Miguel Andujar Provides The Offense As New York Takes The Series Over Toronto

Two things happened on Sunday Gleyber Torres made his big league debut while Miguel Andujar sparked the New York offense to a win against Toronto.

Years from now, if Gleyber Torres develops into the star the Yankees think he'll become, you can go ahead and tell people you remember his Major League debut. Just don't forget to mention Miguel Andujar's name."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

Sunday may have been Gleyber Day in the Bronx, the first Major League game for a 21-year-old ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 5 prospect in the game. But while Torres had a quiet debut, going 0-for-4, the 23-year-old Andujar continued an impressive week with four hits in a 5-1 Yankees win over the Blue Jays. New York finished the weekend with a four-game series victory. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

"I've known Miggy for two years, and I know he can hit," said Torres, who was teammates with Andujar in the 2016 Arizona Fall League. "I'm happy he has had a good week." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

It's actually been a week-plus, an important 10 days for Andujar and maybe for the Yankees' future. He had been playing third base in place of the injured Brandon Drury, but through April 12, he was 3-for-28 with no extra-base hits. Meanwhile, the Yankees had Torres playing third base at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-a

In six games since, Andujar has gone 13-for-25 with seven doubles, a triple and two home runs. Perhaps not coincidentally, the Yankees shifted Torres back to second base and then called him up to play that position in the Major Leagues.

Andujar is now the third baseman, and when you added in Torres at second and 24-year-old Luis Severino on the mound, the Yankees had a young look Sunday that suggested good things to come. Severino allowed just one run on three hits in seven innings to win for the fourth time in five starts.

Shortstop Didi Gregorius, an elder statesman in this group at 28, also had a big day Sunday with a first-inning home run and a seventh-inning sacrifice fly.

"It's what everyone's been talking about," Gregorius said. "We've got a lot of prospects.

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Gregorius said when he saw Andujar before Sunday's game, the third baseman told him, "I'm feeling good." according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

"I told him, 'Show me,'" Gregorius said. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

Andujar did just that. With a runner on first and one out in the second inning, he doubled down the left-field line to set up Austin Romine's two-run double later in the inning. Andujar added an infield hit in the fourth inning, a run-scoring double in the sixth and another infield hit in the eighth. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

"To me, it's about getting an opportunity and doing your job," Andujar said through an interpreter. "I'm getting a great opportunity." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

What he's showing at the plate isn't a surprise to Yankee players and coaches who have long expressed confidence in Andujar's bat."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

"Everybody knows he can hit," Severino said."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

Everybody believes Torres will hit, too, and no one will be too concerned about his hitless debut. Torres got a standing ovation when he came to the plate for his first Major League at-bat in the second inning, but he struck out against Jays starter Jaime Garcia Torres grounded into a double play in the fourth, popped out in the sixth and flied out to right field in the eighth."according tohttps://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

It was an 0-for-4, but maybe it was also the start of something bigger. And maybe in the future, people will remember Sunday for both Torres and Andujar."according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

"In Andujar and Gleyber, we have two really good players," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

MOMENT THAT MATTERED
Severino goes seven: Boone started Severino on Opening Day, and he calls him the Yankees' ace. The skipper treated him that way Sunday, sending him back out for the seventh inning when Severino had already thrown a season-high 97 pitches. Severino made it through the seventh, finishing with 112 pitches. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

"To get us through seven was huge," Boone said. "That's what an ace looks like." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
The Yankees and the crowd thought Tyler Austin  had an infield hit in the eighth inning Sunday, but first-base umpire Ted Barrett called him out. The Yankees asked for a replay review, believing shortstop Lourdes Gurriel Jr. .'s throw had pulled first baseman Justin Smoak off the bag. After review, the call was allowed to stand, causing Boone to raise his arms in the air and bringing loud boos from Yankee fans who believed the replay they saw showed Smoak's foot off the bag. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

Boone later said the Yankees' replay room had some doubt the call would be overturned, because it wasn't clear where Smoak's foot was when he caught the ball."according tohttps://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

With the win New York improves to 11-9 in the regular season and is 5.5 games back in third place in the American League East behind division leader Boston. Meanwhile with the loss Toronto drops to 13-8 on the season and is 4.0 games back in second place in the division in second place. "according to http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/  https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924

UP NEXT
The Yankees and Twins, who met in the American League Wild Card Game last October, will be back at Yankee Stadium for a four-game series beginning with a 7:05 p.m. ET game Monday night. Right-hander Masahiro Tanaka (2-2, 6.45 ERA) will be on the mound for the Yankees, with right-hander Jake Odorizzi (1-1, 3.38 ERA) starting for the Twins. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/miguel-andujar-hot-in-yankees-series-win/c-273358924