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River Ave. Blues » Tyler Austin

The Backup Infielders [2018 Season Review]

November 29, 2018 by Steven Tydings

(Maddie Meyer/Getty)

While we’ve gone through the Yankees’ key offensive and defensive contributors this season, they had plenty of part-time players that made smaller but memorable impacts. Here’s a look at the 2018 season for Tyler Austin, Ronald Torreyes, Tyler Wade and Adeiny Hechavarria, the primary backup infielders.

Tyler Austin

It’s easy to forget, but Tyler Austin was the Yankees’ Opening Day first baseman. Look it up! He batted ninth and struck out once. However, thanks to the constant injuries to Greg Bird and the early-season struggles of Neil Walker, Austin earned himself a long look at first base.

Beginning with the third game of the year, where Austin slugged a pair of homers off Marco Estrada, the right-handed first baseman tore up April. He hit five home runs and had seven multi-hit games, slugging .629 for the month.

However, Austin went 0-for-3 on April 26 and had to serve a four-game suspension. Why? Because of the epic brawl started with his fight against Joe Kelly on April 11. Austin’s hard slide into second base caused a fracas earlier in the game and Joe Kelly throwing at him had tension boil over.

Starting with his final at-bat on April 25 and ending on May 15, Austin went 0-for-23 with one walk and 12 strikeouts, cooling off significantly. He recovered with three straight two-hit games, including a two-homer game against the Royals, but he was demoted soon after thanks to Bird’s return.

While Austin finally achieved a healthy season in pinstripes, he would only play four more games after May. He would be traded along with MiLBer Luis Rio for Lance Lynn on July 30 after the Yankees acquired Luke Voit. Austin would go 1-for-4 with a walk in lone game vs. Yankees after the trade.

In all, Austin hit a respectable .223/.280/.471 (98 OPS+) with the Yankees in 2018, though his on-base percentage and 40 percent strikeout rate wouldn’t be palatable long-term. Joe Mauer’s retirement in Minnesota gives him a chance to play more first base, particularly after he had another home run binge after the trade. However, C.J. Cron’s acquisition makes it harder to find playing time.

Ronald Torreyes

Like Austin and Wade, Torreyes found himself the recipient of some early starts in the Bronx in 2018. Toe earned the chance to take over second base with Wade struggling early. He put up three three-hit games in April, including one against the Orioles on April 7.

However, Torreyes’ playing time quickly dried up once Gleyber Torres was called up. This happened despite Torreyes having a nine-game hitting streak and batting .410 until his last game in April.

Once Torres and Miguel Andujar took off by the end of April, it was all but over for Torreyes in the Bronx. With those two young players surrounding Didi Gregorius, the Yankees had three guys playing practically every day at Torreyes’ three positions. Toe would start just six times in May before he was sent down.

He came up for two games in June and then didn’t get significant playing time until Didi went on the shelf in August. In the game Didi was injured at first base, Torreyes had a three-hit game off the bench.

Torreyes had just 102 plate appearances in 41 games this year, batting .280/.294/.370 in sporadic playing appearances. That led to his designation for assignment this week to make room for Parker Bridwell. Hopefully, Toe will find a new start in Chicago after being dealt to the Cubs.

Tyler Wade

It was a real bummer of a season for Wade, who had a prime opportunity at second base before Torres’ call-up. In his age-23 season, Wade couldn’t crack a .500 OPS. over 70 plate appearances, batting just .167/.214/.273 (31 OPS+), which was actually an improvement over his cameo in 2017.

In nine April starts, Wade hit in just three games. He came through with big hits in the second game of the year, knocking in the game-winning runs in the middle innings. However, his inability to get the ball out of the infield led to his demotion once Torres came up.

Wade wasn’t back up until July. He had his first career homer against the Orioles while notching his first three-hit game. He had five hits over consecutive starts with two-hit game vs. Indians. Those games knocked his line from .103/.167/.154 to .188/.235/.333. giving him a season-best .569 OPS.

He was only a pinch runner or defensive replacement in September, scoring two runs and stealing one base in only his attempt.

Wade also took a step back in hitting at Triple-A in 2018, so confidence in the former prospect has to be at a low. He’s still just 24, but the idea that he can be the Yankees’ Ben Zobrist or Marwin Gonzalez seems out the window until proven otherwise.

