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Game Six: End of the Homestand

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(Elsa/Getty)

The season is only five days old and already it feels like the Yankees are struggling to keep their heads above water. That’s against the Orioles and Tigers too. Two teams projected to lose a combined 195 games this year. The Yankees have been hit hard by injuries and several players who are healthy aren’t contributing much, especially offensively.

“We need to string together some quality at-bats. We’re swinging at some stuff out of the zone and not really sticking to our plan,” said Aaron Judge following last night’s loss. Aaron Boone added: “The guys we have in there are certainly capable of scoring runs. We’ve just got to continue to grind away and find a way right now when we are a little depleted.”

As expected, Jonathan Loaisiga has been recalled to make this afternoon’s start. He is subbing in as the fifth starter while CC Sabathia works his way back. The season is not even a full week old and Loaisiga will already be the 27th different player to appear in a game for the Yankees this year. I’m not liking where this is going. Here are this afternoon’s lineups:

New York Yankees
1. 3B DJ LeMahieu
2. RF Aaron Judge
3. DH Luke Voit
4. C Gary Sanchez
5. 2B Gleyber Torres
6. 1B Greg Bird
7. LF Clint Frazier
8. SS Troy Tulowitzki
9. CF Mike Tauchman

RHP Jonathan Loaisiga

Detroit Tigers
1. 2B Josh Harrison
2. RF Nick Castellanos
3. DH Miguel Cabrera
4. CF Niko Goodrum
5. DH Jeimer Candelario
6. LF Christin Stewart
7. C John Hicks
8. SS Jordy Mercer
9. 2B Gordon Beckham

LHP Matt Boyd

It is a splendid afternoon in the Bronx. The sun is out, the sky is blue, and temperatures will be in the 60s. Pretty great day for a ballgame, even if it is crazy windy. Today’s series finale will begin at 4:05pm ET and you can watch on the YES Network locally and MLB Network nationally. Enjoy the game.

Injury Updates: Luis Severino (shoulder) is still long-tossing. Boone did not have a firm date for Severino to throw his first bullpen session but it is expected to be soon … Sabathia is on track to join the Yankees next homestand. He’s got another minor league start coming up this weekend, and it sounds like he’ll return after that as long as everything goes well … Luke Voit (hand) will have his hand wrapped today after that hit-by-pitch last night. Postgame x-rays came back negative, but it is sore, so he’ll have a wrap and a pad to protect it today.

Roster Move: Sabathia was reinstated from the suspended list and placed on the 10-day injured list with what was officially announced as “rehab from cardiac surgery.” Loaisiga has been recalled to get the Yankees back to a full 25-man roster. Playing a man short the last few days was no big deal because they were missing a starting pitcher who wasn’t scheduled to start.

Game Five: Win it for Miggy

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(Mark Brown/Getty)

Despite the win, yesterday was a tough day for the Yankees. They lost Giancarlo Stanton and Miguel Andujar to injuries, and the Andujar injury is especially serious. He has a “small” labrum tear and may need season-ending surgery. Andujar and the Yankees will see how he responds to treatment and rehab over the next few weeks before making the surgery decision.

“That’s a tough one, especially the labrum. Anything in the shoulder is pretty complicated. We’ll see how it turns out. He’s a tough individual. He’ll fight through it, no matter how long it is and come back stronger than ever,” Aaron Judge said to Bryan Hoch and Coley Harvey yesterday. “Guys just step up. That’s it. We got a deep farm system, a deep organization, and when guys go down, everyone’s ready to step up and fill their spot.”

