SEATTLE – In two instances, the Yankees were proven to have been right and the umpires wrong by MLB.
Naturally, the Yankees received nothing more than some measure of satisfaction.
Reliever Cory Gearrin’s toe-tap delivery was ruled to be legal, despite Monday’s umpiring crew insisting that he was making an illegal pitch in a 5-4 Yankees win against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
And the Yankees were informed that Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen should not have been granted a timeout with a play in progress in Saturday’s ninth inning.
That stoppage prevented Gleyber Torres from crossing with the tying run in what became a 2-1 Dodgers victory in Los Angeles.
“My take at the time (was that a timeout) should not have been called,’’ said Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who confirmed MLB’s clarifications on Tuesday.
However, the timing of a timeout call is an umpire’s judgement and the play “appeared dead to him,’’ Boone said of plate umpire Gabe Morales.
Jansen’s timeout call was the product of a play at second base, where Dodgers infielder Max Muncy tumbled in apparent pain after being contacted by Brett Gardner, who made a legal slide into the bag.
With Muncy on the ground, holding the ball, Torres took off for the plate and replays confirmed that Jansen asked for time while Torres was headed home.
Muncy later admitted he’d taken a bit of a dive on that play.
“Hopefully, it’s something we can all take and learn from,’’ Boone said.
Only gave up one hit, yes an HR and 2 runs through 5. However he also walked 5, a season high, although only one scored.
NY homer 4 times, LeMahieu, Judge, Sanchez, and Ford. Judge also added a pair of doubles, BA up to .273.
LeMahieu took over AL BA Lead with 2-4 while Brantley went 0-4 and LeMathieu leads the majors in multi-hit games.
The Yankee musical chairs infield got another workout. Urshela was pulled from 3B in the 5th with a possible groin injury. Gregorius with the bruised shoulder came in at SS. Wade moved from SS to 2B while LeMathieu who started at 2B moved to 3rd.
Sabathia pitches in NY on Friday against Oakland. He's 0-4 in last 6 starts.
Betances has a simulated game over the weekend that starts minor league rehab.
I think he's going to be the key to any post season success.
As has been the case seemingly all season, the New York Yankees received both good and bad news on the injured front Friday. First baseman Luke Voit (sports hernia) came through his minor league rehab assignment well and has been activated off the 10-day injured list. To make room on the roster, third baseman Gio Urshela was placed on the 10-day injured list with a groin strain.
Here is the official announcement from the team:
Yankees PR Dept.
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@YankeesPR
Roster Moves: Prior to tonight’s game, the Yankees returned from rehab and reinstated 1B Luke Voit from the 10-day injured list and placed INF Gio Urshela on the 10-day injured list with a left groin injury (retroactive to 8/29).
11:49 AM - Aug 30, 2019
The injured list stint effectively ends any chance Urshela had at the batting title. He racked up enough plate appearances to qualify just this past week, and now he'll miss at least 10 days. That's enough to take him out of the running. Urshela has been a godsend for the Yankees this season and is hitting .331/.370/.555 with 32 doubles and 18 home runs in 414 plate appearances.
Friday's injured list news is noteworthy. Historic, even. Urshela is the 29th different Yankee to be placed on the injured list this year, setting a new MLB record. The 2016 Dodgers held the previous record with 28 different players landing on what was then called the disabled list. Prior to that, the 2012 Red Sox held the record with 27 players.
The Yankees have used the injured list 36 separate times this season. Not surprisingly, New York has lost far and away the most man games to injury this year. From Spotrac:
Yankees: 2,246 games lost
Padres: 1,653
Phillies: 1,555
Pirates: 1,382
Angels: 1,314
Among the big-name Yankees who have missed time this season are Dellin Betances, Didi Gregorius, Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, James Paxton, Gary Sanchez, Luis Severino, and Giancarlo Stanton. Betances and Severino have not thrown a single pitch this season and Stanton has played only nine games. Here's more on the injured Yankees.