Adeiny Hechavarria

Shortly after the Andrew McCutchen trade, the Yankees acquired Hechavarria from the Pirates just in time to get him eligible for the postseason. The Bombers were Hech’s third team of 2018 (Rays) and fourth team in two years.

Hechavarria was essentially acquired just for defensive replacement value. He had exclusively played shortstop since his rookie season and was thrust into that role initially as the Yankees waited for Didi to get healthy. However, Hechavarria was brought in to take over as a defensive replacement for Andujar on a regular basis down the stretch.

Though he hit just .194 with a .216 OBP in the Bronx, he had a couple signature offensive moments. He hit an insurance run homer against the Athletics just after Labor Day and a go-ahead homer against the Rays on Sept. 25th.

Still, he had a 51 wRC+ in 37 PAs and 18 games. He made one throwing error in the regular season and a couple misplays, but he was a clear step up from Andujar with his smooth glove in the field.

Hechavarria played in four playoff games, relieving Andujar in the sixth inning (!) of the Wild Card Game. He made a dazzling leaping catch as the Yankees pulled away.

He also replaced Andujar in the sixth inning of ALDS Game 2. While he can certainly field, it said more about Andujar’s ineptitude than Hechavarria’s talent.

Now a free agent, he’ll likely be elsewhere next year, though Didi’s injury creates an opening at short. He can’t hit well enough to deserve that spot on a regular basis to begin the year but could be good insurance in the minors.

Filed Under: Players Tagged With: 2018 Season Review, Adeiny Hechavarria, Ronald Torreyes, Tyler Austin, Tyler Wade

Yanks acquire Lance Lynn for Tyler Austin, pitching prospect

July 30, 2018 by Mike Leave a Comment

(Omar Rawlings/Getty)

Even with J.A. Happ on board, the Yankees have decided to add another starting pitcher. Tyler Austin and pitching prospect Luis Rijo have been traded to the Twins for right-hander Lance Lynn, it has been announced. It is a done deal. Officially official. Jon Heyman says the Twins are eating half Lynn’s salary.

“It’s the New York Yankees. As a fan of the game growing up, it’s exciting for me as a young kid, seeing them in their heyday winning a lot of World Series championships,” said Lynn to Dan Hayes. “You look at their team now, they’re going for it. I’m excited for that opportunity and that challenge. It’s going to be a different experience. I’m just going to go in there and try to do everything I can to help, whatever that may be.”

The Yankees shipped Adam Warren to the Mariners for international bonus money earlier today, so they essentially swapped Warren for Lynn on the roster. It breaks down like this:

  • Yankees get: Lynn and $1.25M in international bonus money
  • Yankees give up: Warren, Austin, Rijo

Lynn, 31, has a 5.10 ERA (4.73 FIP) with 21.3% strikeout rate and a 50.8% ground ball rate in 102.1 innings this season, all as a starter. His walk rate (13.2%) is way too high. It’s been high his entire career (career 9.4% walk rate), but never this high. Free passes are bad news, though at least Lynn mitigates them with strikeouts and grounders.

For what it’s worth, Lynn has pitched better since an ugly April — seems like all the free agents who signed late started slow this year — throwing 78.2 innings with a 4.12 ERA (4.16 FIP). Walk rate (11.1%) is still too high, though the strikeouts (21.0%) and grounders (50.6%) have been there. Clearly, the Yankees are banking on track record here. Lynn owns a career 3.54 ERA (3.74 FIP).

The Yankees presumably swapped Warren for Lynn because they believe Lynn is better capable of stepping into the rotation, if necessary. I don’t disagree with that. Lynn does have bullpen experience, though it’s been a while. The Cardinals regularly used him out of the bullpen in the postseason during their glory days from 2011-15.

Austin was made completely expendable by the recent Luke Voit pickup. They’re both 27-ish year old right-handed hitting first basemen. Austin will be out of minor league options after the season. Voit will not. So there you go. Voit replaces Austin as the up-and-down platoon first baseman going forward.

When Greg Bird was hurt earlier this year, Austin stepped up and hit .290/.362/.629 (166 wRC+) with five home runs in April. He wasn’t so good after that, finishing with a .223/.280/.471 (111 wRC+) line with eight homers and 40.2% strikeouts in 132 big league plate appearances before being sent to Triple-A. Austin was good when the Yankees needed him. Props.