The Yankees have a ready-made replacement for Andujar in DJ LeMahieu. Stanton will be replaced by Clint Frazier, who wasn’t available to replace Judge last year. That was a big missed opportunity for Clint. Hopefully he capitalizes on Stanton’s absence and solidifies his long-term place with the Yankees. Here are tonight’s lineups:

New York Yankees
1. CF Brett Gardner
2. RF Aaron Judge
3. 1B Luke Voit
4. SS Gleyber Torres
5. 3B DJ LeMahieu
6. LF Mike Tauchman
7. DH Clint Frazier
8. 2B Tyler Wade
9. C Austin Romine

RHP Masahiro Tanaka

Detroit Tigers
1. 2B Josh Harrison
2. RF Nick Castellanos
3. DH Miguel Cabrera
4. 3B Jeimer Candelario
5. 1B John Hicks
6. LF Christin Stewart
7. CF Dustin Peterson
8. C Grayson Greiner
8. SS Jordy Mercer

RHP Jordan Zimmermann

It is cold and cloudy in the Bronx and there are some light showers in the forecast later this evening. Doesn’t look like anything that will significantly delay or impact the game. They might play through some rain drops in the late innings, if anything. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm ET and you can watch on the YES Network. Enjoy the game.

Injury Updates: CC Sabathia (knee) threw four innings in an Extended Spring Training game yesterday. He’s going to throw five innings with High-A Tampa on Sunday, and if all goes well, he could make his next start after that with the Yankees … Dellin Betances (shoulder) threw a bullpen session today and will face hitters next … Luis Severino (shoulder) is still long-tossing and hasn’t thrown a bullpen session.

Misc. Notes: Greg Bird took ground balls at third base this afternoon, something he’s done many times in the past, though Aaron Boone confirmed Bird is the emergency guy at the hot corner with Andujar down. “It’s not that far-fetched,” said the skipper … As expected, Jonathan Loaisiga will start tomorrow’s series finale. He’ll be the corresponding move when Sabathia is activated off the suspended list and placed on the injured list.

Game Four: Win it for Giancarlo

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(Sarah Stier/Getty)

Because losing two of three to the crummy Orioles isn’t bad enough, the Yankees lost Giancarlo Stanton to an injury this weekend as well. He was placed on the injured list with a biceps strain earlier today. The lineup is now missing Stanton, Didi Gregorius, and Aaron Hicks. They combined for 92 homers and +12.9 WAR last year. That’s a lot of production gone.

“I don’t like it at all,” Stanton said to Bryan Hoch this afternoon. “I just worked for six weeks to get here, plus the offseason. I’d much rather this would have popped in Spring Training, but it’s where we’re at.”

Clint Frazier is with the Yankees and was told he’ll play a lot, though he’s not in today’s lineup because he’s been traveling — he went from Tampa to Scranton yesterday, then Scranton to New York this morning — and also because tonight’s matchup isn’t good. Tyson Ross chews up righties and is susceptible to lefties, so Mike Tauchman gets his first start in pinstripes. Here are tonight’s lineups:

New York Yankees
1. CF Brett Gardner
2. RF Aaron Judge
3. DH Luke Voit
4. 1B Greg Bird
5. C Gary Sanchez
6. 2B Gleyber Torres
7. 3B DJ LeMahieu
8. LF Mike Tauchman
9. SS Troy Tulowitzki

RHP Domingo German

Detroit Tigers
1. 2B Josh Harrison
2. RF Nick Castellanos
3. DH Miguel Cabrera
4. 1B Niko Goodrum
5. 3B Jeimer Candelario
6. LF Christin Stewart
7. C Grayson Greiner
8. SS Jordy Mercer
9. CF Mikie Mahtook

RHP Tyson Ross

It has been a deceptively beautiful day in New York. Big blue sky and not a cloud to be found. It’s also freezing. Those last few days with temperatures in the 60s were a tease. It’ll be in the low 40s tonight. Yeesh. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35pm ET tonight and you can watch on the YES Network. Enjoy.

Injury Update: Aaron Hicks (back) has started doing some rotational work. He has not yet resumed baseball activities and Aaron Boone said Hicks “still has got some weeks to go,” which ain’t good.

Game Three: Rubber Match

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(Sarah Stier/Getty)

For the first time this season, a series win is on the line. The Yankees have, irritatingly, split the first two games of this season-opening three-game series with the lowly Orioles. Losses are inevitable, but damn, that doesn’t make them any less annoying. Especially against a team that very well might lose 115 games this season (again).

