New York's Homestand Continues With Detroit
After losing the opening series in the Bronx to their American League East foe in Baltimore New York will continue their homestand as they welcome Detroit to the Big Apple.
New York who is a member of the American League East comes into the game with a record of 1-2 while Detroit who is a member of the American League Central comes into the game with a record of 2-2.
Right -hander Domingo German will start for New York. Coming off a strong spring, German is confirmed to see the mound for the series opener against the Tigers, though the Yankees are considering using Chad Green or Jonathan Holder as an "opener." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers. He will oppose Detroit right -hander Tyson Gross. The Tigers signed Ross last fall for veteran stability, and they’ll turn to him in a place where they’ll need that experience, pitching in Yankee Stadium against a formidable lineup. It’ll be a huge test of Ross’ low home-run rate for his career. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers
As for New York’s previous game, As stated above, they lost their opening series to Baltimore who like them are a member of the American League East.
With a 7-5 outcome on Sunday. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
Following a three-hour, 17-minute rain delay, Judge contributed a two-run single and Gary Sánchez slugged a home run, but that production was not enough to overcome J.A. Happ's wobbly start. New York went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position, leaving 14 men on base. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
"We had a lot of opportunities with guys on base," Judge said. "We had them on the ropes but just weren't able to get the job done. Like I said, we've got to play like we have our backs against the wall. Any team should play like that. We've got to go out there and win every game. That's our goal." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
Judge said the Yankees need to move on and get ready for their series with the Tigers that opens on Monday evening, but first, here are five takeaways from Opening Weekend in the Bronx:
1) Traffic jammed
After a 7-2 victory on Opening Day, the Yankees were outscored 12-8 in the next 18 innings. Built on patience and power, the lineup produced chances, but key hits were hard to find. Over the final two games, New York was 5-for-21 with runners in scoring position, leaving 25 men on base.
Judge had one of the Yankees' RISP-y hits in the fourth inning on Sunday, lacing a two-out, two-run single to right field off reliever John Means. They didn't notch another such hit until the ninth inning, when DJ LeMahieu knocked a run home with a single to right field off Mychal Givens. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
"That's been the difference here in these first few games," manager Aaron Boone said. "We've had so much traffic out there. Over the course of a season, you're going to have peaks and valleys like that. That's what traffic is about. Over time, when you create traffic, we're going to get our share of hits. Early in the season, first three games, that's kind of been the difference. We'll break through. We've got to keep grinding away."“according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
2) What's Kraken?
Sanchez's seventh-inning homer on Sunday provided relief after the catcher heard boos following strikeouts in his first three at-bats, but for the second consecutive game, Sanchez committed an error on a throw to second base. That came in the fifth inning, when he fired errantly on Jonathan Villar's steal attempt. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
"It looks like he is a little quick with his feet, rushing it a little bit -- maybe trying to do a little too much with the throw instead of trusting his calling card," Boone said. "I do think it's a little bit of an aberration, getting a little speedy with his footwork and not having that strong foundation." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
Sanchez said he feels good at the plate, and believes fine-tuning his mechanics should be an easy fix. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
"The adjustment to be made is simple," Sanchez said through an interpreter. "I pulled on the ball again. I tried to make a stronger throw and I ended up bouncing it. I believe I'm going to be able to correct that sooner rather than later." “according tohttps://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
3) For starters
Masahiro Tanaka shrugged off his Opening Day bugaboo, pitching into the sixth inning and picking up his first win in four season-opening starts as a Yankee, and James Paxton pitched well through five innings on Saturday before running into trouble in the sixth. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
Happ, by comparison, was in trouble almost immediately. Renato Nunez slugged a three-run homer in the first inning and Trey Mancini added a solo shot in the third, a continuation of an underwhelming Spring Training in which Happ surrendered six homers in 11 1/3 innings. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
"The two homers obviously hurt, but other than that, I thought I got some weak contact and some ground balls, kind of what we were looking for," Happ said. "Some of the damage had been done, so hopefully I'll be a little more sharp." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
4) Leaking 'pen
The Yankees' bullpen has been vaunted as one that could stand among the all-time greats, but the first three games have raised red flags. While Adam Ottavino has been excellent, Zack Britton's command was off and Aroldis Chapman's velocity was down in the opener, while Chad Green and Jonathan Holder were hit around in Saturday's loss. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
On Sunday, Luis Cessa took over after Happ's four-inning outing and provided 3 1/3 innings of long relief. Boone opted to summon Stephen Tarpley with the Yankees trailing by a run in the eighth, and Joey Rickard teed off on the rookie for a two-run homer. Boone defended his choice of Tarpley over a more experienced veteran like Britton. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
"Those guys have got to be able to get big outs for us," Boone said. "Tonight we got hurt by the long ball there with Tarp, but those guys need to be able to get big outs in the medium- and lower-leverage spots, especially early." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
5) Projection rejection
The Orioles finished last in the American League East with 115 losses last season, and prognosticators expect that they could have an even poorer finish in 2019. Boone said that has no place in their clubhouse, and he does not want to think of Baltimore as being an inferior opponent.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
"I'm not in the projection business. I reject that all the way," he said. "We have no idea who people are. We have high expectations for ourselves, and the bottom line is, we think we're going to be a really good team. You're going to have series where you don't put your best foot forward. I'm confident that we're really close to doing that. We plan on that starting [Monday] night." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/j-a-happ-yankees-drop-season-opening-series
Unlike New York Detroit won their previous game north of the border against Toronto.