Rijo, 19, has a 2.77 ERA (2.47 FIP) with 19.5% strikeouts and 1.8% walks in 39 rookie ball inning this season. He is not among MLB.com’s top 30 Yankees prospects and he wasn’t going to be on my upcoming post-draft top 30 prospects list. The Yankees literally have more pitching prospects than rotation spots in the minors. They’re loaded with kids like Rijo. No surprise they dealt from that depth.

As for the financials, the Warren trade combined with the Twins eating half Lynn’s salary makes this effectively cash neutral for the Yankees. They’re still about $3M under the $197M luxury tax threshold, give or take. Some of that needs to be saved for injury call-ups and September call-ups. I think Warren is better than Lynn, but what I think doesn’t matter, plus Lynn can start. Warren can’t. The Yankees added more length to the pitching staff today.

Filed Under: Trade Deadline, Transactions Tagged With: Lance Lynn, Luis Rijo, Minnesota Twins, Tyler Austin

2018 Midseason Review: The Depth Players

July 19, 2018 by Steven Tydings Leave a Comment

Austin and Drury: Scranton Bash Brothers (Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

A team is only as good as its weakest link, so the saying goes. The Yankees have had a series of bench players, mop-up relievers and forgettable characters so far this year. Why not grade them?

Ronald Torreyes

The skinny: Torreyes got the chance to start plenty of games at second base until Gleyber Torres was called up and Toe did nothing but rake in that interim. It was mostly singles, but he finished April with a .390/.405/.488 line. He has been sent down and called up twice with the Yankees not having room on their infield for even semi-regular time. Gotta love Toe.

Best game/highlight: He’s had a trio of three-hit games this season, but one of his one-hit games stands out. On Apr. 19, he knocked in a run early before walking and scoring the go-ahead run in a 4-3 win vs. Toronto.

Midseason Grade: A

Brandon Drury

The skinny: The Yankees acquired Drury with the idea he’d be their starting third baseman, but vision problems and the emergence of Miguel Andujar have kept him away from the big league club. He has just eight hits as a Yankee thus far, though he excelled in Scranton. Hopefully, he’ll receive a larger chance now that his vision is better and he can make an impact in the second half.

Best game/highlight: In the second game of the year, he drove in two runs while going 2-for-3 with a walk. His double in the second inning came mere inches away from going out of the park.

Midseason Grade: C/Incomplete

Tyler Wade

The skinny: Wade’s first stint with the Yanks in 2018 was seriously disappointing. Though he provided the Yankees with stable defense at second, he simply didn’t hit. He had a real chance to win playing time at second base to start the year and blew it. His second opportunity in replacing Gleyber has been much better with six hits in his last 13 ABs with some good defense as well. He’s going to play a role down the stretch, even if it’s just as a pinch runner.

Best game/highlight: Last week, Wade came a triple short of the cycle, knocking his first career home run to right field at Camden Yards. It’s surprising a player that fast doesn’t have a triple in his career yet.

Midseason Grade: D

Clint Frazier

The skinny: Frazier is a victim of the Yankees having one of the best outfield rotations in baseball. He’d be starting in a corner for most other teams. When he’s been with the big league club, he’s shown strong patience and sports a .390 OBP. He was robbed of a game-winning home run by the monstrosity that is Tropicana Field. He’ll get an opportunity soon if he’s not traded for a top-line starting pitcher.

Best game/highlight: His first game of the year came on May 19 in Kansas City and he lined a double, drew two walks and scored a run. Always nice to see him show off both a strong approach and his Legendary Bat Speed.

Midseason Grade: B+

Tyler Austin

The skinny: Austin was the fill-in first baseman for Greg Bird for the first month and a half and was perfectly adequate. He hit eight home runs and put up a .471 slugging percentage. However, he didn’t get on base often enough and was prone to prolonged slumps. The 26-year-old remains a solid contingency plan waiting in Triple-A, though you’d rather see Bird out there for sure.

Best game/highlight: He has two two-homer games this year and the second one was an impressive day in Kansas City. He drilled a pair of two-run shots to knock starter Eric Skoglund out of the game and begin a blowout win.

Midseason Grade: B-

Billy McKinney

The skinny: Two games. Four at-bats. One hit. One injury. That’s a basic summary of McKinney’s big-league career thus far. He was called up for Game No. 2 after Aaron Hicks went down with an injury and was sidelined himself in his second start by banging into the left field wall at Rogers Centre. Not ideal. He’s been good once again in Scranton.