“Every game is important,” Aaron Judge said following yesterday’s loss. “You can go at the end of the year and look back and — last year we did that — so many missed opportunities and games we should have won, but we just didn’t come up with a big hit or a costly error, stuff like that … We can’t take anybody lightly. We’ve got to capitalize on situations when they come up.”

J.A. Happ is making his 13th start as a Yankee and his first of the season this afternoon. He was part of the team’s “spread the money around” offseason haul. A solid addition, to be sure, but also probably not someone who swings the balance of power in a division race. The Yankees don’t need Happ to be an ace. It sure would be nice to get the occasional ace-like outing though. Here are today’s lineups:

New York Yankees
1. CF Brett Gardner
2. RF Aaron Judge
3. LF Giancarlo Stanton
4. DH Luke Voit
5. 3B Miguel Andujar
6. C Gary Sanchez
7. 1B Greg Bird
8. SS Gleyber Torres
9. 2B DJ LeMahieu

LHP J.A. Happ

Baltimore Orioles
1. 2B Jonathan Villar
2. LF Dwight Smith Jr.
3. RF Trey Mancini
4. DH Renato Nunez
5. 3B Rio Ruiz
6. CF Joey Rickard
7. 1B Chris Davis
8. C Pedro Severino
9. SS Richie Martin

RHP Dylan Bundy

There is rain in the forecast this afternoon and, based on my weather app, it looks like today’s game will begin in a delay. It shouldn’t be an especially long delay — things are expected to clear up around 2pm ET or so — and, once it ends, they have a clear window to play. Still, delays stink. Today’s series finale is scheduled to begin at 1:05pm ET and you can watch on the YES Network locally and MLB Network out of market. Enjoy the game.

Injury Updates: Dellin Betances (shoulder) threw his first bullpen session yesterday since being shut down and everything went well. He has one more bullpen session scheduled before facing hitters.

Misc. Notes: The Yankees are still undecided about using an opener tomorrow. It’ll depend on the bullpen usage today. Domingo German is pitching in some capacity tomorrow though. We know that for sure … Aaron Boone said Greg Bird is the emergency third catcher, in case you’re wondering. He was drafted as a catcher and caught three rookie ball games in 2012 before moving to first base. Luke Voit has caught more recently (45 short season games in 2013).

Weather Update (12:17pm ET): Yep, the start of the game will be delayed, the Yankees say. No word on a start time yet. It shouldn’t been too long a delay given the radar.

Weather Update (3:19pm ET): lol so much for the rain delay not being too long. That’s what I get for trusting internet weather reports. The Yankees say they will reconvene in a half-hour and see where things are at.

Weather Update (3:38pm ET): The field is being de-tarped and the Yankees say the game will begin at approximately 4:20pm ET.

Game Two: Paxton’s Debut

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(Presswire)

Alright alright. The pomp and circumstance of Opening Day is over and the “off-day after Opening Day in case Opening Day gets rained out” off-day is over, so we can now start to get into the day in, day out grind of regular season baseball. The Yankees are looking to start the season 2-0 for the first time since, well, last year, and prized offseason pickup James Paxton is making his Yankees’ debut today.

“I think he came in and really fit in really well right away. I think he’s very comfortable in that room,” Aaron Boone said this morning. “… We want him to post, and we feel like if we can keep him healthy and taking his regular turn, the results will be there. This is a really talented pitcher that I think is capable of even more. I think he’s in a really good spot health-wise, work-wise right now. Just looking forward to him being a significant part of our rotation.”

Paxton is the 13th Canadian to play for the Yankees and the first since Jeff Francis and Chris Leroux in 2014. Man, those 2013-14 teams were a hell of a thing. DJ LeMahieu is also making his Yankees debut this afternoon. He is the 218th player born in California to suit up for the Yankees, which isn’t as noteworthy as Paxton being the 13th Canadian. Anyway, here are today’s starting lineups:

New York Yankees
1. CF Brett Gardner
2. RF Aaron Judge
3. LF Giancarlo Stanton
4. 1B Luke Voit
5. DH Miguel Andujar
6. C Gary Sanchez
7. 2B Gleyber Torres
8. SS Troy Tulowitzki
9. 3B DJ LeMahieu

LHP James Paxton

Baltimore Orioles
1. 2B Jonathan Villar
2. LF Dwight Smith Jr.
3. 1B Trey Mancini
4. DH Renato Nunez
5. RF Joey Rickard
6. 3B Rio Ruiz
7. CF Drew Jackson
8. C Jesus Sucre
9. SS Richie Martin

RHP Nate Karns (opener)

It is a bit cloudy in the Bronx at the moment, otherwise it is a fine afternoon for a ballgame. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05pm ET and you can watch on the YES Network. Enjoy the game.

