposed to love our fellow man at time where our world seems to be in a uproar. I think we can learn a lot from Jackie and how he handled situations with grace and always took the high road.”

The Yankees are going for their sixth straight win this afternoon and have their only African American starting pitcher on the mound. Pretty cool CC Sabathia gets to wear No. 42 on Jackie Robinson Day. Sabathia has been the team’s best pitcher two turns through the rotation and as bad as the Cardinals have been this season, we saw last night they don’t go quietly. He’ll have to be sharp today to stretch that winning streak to seven. Here is the Cardinals’ lineup and here is the Yankees’ lineup:

1. LF Brett Gardner
2. RF Aaron Hicks
3. DH Chris Carter
4. CF Jacoby Ellsbury
5. 2B Starlin Castro
6. 3B Chase Headley
7. 1B Greg Bird
8. C Kyle Higashioka
9. SS Ronald Torreyes
   LHP CC Sabathia

There are some clouds in the sky in New York this afternoon though there is no rain in the forecast, so that’s good. Not the best baseball weather, but it’ll do. This afternoon’s game will begin at 1:05pm ET and you can watch on YES locally and MLB Network nationally. Enjoy the game, folks.

Injury Updates: Matt Holliday was a late scratch from today’s lineup with lower back stiffness … Gary Sanchez (biceps) has started light workouts — he’s swinging a bat underwater, specifically — but is still roughly two weeks away from throwing … Didi Gregorius (shoulder) is progressing well with his rehab and he could begin playing in minor league rehab games as soon as this coming week … Aaron Judge is fine. Just a day off and a chance to get Hicks in the lineup, according to Girardi.