Sonny Gray To Make Debut For New York In The Opener As They Take On Cleveland
New acquisition in right -hander Sonny Gray who New York traded for on Monday, July 31st with Oakland at the trade deadline will dawn pinstripes for the first time as he takes the mound tonight in Cleveland in the opener of a four game series.
The Yankees traded for Gray on Monday a little more than an hour before the non-waiver Trade Deadline, giving them another bona fide top-of-the-rotation starter. However, playing in New York is different than Oakland, especially for a pitcher who was considered the Yankees' missing piece before they traded for him. And now that they have him, Gray is expected to pitch the Yanks into the postseason. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170802245975652/gray-set-for-yanks-debut-in-clash-with-tribe/?game_pk=491717
How Gray handles these expectations is yet to be determined, but manager Joe Girardi said just wants him to be the same pitcher he's been for most of his five-year career. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170802245975652/gray-set-for-yanks-debut-in-clash-with-tribe/?game_pk=491717
"We just want Sonny to be Sonny," Girardi said. "We feel that he has the opportunity to help us, but the other guys have to do their jobs, and you can only do your job. We're not expecting you to go throw a shutout every time out. Just go be yourself, and that will be really good." "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170802245975652/gray-set-for-yanks-debut-in-clash-with-tribe/?game_pk=491717
Gray has already made two starts against the Indians this season, with mixed results." according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170802245975652/gray-set-for-yanks-debut-in-clash-with-tribe/?game_pk=491717
In the first start on May 30 at Progressive Field, Cleveland touched Gray up for seven runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. Gray bounced back in his second outing against the Indians on July 14, when he tossed six shutout innings and allowed two hits in Oakland." according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170802245975652/gray-set-for-yanks-debut-in-clash-with-tribe/?game_pk=491717
Kluber is 1-1 with a 2.62 ERA in his past five starts. He's dominated the Yankees in five career starts against them, going 3-1 with a 1.91 ERA over 33 innings. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170802245975652/gray-set-for-yanks-debut-in-clash-with-tribe/?game_pk=491717
Gray's swinging-strike rate has jumped from a career-low 8.9 percent in 2016 to a career-high 13.1 percent this year. Of his top five single-game marks, four have come in '17. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170802245975652/gray-set-for-yanks-debut-in-clash-with-tribe/?game_pk=491717
Brett Gardner, who's riding a 14-game hitting streak, is batting .304/.393/.446 in 50 career games vs. the Indians. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170802245975652/gray-set-for-yanks-debut-in-clash-with-tribe/?game_pk=491717
Edwin Encarnacion is hitting .280/.353/.479 with 21 homers in 125 career games against the Yankees. "according to http://m.mlb.com/news/article/20170802245975652/gray-set-for-yanks-debut-in-clash-with-tribe/?game_pk=491717
As for New York's last game, they got shutout 2-0 in the finale and lost the series to Detroit on a messy rainy day in the Bronx.
Nothing like getting shutout on a rainy day in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium as New York once again lost another series this time to Detroit.