Despite the injuries, the Yankees have baseball's best record at 88-47, and they are 11 games up in the AL East. Their big payroll allows them to paper over injuries, sure, but guys like Urshela, Cameron Maybin, and Mike Tauchman were acquired very cheaply. Others like Nestor Cortes Jr., Domingo German, Mike Ford, and Clint Frazier were brought up from the farm system. The Yankees have been the kings of the "next man up" mentality in 2019.
With Urshela sidelined, the Yankees are likely to slide DJ LeMahieu over to third base full-time, with Gregorius and Gleyber Torres manning the middle infield.
Maybe this time was the last time.
Maybe this 558th start of the indomitable CC Sabathia’s major league career will prove to be the final one before the 39-year-old lefty calls it a day once the season ends.
Maybe this time the spit and bailing wire holding together a right knee that has been an issue for at least six years — and the cause of multiple trips to the injured list the past three seasons and twice this year — have finally given way for good.
This is the takeaway from Friday night when, following a 1-2-3 third inning that included career strikeouts 3,081 and 3,082, Sabathia left a 1-1 game against the Athletics after having thrown 48 pitches when the pain in that knee reached the level of “10,” according to the pitcher.
“It just got bad again,” Sabathia said after the generally reliable bullpen imploded in the middle innings of what became an 8-2 defeat to the A’s in The Bronx. “It was hurting all night.”
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Sabathia likely would be a long shot to make the postseason roster as a fourth/fifth starter even if he could give the team some length.
Masahiro Tanaka and James Paxton are locks to start, Luis Severino is a pretty good bet if he is healthy and there is Domingo German, who sports a 17-3 record with a 4.03 ERA.
The Yankees likely will employ a cast of thousands in a bullpen that might include both Dellin Betances and Jordan Montgomery if the rehabbing pitchers are deemed ready. Know this: Sabathia has never even once pitched in relief throughout his big league career.
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PLAYERS INJURY EXPECTED RETURN
CC Sabathia Knee Expected to be out until at least Sep 11
Cameron Maybin Wrist Expected to be out until at least Sep 9
Ben Heller Forearm Expected to be out until at least Sep 10
Dellin Betances Lat Expected to be out until at least Sep 14
Jonathan Holder Shoulder Expected to be out until at least Sep 15
Jordan Montgomery Shoulder Expected to be out until at least Sep 15
Luis Severino Lat Expected to be out until at least Sep 17
Giancarlo Stanton Knee Expected to be out until at least Sep 17
Stephen Tarpley Elbow Expected to be out until at least Sep 18
Jacoby Ellsbury Foot Expected to be out until at least Sep 18
Greg Bird Foot Expected to be out until at least Sep 20
Miguel Andujar Shoulder Out for the season
Aaron Hicks Elbow Out for the season
Jake Barrett Elbow Out for the season
David Hale Back Out for the season
Whats the go with Happ, is he hopeless or not. He had me convinced he was hopeless, now I am wondering. If he fakes being good then blows the World Series not going to be happy.
Ben Heller was in the Yankees’ clubhouse Sunday, although he isn’t expected to be activated until the Yankees are in Detroit on Tuesday.
The right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery early last season and pitched well for SWB in his rehab stint. In nine games, he allowed just one run over 11 innings, walking three and striking out 13.
“It wasn’t a smooth recovery,’’ Heller said. “I’m proud of the work I put in to get back.”
Because he’s on the 60-day IL, the Yankees will need to make a move on their 40-man roster to make room for Heller, who was acquired in the deal that sent Andrew Miller to Cleveland in 2016.
Turns out Tauchman has been getting treatment for the strained calf before yesterday's game. There is the possibility that he could go on IL and be lost for the season.
Stanton still isn't a viable option at this point.
Hicks has not recovered and is not an option.
Looks like Judge, Gardner, Maybin, Frazier, and Wade are the possibilities.