Best game/highlight: Obviously, it’s his one full game where he recorded his first career hit. March 30 in Toronto, a win to boot.

Midseason Grade: Incomplete

Cessa time. (Getty Images)

Luis Cessa

The skinny: Anyone else forget Luis Cessa was in a mop-up role in mid-April? He apparently threw four innings that month before suffering an oblique strain. He came back up in June, threw two innings of relief and then had a forgettable spot start in Philly. He then started in Baltimore during last Monday’s doubleheader with further detail below.

Best game/highlight: July 9 in Baltimore wasn’t a pretty day for the Yankees, but Cessa helped them salvage a win against the last-place O’s with six shutout innings. He put on six baserunners but pitched well and had two double plays turned behind him. Not bad!

Midseason Grade: B

David Hale

The skinny: Hale was up and down as a mop up reliever, taking almost exclusively the lowest leverage innings and saving the rest of the bullpen, all before receiving an unceremonious DFA. He threw exclusively multi-inning outings and also had one game with the Twins. While his last outing was impressive, he won’t be making another with the Yankees this season as he has signed with the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO.

Best game/highlight: He saved the best for last in relief of Sonny Gray. He threw 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball against the Blue Jays in a 6-2 loss. While he gave the team a chance to win, it was more important that he simply absorbed innings.

Midseason Grade: A

Gio Gallegos

The skinny: Like Hale, Gallegos has come up to take on mop up innings. In four multi-inning outings, he hasn’t come in with a leverage index higher than .30. It’ll be tough for him to earn any sort of permanent role with the Yankees this season, so it’s the up-and-down role the rest of the way. He’s one of three Yankees with a save as he threw three innings to close Cessa’s win in the doubleheader.

Best game/highlight: In Cessa’s other start vs. the Phillies, Gallegos came in out of the bullpen and dazzled hitters with his stuff. Three innings, two hits, no runs and six strikeouts. Six! It was his best outing as a Yankee. Two of the Ks were the opposing pitcher, but he also punched out Cesar Hernandez and Rhys Hoskins.

Midseason Grade: B

Jace Peterson

The skinny: McKinney, Hicks and Jacoby Ellsbury all were on the disabled list in early April, thus giving Peterson a shot. He got a chance to play three games (two starts) in the outfield, going 3-for-10 with a walk over 10 days. He joined Baltimore afterwards and, funny enough, has played as many games against the Yankees as he has for the Bombers.

Best game/highlight: He manned left field in his first Yankee start on Apr. 7 and saved the game with a nice catch to rob Pedro Alvarez of two go-ahead RBI in a game the Yankees would go on to win.

Midseason Grade: B+

Shane Robinson

The skinny: With the Yankees still short on outfielders and facing lefties in Boston, Robinson got the call-up in place of Peterson. He went 1-for-3 with two walks and a stolen base in his two games in pinstripes.

Best game/highlight: He pinch ran for Tyler Austin and stole second base on Apr. 11 in Boston. I guess that counts as a highlight?

Midseason Grade: Incomplete

Filed Under: Players Tagged With: 2018 Midseason Review, Billy McKinney, Brandon Drury, Clint Frazier, David Hale, Gio Gallegos, Jace Peterson, Luis Cessa, Ronald Torreyes, Shane Robinson, Tyler Austin, Tyler Wade

DotF: Florial returns; Frazier goes deep twice in Scranton’s win

July 5, 2018 by Mike Leave a Comment

It’s been a while, so let’s update the minor league standings today. First, some notes:

  • In case you missed it earlier, LHP Justus Sheffield will represent the Yankees at the Futures Game in two weeks. The rosters will be officially announced tomorrow and it’s possible the Yankees will send a second player. Not sure who it would be though.
  • The Yankees have signed Georgia Southern RHP Blakeley Brown (24th round) to a $132,500 signing bonus, reports Jim Callis. He counts as $7,500 against the bonus pool. The Yankees have less than $10,000 in bonus pool space remaining before having to give up next year’s first round pick. The signing deadline is tomorrow. Our Day Three draft recap has more info on Brown.
  • The Yankees have also signed Vanderbilt RHP Justin Wilson (23rd round), according to his Twitter feed. Neat. I didn’t think he’d sign. MLB.com says he received a slot $125,000 bonus. He doesn’t count against the bonus pool at all. Our Day Three draft recap has more info on Wilson.
  • Matt Eddy reports the Yankees have released OF Cody Brown, OF Jonathan Capellan, SS Jose Carrera, LHP Jeff Degano, OF Cesar Diaz, OF Edel Luaces, OF Luis Martinez, and 1B Matt Snyder. Degano came down with the yips after being the team’s second round pick in 2015. The last two years he had 34 walks, five hit batsmen, and 15 wild pitches in 6.2 innings. Poor guy.
  • Here’s some video of a recent RHP Roansy Contreras start. Contreras, my preseason No. 24 prospect, has a 1.62 ERA (3.09 FIP) with 32.8% strikeouts and 9.0% walks in 16.2 innings with Short Season Staten Island this year. He’s developing nicely.
  • 1B Tyler Austin has already started running the bases, according to DJ Eberle, so it seems his stint on the disabled list will be a short one. Austin was placed on the Triple-A disabled list with a back issue last Friday.

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (9-6 win over Buffalo) they’re in second place at 44-30 and are 4.5 games back

  • CF Clint Frazier: 3-4, 3 R, 2 HR, 4 RBI — here are videos of his first homer and second homer … hitting .317/.393/.586 with ten homers in 46 Triples-A games … he is simply too good for this level
  • 1B Billy McKinney: 3-4, 1 RBI — first game at first base this season … the plan to give him work there got put on hold when he hurt his shoulder earlier this year … 1B Tyler Austin (back), 1B Mike Ford (oblique), and 1B Ryan McBroom (day-to-day after fouling a pitch into his foot) are all hurt though, so Scranton needed someone to play first base today, and McKinney it was
  • LHP Nestor Cortes: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 8/3 GB/FB — 66 of 83 pitches were strikes (80%)
  • RHP Tommy Kahnle: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1/0 GB/FB — 13 of 24 pitches were strikes (54%) … still sitting mostly 94-96 mph, reportedly … I dunno, shouldn’t that be enough velocity to get big leaguers out?
  • RHP Cody Carroll: 1 IP, zeroes, 1 K, 1/1 GB/FB — eleven of 16 pitches were strikes

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Down on the Farm, Draft Tagged With: 2018 Draft, Blakeley Brown, Cesar Diaz, Cody Brown, Edel Luaces, Jeff Degano, Jonathan Capellan, Jose Carrera, Justin Wilson, Luis Martinez, Matt Snyder, Tyler Austin

DotF: King fans eleven in Trenton’s shutout win

June 30, 2018 by Mike Leave a Comment

Two quick injury related notes to pass along:

  • RHP Albert Abreu and IF Hoy Jun Park were placed on the High-A Tampa disabled list, the team announced. Not sure what’s wrong with either guy. Abreu had lat and elbow problems last year.
  • An MRI showed 1B Tyler Austin has some inflammation in his back, according to DJ Eberle. He is receiving treatment and will see another doctor Monday “just to check it out.”

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (7-6 win over Pawtucket in ten innings, walk-off style)

  • 2B Tyler Wade: 1-5, 2 K
  • CF Clint Frazier: 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K — 4-for-17 (.235) in four games since being sent back down
  • RF Billy McKinney: 1-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 K
  • 1B Ryan McBroom: 2-2, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB — eleven homers in 72 games this season … he hit 16 homers in 134 games last year
  • SS Rey Navarro: 4-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI — hit the game-tying two-run homer in the ninth
  • C Francisco Diaz: 3-5, 1 RBI — walk-off single
  • LHP Josh Rogers: 5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 3/5 GB/FB — 50 of 87 pitches were strikes (57%) … 19 runs allowed in his last six starts and 30 innings
  • RHP A.J. Cole: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 2/2 GB/FB — 20 of 34 pitches were strikes (59%) … second rehab outing went a tad better than the first … not sure what’s next, another rehab outing or a return to the big leagues

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Down on the Farm Tagged With: Albert Abreu, Hoy Jun Park, Tyler Austin

DotF: The Yankees beat the Red Sox in Triple-A too

June 29, 2018 by Mike Leave a Comment

A couple quick notes to get us started:

  • RHP Freicer Perez’s season is over. He had surgery to remove bone spurs from his shoulder earlier this week, reports Matt Kardos. Perez has been on the disabled list since May 9th with shoulder inflammation. I suppose the good news is there was no structural damage. His labrum and rotator cuff are apparently in good shape. Still a bummer.
  • 1B Tyler Austin was placed on the Triple-A disabled list, the team announced. He left last night’s game with a back issue and saw the doctor today. There’s no word on the severity of the injury or a timetable for his return. Austin’s a call-up-able depth player, but now I guess Brandon Drury is second on the first base depth chart. Or third behind Neil Walker.
  • Baseball America (subs. req’d) released their midseason top 100 prospects list — they’re really overdoing it with the top 100 updates this year — and four Yankees made it: LHP Justus Sheffield (No. 23), OF Estevan Florial (No. 57), RHP Albert Abreu (No. 67), and RHP Jonathan Loaisiga (No. 71). Fun to see Johnny Lasagna on a top 100 list.
  • OF Trey Amburgey, IF Abi Avelino, LHP Caleb Frare, and RHP Dillon Tate were all named to the Double-A Eastern League All-Star Game, the league announced. The All-Star Game will be played July 11th at Arm & Hammer Park in Trenton. You can buy tickets right here.

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (7-4 win over Pawtucket) the Yankees even beat the Red Sox in Triple-A tonight

  • 2B Tyler Wade: 2-3, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K — he’s been great for the last month now
  • CF Clint Frazier: 1-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI — here’s video of the double
  • RF Billy McKinney: 1-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
  • RHP Chance Adams: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, 7/2 GB/FB — 60 of 90 pitches were strikes (67%) … let’s see if he can build on this blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda … sorry, but I’ve said that enough times this season
  • LHP Stephen Tarpley: 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 2/0 GB/FB — ten of 19 pitches were strikes … just bumped up from Trenton

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Down on the Farm Tagged With: Albert Abreu, Estevan Florial, Freicer Perez, Jonathan Loaisiga, Justus Sheffield, Prospect Lists, Tyler Austin

Game 65: Johnny Lasagna’s Debut

June 15, 2018 by Mike Leave a Comment

(Oscar Navarrete/La Prensa)

I gotta say, if you would’ve told me in March that Jonathan Loaisiga would join the rotation on June 15th, I would’ve guessed all hell broke loose. The dude had pitched in one game above the short season minor leagues prior to this season and it seemed like he would be pretty far down the rotation depth chart. Instead, the Yankees have the best record in baseball and Loaisiga is debuting on June 15th. Shows what I know.

Loaisiga is only 23 but he’s endured a lot to get here. He’s had a ton of injuries, he was released by the Giants, and he actually agreed to join a team in Italy before the Yankees signed him out of a tryout camp. Now he’s a big leaguer, and deserving one. The man affectionately known as Johnny Lasagna threw 43 innings with a 2.30 ERA (2.39 FIP) and great strikeout (31.6%) and walk (2.3%) rates for High-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton prior to Saturday’s 49-pitch tune-up start.

What should you expect from Loaisiga tonight? A mid-90s fastball as well as a good curveball and a good changeup, for starters. I also wouldn’t expect very many innings. The Yankees capped him at five innings per start in the minors this year and he hasn’t thrown more than 89 pitches in a game. Hopefully Loaisiga can get them through five innings. Hopefully the offense can score more than four runs. Here are the lineups:

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

RHP Jonathan Loaisiga

Tampa Bay Rays
1. DH Matt Duffy
2. 1B Jake Bauers
3. C Wilson Ramos
4. 2B Joey Wendle
5. SS Willy Adames
6. CF Mallex Smith
7. 3B Christian Arroyo
8. LF Rob Refsnyder
9. RF Johnny Field

RHP Nathan Eovaldi


It is cloudy and on the cool side in New York, though there’s no rain in the forecast, and that’s all I care about. Tonight’s game will begin at 7:05pm ET and you can watch on WPIX. Enjoy the game.

Roster Move: Tyler Austin was sent down to Triple-A Scranton following last night’s game to make room on the roster for Loaisiga, the Yankees announced. Austin was great when the Yankees needed him in April. He hasn’t been all that good since. Can’t say it’s a surprise he was sent down.

Filed Under: Game Threads Tagged With: Jonathan Loaisiga, Tyler Austin

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