Are they playing crisp and clean baseball right now? No, but the Yankees are racking up wins and they go into tonight one game behind the Rays in the loss column. Imagine if the roles were reversed and the Rays were closing in on the Yankees despite all the injuries? They’d write scripture about them.
Anyway, CC Sabathia has a chance to make history tonight. Six more strikeouts and he’ll become the 17th member of the 3,000-strikeout club. Sabathia isn’t a big strikeout pitcher anymore, plus the Angels rarely strike out, but six strikeouts is definitely doable. The milestone is within reach.
“Getting it out of the way early would be great,” Sabathia told George King about the milestone. “It’s not something I am focusing on. I making sure I stay healthy enough to help the team win.”
The milestone would be cool. Another win would be even cooler. The Yankees have won five straight games and seven of their last eight games. They haven’t all been pretty, but who cares. They are wins in the bank. Here are tonight’s starting lineups:
New York Yankees
1. 2B DJ LeMahieu
2. DH Luke Voit
3. CF Brett Gardner
4. C Gary Sanchez
5. SS Gleyber Torres
6. 1B Mike Ford
7. 3B Gio Urshela
8. RF Mike Tauchman
9. LF Tyler Wade
LHP CC Sabathia
Los Angeles Angels
1. 2B David Fletcher
2. CF Mike Trout
3. SS Andrelton Simmons
4. 1B Albert Pujols
5. LF Brian Goodwin
6. C Jonathan Lucroy
7. DH Kevan Smith
8. RF Kole Calhoun
9. 3B Zack Cozart
RHP Cam Bedrosian (opener for RHP Felix Pena)
Safe to assume it is another great night for baseball in Anaheim. Pretty great weather in New York too. Tonight’s game will begin at 10:07pm ET and you can watch on the YES Network locally and MLB Network nationally. Enjoy the game.
Injury Updates: Clint Frazier (ankle) went for an MRI today and the Yankees are waiting for the results. His ankle is still swollen and black and blue … Giancarlo Stanton (biceps) had to get a cortisone shot in his shoulder recently. The biceps is healed, but now his shoulder is barking. He’ll resume his work in a few days and won’t return before the end of the road trip … Miguel Andujar (shoulder) took live batting practice and could play in Extended Spring Training games soon. It should be noted he is not out of the woods yet with regards to potential season-ending surgery, but so far, so good … Aaron Hicks (back) took live batting practice as well and has ramped up all his baseball activities. He took could play in ExST games soon … Troy Tulowitzki (calf) also took live batting practice and could play in ExST games soon … Didi Gregorius (Tommy John surgery) is continuing to stretch out his throwing. All is going well.
Roster Moves: In case you missed it earlier, the Yankees sent down the struggling Chad Green. Bummer, but it had to be done. On the bright side, Sanchez is back! Hooray! Kyle Higashioka was sent down to clear a spot for Sanchez and Stephen Tarpley was called up to replace Green.