Jeimer Candelario had his first career five-hit game Sunday, and the Tigers' third baseman tried to add an assist to it. “according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
Candelario was yelling at his infield partner Jordy Mercer to throw home, as the shortstop crawled along the Rogers Centre turf to retrieve a Freddy Galvis screamer that hopped out of his glove. Mercer could only hear the crowd that was roaring, which was his hint that Richard Urena was rounding third to try to end the extra-inning duel. “according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
“You could hear the crowd, so you knew he didn't stop, basically,” Mercer said after the 11-inning, 4-3 win over the Blue Jays. “I knew that I had one chance -- pick it up and throw it. And luck is a good thing.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
From his knees, Mercer fired a one-hopper home to catcher Grayson Greiner. He knew the throw was on target. It was a question of the bounce off the artificial surface. “according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
“The ball was in midair, and I thought it was going to be an in-between hop,” Greiner said. “I kind of hesitated. I didn't know whether to go get it or wait back on it. He couldn't get a whole lot on it, throwing from that position, so it ended up being a perfect hop. That was probably the play [of] the game. That was incredible.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
The play kept the game alive for an 11th inning, where Candelario’s fifth hit of the day continued a Tigers rally to set up a Nicholas Castellanos’ go-ahead single. As the Tigers celebrated on their way out of Toronto, they had plenty of emotion for a victory at the end of March. “according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
The Tigers scored six runs in the season-opening series, tied for their third-lowest total through four games in franchise history, and their lowest since 2003. They scored just three runs outside of extra innings as they struggled to solve the Jays' pitching staff. Detroit went scoreless for 24 innings from Christin Stewart’s go-ahead homer on Opening Day to Mercer’s bases-loaded walk in the seventh inning Sunday.”according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
Through all that, they salvaged a series split on the road. “according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
“That's a huge win,” Mercer said. “I'm not talking about record-wise. I'm talking momentum. I'm talking coming together as a team; not giving up. That's what good teams are made of. When you have a 3-0 lead, they come back and tie it, you want to hang your head. You come back, and then we keep fighting and keep fighting. We scratch one run, and we make some plays to keep us in the game. Our pitchers did well. It was a whole-team win, and that's huge.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
The enthusiasm from Candelario was contagious as he rounded first base on his two-run single following Mercer’s walk. The feeling as his blooper fell into right field to extend the 11th inning was relief; he fouled off five consecutive pitches before connecting on a high fastball enough to plop it into right field. “according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
Candelario went 1-for-12 through the first three games, batting cleanup behind Castellanos and Miguel Cabrera. He moved back into the leadoff spot Sunday because Josh Harrison had the day off. “according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
“We needed him to swing in the strike zone,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. “And maybe that thought process leading off today will help him as we go along here. But he had a great day, a super day. Five hits in a ballgame is pretty special.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
Candelario said he didn’t change his approach. He still chased some pitches out of the zone, including in that last at-bat. But he connected with them, and didn’t chase quite as far out of the zone. “according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
“They pitch me the same way,” Candelario said. “I just swing at good pitches to hit. That's what it's all about. When you get a good pitch to hit and you swing, you're going to be all right. But when you swing at bad pitches, you're not. So you just have to concentrate, see the ball like I always do and have quality at-bats.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
Candelario singled to lead off the game before Toronto starter Trent Thornton retired 15 of Detroit’s next 16 batters, finishing his Major League debut with five scoreless innings and eight strikeouts. After a sixth-inning single, Candelario came back up in the seventh after Mercer’s two-out walk produced the Tigers’ first run since Opening Day.”according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
Candelario singled in two more with a liner to left, building a 3-0 lead for starter Matt Moore. Though Moore delivered seven scoreless innings on two hits in his Tigers debut, thanks in part to two highlight-reel stops from Candelario at third base, Rowdy Tellez produced a three-run homer off of All-Star setup man Joe Jimenez that sent the game into extras. “according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
“Going 2-2 here, we didn't hit a lot,” Gardenhire said. “This time we finally came through, scored some runs. A good ballgame.””according to https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/jeimer-candelario-five-hits-help-tigers-to-win
First pitch is set for 6:35pm from Yankee Stadium. The game will be televised on Yes.