Injury Updates: Luis Severino (shoulder) will long toss again today and is tentatively scheduled for a bullpen session early next week … Dellin Betances (shoulder) with throw a bullpen session today … Aaron Hicks (back) has ramped up his core and conditioning work, but has not yet resumed baseball activities … CC Sabathia (knee) makes his next start in a Extended Spring Training game Monday.

Misc. Notes: Greg Bird is fine. He’s sitting today so LeMahieu can play. Sounds like LeMahieu will be in the lineup the next few days at different positions. My guess is Tulowitzki sits tomorrow with Gleyber at short and LeMahieu at second. We’ll see … Boone said he doesn’t envision Tulowitzki playing three straight days anytime soon. They’re taking it slow with him … Domingo German is pitching Monday in some capacity. Whether the Yankees use an opener depends on their bullpen usage the next few days.

Game One: Opening Day

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The last time the Yankees played a game that meant something, they were sent home for the winter and the Red Sox celebrated an ALDS victory at Yankee Stadium. That was 171 days ago. A busy winter followed, one still more notable for who the Yankees didn’t sign rather than who they acquired, and then came an injury-filled Spring Training. The Yankees are not close to full strength at the moment.

And yet, optimism is abound. The Yankees did upgrade their roster over the winter (at least when healthy), and they remain on the short list of the best teams in baseball. It feels like you can count on one hand the number of teams with a realistic chance to win the World Series in 2019. The Yankees are one of those teams. They hit dingers aplenty and the pitching staff is perpetually underrated.

“They’ve had a couple of really good teams here that have been close, and the disappointment of an ending when you feel like you have a team capable of greatness I think does add a log to the fire,” said second year manager Aaron Boone to Scott Orgera yesterday. “It does add a little extra kick to wanting this to get done, and I think that adds to everyone’s hunger a little bit.”

The Yankees snapped their six-year Opening Day losing streak last season. The next goal? Win back-to-back Opening Days. The Yankees haven’t done that since winning four straight season openers from 2005-08. They are 2-8 in their last ten Opening Days. Some notes about today:

  • Masahiro Tanaka is making his fourth career Opening Day start, breaking a tie with Hideo Nomo for the most ever by a Japanese-born pitcher. That’s pretty cool.
  • Five Yankees are on an Opening Day roster for the first time: Miguel Andujar, Domingo German, Gleyber Torres, Stephen Tarpley, and Luke Voit. That’s also pretty cool.
  • This is the earliest regular season game in Yankees history. The previous record? Last year’s March 29th season opener. For what it’s worth, the Yankees are 5-2 all-time in March.

The various injured Yankees are in Tampa rehabbing and won’t take part in today’s pregame introductions, which is kinda lame. “Opening Day is not that special. I’d rather be there for the World Series,” said CC Sabathia to Mark Didtler. Shows what I know. I thought Sabathia wouldn’t want to miss his final Opening Day. Anyway, here are today’s starting lineups:

New York Yankees
1. CF Brett Gardner
2. RF Aaron Judge
3. LF Giancarlo Stanton
4. DH Luke Voit
5. 3B Miguel Andujar
6. C Gary Sanchez
7. 1B Greg Bird
8. 2B Gleyber Torres
9. SS Troy Tulowitzki

RHP Masahiro Tanaka

Baltimore Orioles
1. CF Cedric Mullins
2. LF Dwight Smith Jr.
3. 2B Jonathan Villar
4. DH Trey Mancini
5. 3B Rio Ruiz
6. RF Joey Rickard
7. 1B Chris Davis
8. C Jesus Sucre
9. SS Richie Martin

RHP Andrew Cashner

The good news: The home opener will not be rained/snowed out for the third time in the last four years. It is a glorious day in the Bronx. The bad news: It is pretty dang cold. Windy too. I hope you dressed warm if you’re at the ballpark. The baseline introductions will begin at approximately 12:44pm ET and they’ll probably be shown on the YES Network. Mariano Rivera is throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, so that’s cool. Today’s game will begin at 1:05pm ET and you can watch on YES locally and ESPN nationally. Enjoy the first game of the new season, folks.

