Judge HRs twice, rallies Yanks past Mets on 9/11 anniversary
Aaron Judge tied it with his second homer of the game in the eighth inning, Mets infielder Javier Báez gave away the lead with an error a few at-bats later and the New York Yankees beat their crosstown rival 8-7 at Citi Field following a stirring ceremony on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Yanks reliever throws 4 wild pitches in 10th, Red Sox rally
Kiké Hernández hit a two-run double that tied the game with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Boston Red Sox took advantage of a record four wild pitches by Brooks Kriske in the 10th to rally past the rival New York Yankees 5-4 on a rainy night at Fenway Park.
Cole's strikeouts, spin rate down, Royals rally past Yanks
Gerrit Cole’s strikeouts and spin rate dropped as he pitched for the first time since Major League Baseball’s crackdown on sticky substances, and the Kansas City Royals rallied off Jonathan Loiasiga for four runs in the eighth inning to beat the New York Yankees 6-5.
Yanks' Britton needs surgery to remove elbow bone chip
FILE - New York Yankees relief pitcher Zack Britton winds up during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles in New York, in this Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, file photo. Yankees left-hander Zack Britton is not throwing because of a sore pitching elbow, was to be examined by a doctor on Tuesday, March 9, 2021, and could miss the start of the season. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)LAKELAND, Fla. – New York Yankees left-hander Zack Britton needs surgery to remove a bone chip from his pitching elbow and seems certain to miss the start of the season. Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced the need for an operation following New York's 6-5 loss to Detroit on Tuesday. Boone said Britton felt soreness Sunday night following a bullpen session and had an MRI of his elbow on Monday.
Yankees view Kluber and Taillon as high risk, high reward
FILE - In this July 9, 2020, file photo, Texas Rangers pitcher Corey Kluber throws during an intrasquad game in Arlington, Texas. The New York Yankees reached a deal with Kluber worth $11 million for one year, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Happ to become free agents, signed Kluber to an $11 million, one-year contract and acquired Taillon from Pittsburgh for four prospects. To drop payroll below the $210 million luxury tax threshold, Cashman traded right-hander Adam Ottavino to rival Boston, saving $7.15 million. New York enters spring training with a projected rotation of Gerrit Cole, Deivi García, left-hander Jordan Montgomery, Kluber and Taillon.
LEADING OFF: Dodgers hope Kershaw can go in NLCS Game 4
Clayton Kershaw could start Game 4 of the NL Championship Series for the Dodgers if the left-hander’s back continues to improve. Kershaw was scratched from his scheduled Game 2 start because of back spasms, and manager Dave Roberts decided to stick with left-hander Julio Urías for Game 3 against Atlanta on Wednesday night. Veteran right-hander Zack Greinke delivered six gutsy innings in a 4-3 Game 4 victory for Houston's first win of the series, and usual No. A three-time World Series-winning manager, the 76-year-old La Russa joined the Angels prior to this season as senior advisor of baseball operations. He hasn’t managed since 2011, when he led St. Louis past Texas in the World Series.
Jimmie Lee Solomon, ex-MLB executive, dead at 64
His daughter, Tricia Solomon, said Friday, Oct. 9, 2020, that he was found dead at his house in Houston and the cause was not immediately known. (AP Photo/Reinhold Matay, File)NEW YORK – Jimmie Lee Solomon, a top executive for Major League Baseball under Commissioner Bud Selig who established youth academies and helped launch the annual Futures Game of top prospects, has died. His daughter, Tricia Solomon, said Friday that he was found dead at his house in Houston and the cause was not immediately known. He joined MLB in 1991 as director of minor league operations and was promoted to senior vice president of baseball operations in 2000 and executive vice president of baseball operations on June 1, 2005. He shifted to executive vice president of baseball development on June 11, 2010, and was replaced in the operations role the following February by Joe Torre.
Rays burned by opener in Game 4; tab Glasnow for Game 5
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)SAN DIEGO – Manager Kevin Cash and the Tampa Bay Rays introduced the concept of an opener to modern baseball two years ago. But just as New York almost certainly regretted using an opener in Game 2 when Deivi García and J.A. Glasnow threw 93 pitches in Game 2, getting the victory after tossing four-run ball over five innings. The Rays used an opener seven times in this year's 60-game regular season, going 6-1 when employing the scheme. “(Glasnow) has obviously got his heater, but he’s got one of the best curveballs in the game, too.
Voit, Torres homer as Yankees beat Rays 5-1 to force Game 5
New York Yankees' Luke Voit, right, celebrates with Gleyber Torres (25) after Voit hit a solo home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the second inning in Game 4 of a baseball American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, in San Diego. Asked the Yankees mentality for Game 5, Voit said, “We're going to win it." It's a rematch of last year’s ALDS Game 5 between Houston and Tampa Bay. “We've seen him," Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. Tampa Bay loaded the bases in the third but got just one run, on Brandon Lowe’s fielder’s choice.
Stanton, Yankees power way to 9-3 win against Rays in opener
Stanton hit a grand slam in the ninth inning for New York's fourth home run of the game, and the Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 9-3 on Monday in the opener of their AL Division Series at Petco Park. Beginning with this round, all postseason series were moved to neutral sites because of the coronavirus. The Yankees set a franchise record by hitting at least three home runs in three consecutive postseason games. Tampa Bay dominated the contentious regular-season series, going 8-2 against the rival Yankees and winning the AL East by seven games over second-place New York. Cole beat Tampa Bay twice in last year’s ALDS with Houston.
LEADING OFF: Playoffs begin, Bieber vs Cole in prime matchup
Gerrit Cole delivered for the Yankees in his first season since signing a $324 million, nine-year contract, going 7-3 with a 2.84 ERA. “We think this is a good matchup.”For all Bieber and Cole have accomplished in the shortened regular season, it will mean little if they don’t perform well to start the best-of-three series. For instance, Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka has only played 72 regular season games, including just two against wild-card foe Cleveland. Both were injured Friday, sat out the final two regular season games as a precaution, then participated in a workout at Target Field on Monday. They open a wild-card series in Oakland hoping ace Lucas Giolito can play stopper.
Pocket Aces: Bieber, Cole square off as Yankees play Indians
Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Shane Bieber delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in Cleveland. Here comes the New York Yankees and all their autumnal aura. And because of the condensed schedule, the Indians and Yankees will be meeting for the first time in 2020. Pitching will be more of a premium than ever, which is why the Indians feel so good confident because Bieber will get them started. It's the playoffs, and Indians All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor has been telling his younger teammates that there's nothing like it.
Yanks to start C Higashioka, sit Sánchez in wild-card opener
(AP Photo/Steven Senne)CLEVELAND – Slumping slugger Gary Sánchez will be benched in favor of Kyle Higashioka in the New York Yankees lineup for their wild-card opener Tuesday night. Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed Monday that Higashioka would catch ace Gerrit Cole to start the best-of-three series against the Cleveland Indians. Higashioka showed promise with the bat this season, including with a three-homer game against Toronto on Sept. 16. Cole pitched to Higashioka in his final four regular season starts, a span when the Yankees ace was 3-1 with a 1.00 ERA. “So we worked out well together.”Cole had a 3.91 ERA in eight starts pitching to Sánchez.