A Tigers starter kept the Yankees' lineup quiet for the second game in a row as Jordan Zimmermann tossed seven shutdown innings in Detroit's 2-0 win on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246008654/tigers-weather-storm-to-take-finale-from-yanks/
Zimmermann was hitting his spots for much of the afternoon, and the Yankees' only real scoring chances came in the third and in the sixth innings. He was removed after the seventh inning due to the second rain delay of the day. Play resumed at 8:01 p.m. ET after a three-hour and 11-minute delay, which Yankees right-hander Dellin Betances followed with the sixth immaculate inning in franchise history. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246008654/tigers-weather-storm-to-take-finale-from-yanks/
"I had a good command of all four pitches," Zimmermann said. "The only real trouble I'm having is throwing up and into lefties. But for the most part, I was able to command all my pitches and throw strikes and let the guys behind me work." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246008654/tigers-weather-storm-to-take-finale-from-yanks/
The Yankees had runners on first and third with one out in the third after Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury singled, but Aaron Judge struck out and Gary Sanchez grounded out to end the inning. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246008654/tigers-weather-storm-to-take-finale-from-yanks/
Judge led off the sixth with a single, and Sanchez followed with a double. Zimmermann, however, got the hot-hitting Didi Gregorius and the slumping Matt Holliday to pop out. Chase Headley struck out to end the threat." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246008654/tigers-weather-storm-to-take-finale-from-yanks/
"We're not doing our job when we're getting some opportunities to score, and that was the difference in the game," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Right now, we're not swinging the bats. It's not just one guy. It's more than one guy, and we've got to get it going." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246008654/tigers-weather-storm-to-take-finale-from-yanks/
The Tigers scored a run off Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka in the first inning when Justin Upton doubled down the left-field line with runners on first and second and nobody out. The ball wasn't hit particularly well -- it had just a 7 percent hit probability, according to Statcast™ -- but it nonetheless gave Detroit the early lead. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246008654/tigers-weather-storm-to-take-finale-from-yanks/
The Tigers' second run came in the fourth inning, when Ellsbury twice bobbled James McCann's single to center field, allowing a hustling Mikie Mahtook to score all the way from first on the play. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246008654/tigers-weather-storm-to-take-finale-from-yanks/
the first three Tigers batters recorded hits on the first five pitches they saw from Tanaka, giving them a 1-0 lead on Upton's double. However, Tanaka found his form and retired the next three hitters to avoid further trouble. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246008654/tigers-weather-storm-to-take-finale-from-yanks/
Clinging to a 2-0 lead, Zimmermann escaped a no-out jam with two runners in scoring position unscathed. After two popouts, Zimmermann took advantage of home-plate umpire Dan Bellino's generous outside corner for strike two to Headley before fanning him on a changeup to retire the side. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246008654/tigers-weather-storm-to-take-finale-from-yanks/
"I think you've just got to find the ways to get situational hitting, whether it's hitting a ground ball or a sac fly," Headley said. "As a group, we haven't done that well lately. Quite frankly, that's probably cost us at least a game, maybe two games." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246008654/tigers-weather-storm-to-take-finale-from-yanks/
Just before the game went into the second delay, Gardner was ruled safe at first on a grounder to first baseman Miguel Cabrera with two outs in the seventh. The Tigers challenged and the call was overturned, as the throw from Cabrera to Zimmermann was ruled to have beat Gardner, sliding headfirst, to the bag. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/246008654/tigers-weather-storm-to-take-finale-from-yanks/
New York drops to 57-49 and is now one game back in second place of their American League East rival Boston who is leading the division with a record 59-49. Meanwhile, Detroit improves 57-49 on the season in the American League Central in fourth place and is 8.5 games back of the division leader Cleveland.
As for Cleveland, they have a record of 57 -48 and their last game was supposed to be against Boston but mother nature had other ideas so they didn't play. The makeup game is set for August 14th at Fenway Park. "according to http://m.indians.mlb.com/news/article/246078174/indians-red-sox-finale-postponed-by-rain/
New York will have one of their new acquisitions taking the mound for the first time on Thursday in right -hander Sonny Gray who New York acquired Monday via trade with Oakland. He has a record of 6-5 with a 3.43 earn run average. Gray is slated to make his Yankees debut after being acquired July 31st.He last pitched on July 25th at Toronto taking the loss after allowing four runs (none earned) in six innings. Gray was 4-2 with a 1.37 earn run average over his last six starts with the A's. He will take on Cleveland right -hander Corey Kluber who has a record of 8-3 with a 2.90 earn run average. Kluber took a no-decision in his last outing where he went 6 1/3 innings where he allowed four runs on nine hits with 12 strikeouts against the White Sox. Since June 1st Kluber has posted a 1.86 earn run average and has logged 120 strikeouts in 11 starts. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/yankees-vs-indians/2017/08/03/491717#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=491717
How will Sonny Gray do in his debut for New York? Will he allow any runs like he did in his last outing with Oakland where he gave up four runs (none earned ) while going six innings against Toronto? Will Sonny Gray have a memorable first game with his new team? Will the New York offense be able to get it going against Corey Kluber and back their newly acquired pitcher Sonny Gray first start and give him his first win in pinstripes?
First pitch is set for 7:10 pm. The game will be televised on Yes. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/yankees-vs-indians/2017/08/03/491717#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=491717