Injury Updates: Luis Severino (shoulder) and Dellin Betances (shoulder) are both tentatively scheduled to throw a bullpen session this weekend … CC Sabathia (knee) threw three innings in a minor league game Tuesday and everything went well … Aaron Hicks (back) is running and doing core exercises. Still no baseball activities though.

Roster Notes: The Yankees officially announced the Opening Day roster and it is as expected. No surprises. Betances, Hicks, Severino, Didi Gregorius (elbow), Ben Heller (elbow), Jordan Montgomery (elbow) and Jacoby Ellsbury (hip) are all on the injured list. Sabathia is serving his five-game suspension, so the Yankees have a 24-man roster right now.

Uniform Notes: Domingo German has a new number. He was No. 65 last year, then switched to No. 63 in Spring Training in deference to James Paxton, and now he’s No. 55. Congrats to all you Hideki Matsui fans for coming into a free a Domingo German jersey. And last but not least, the Yankees have a black armband on their uniform today to honor Mel Stottlemyre. Stottlemyre passed away in January.

Spring Training Game Thread: The Final Exhibition Game

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(Presswire)

Spring Training is over, folks. The Yankees wrap up their exhibition schedule tonight at Nationals Park, so, for the first time this year, they’re going to play in a big league ballpark. That is pretty cool. After tonight’s game the Yankees will enjoy off-days Tuesday and Wednesday, then open the 2019 regular season against the Orioles on Thursday. Hooray for that.

There is a bunch of rain in the forecast tonight, so the Yankees are going to work backwards with their pitchers. The big league relievers will pitch the early innings to make sure they get their work in before the rain. Once those guys are done, scheduled starter Nestor Cortes will take over. Here is the Nationals’ lineup and here are the players the Yankees will use tonight:

  1. CF Brett Gardner
  2. RF Aaron Judge
  3. LF Giancarlo Stanton
  4. DH Luke Voit
  5. 3B Miguel Andujar
  6. C Gary Sanchez
  7. 2B Gleyber Torres
  8. SS Troy Tulowitzki
  9. 1B DJ LeMahieu

LHP Stephen Tarpley

Available Position Players: C Francisco Diaz, C Austin Romine, 1B Greg Bird, IF Angel Aguilar, IF Thairo Estrada, IF Kyle Holder, OF Trey Amburgey, OF Jeff Hendrix, OF Mike Tauchman, OF Zack Zehner, UTIL Tyler Wade. Aguilar, Estrada, Holder, Amburgey, Hendrix, Zehner, and Wade are the lucky minor league camp guys who got to make the trip.

Available Pitchers: LHP Zack Britton, LHP Nestor Cortes, RHP Cale Coshow, RHP Joe Harvey, RHP Tommy Kahnle, LHP Trevor Lane, RHP Adam Ottavino, RHP David Sosebee, RHP Greg Weissert. Cortes, Coshow, Harvey, Lane, Sosebee, and Weissert escaped minor league camp to make the trip.

Like I said, there is rain in the forecast in Washington this evening. The internet tells me it’ll start raining around 6pm ET or so, with the heaviest stuff set to arrive about an hour later. Once the rain starts, it’s not supposed to stop until early tomorrow morning, so don’t bet on a mid-game delay. They’ll call it after a few innings. Anyway, first pitch is scheduled for 5:05pm ET and you can watch live on MLB.tv and MLB Network. (MLB.tv is free tonight. Just sign up for a free MLB.com account.) MLB Network will show the game in the Yankees’ home market and there are no MLB.tv blackouts in Spring Training. Enjoy the game.