Division Leaders Take On Each Other As New York Visits Minnesota
After a ten game homestand in the Bronx New York who is leading their division will now hit the road starting Monday in Minneapolis where they will take on Minnesota who like them is leading their division.
New York who is a member of the American League East comes into the opening game of the three game series with a record of 64-34 while Minnesota who is a member of the American Central comes into the opening game with a record of 60-38 according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/standings
CC Sabathia who is playing his last season in the major leagues will start the opening game for New York. The veteran left-hander comes into the game with a record of 5-4 with a 4.06 earn run average. Sabathia will make his 16th start of the season in the series opener on the road against AL Central-leading Minnesota. He has gone at least six innings in each of his last four outings and hasn't allowed more than three runs in any of them. He will oppose Minnesota left-hander Martin Perez who comes into the opening game with a record 8-3 with a 4.10 earn run average. Perez’s results finally caught up to his stellar hard-hit rate and exit velocity allowed Wednesday against the Mets, when he allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in six frames before the defense and bullpen imploded in a blowout loss. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers
As for New York’s previous game, they lost the finale to Colorado.
Despite taking the first two games as well as winning the series New York who is a member of the American League East couldn’t complete the sweep of Colorado who is a member of the National League West.
Just 3 1/3 innings into Sunday’s game against the Rockies, Yankees starter James Paxton put his head down and walked off the field at Yankee Stadium. His infielders tried to console him, patting him with their gloves as manager Aaron Boone stuck his hand out for the ball, but there wasn’t much they could do except watch him leave to a mixed chorus of cheers and boos.
It seemed to be a fitting microcosm of both Paxton’s afternoon and his year as a whole. After an 8-4 loss to Colorado, the left-hander dropped to 5-5 on the season. He gave up a leadoff homer to Charlie Blackmon and a four-spot in the third inning before letting two men on in the fourth, which ended his outing.
Coming into the matchup, Paxton seemed to be rediscovering the form that made him a standout pitcher last season. He was attempting to string together four straight starts with two or fewer runs allowed -- which he last did from May 19 to June 5, 2018 while becoming the ace of the Seattle Mariners rotation.
But inconsistency has been the theme of the season for Paxton up to this point, and a four-week stint on the injured list for right knee inflammation during the month of May has seemed to be a through line in the left-hander’s struggles.
“His season got a little interrupted there with the IL stint, so it’s been a little disjoined there,” Boone said. “But I think overall he’s been good for us, and I think even in some of his best outings, he’s had a chance to get really deep in the game. I think there’s been just some at-bats where it’s foul balls or soft contact to extend an inning in a game he’s pitched very well that hasn’t allowed him to get as deep as he can.”
On Sunday, that phenomenon reared its ugly head as the third inning went off the rails. After Paxton gave up a leadoff walk, Tony Wolters attempted a sacrifice bunt, but a fielding error by Luke Voit at first base allowed both runners to reach on the play. Then Blackmon, who had already homered on a two-seam fastball that Boone suspected was left “on the plate a little too much,” singled to load the bases for Nolan Arenado.
Arenado hit a double down the left-field line to score two runs, and after another Paxton walk later in the frame, David Dahl hit a single to center that plated another pair. Paxton didn’t fare much better in the fourth -- giving up another leadoff walk and Blackmon single -- before his day came to an abrupt end.
“I just didn’t locate very well,” Paxton said. “I was falling behind in counts, not executing my pitches the way I wanted to, so that was on me. I wasn’t throwing strikes with the fastball -- and walking guys, [I] can’t walk that many guys -- giving up hits when I was behind in the count.”
Though Paxton is adamant that his knee is no longer a concern, he is still trying to find the rhythm in his delivery that has been lacking so far this year.
“I just didn’t have a very good game today, didn’t have a feel for my fastball,” Paxton said. “But I’ll get back to work like I always do and try to bounce back. I was on a bit of a roll with the past three -- little blip today -- but I’m hoping to get back on a roll and pull off some good starts in a row moving forward.”
Between Paxton and Saturday’s starter Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees starters have now allowed at least five runs in each of their last two games, which comes after a stretch during which the rotation allowed two or fewer runs in 11 of the Yanks’ first 14 games in July. The club has been vocal about its desire for starting pitching ahead of the impending July 31 Trade Deadline, though that doesn’t seem to be on Boone’s mind at the moment.
“I think if you look back at some of [Paxton’s] outings, it’s been a little unfortunate in there,” Boone said. “I think overall [Paxton’s] throwing the ball really well, and I view him as a guy we’re going to lean on heavily down the stretch, and hopefully in October.”
Unlike New York, Minnesota won their previous game as they topped Oakland.
- The Twins have had to make do with a shorthanded bullpen for nearly a week after three relievers were designated for assignment ahead of the July 31 Trade Deadline and the relief corps was trimmed from eight to seven on Monday, before the start of the homestand. “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
It bit them on Sunday. But it wasn’t enough to sink the team in a dramatic comeback win. “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
Trevor May was asked to throw an uncharacteristic 49 pitches and allowed three late runs Sunday as the Twins’ bullpen coughed up the lead, but the offense snapped out of a funk in the ninth inning with a game-tying triple by Ehire Adrianza and a walk-off single from Max Kepler in the Twins’ 7-6 victory over the A’s. The victory secured a split of the four-game series at Target Field. “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
This was a hard-fought game against a very good team, and we continued to just fight and never quit, and it’s pretty unbelievable,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “There were moments where the odds were probably against us and there wasn’t one moment where anybody in our dugout, on our team, our staff laid down at any point. Our guys continued to duke it out and ultimately got a tremendous win.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
With the A’s ahead, 6-5, entering the ninth, Luis Arraez clubbed a one-out, opposite-field single to left -- his third hit of the game -- before Adrianza tripled off the right-field wall to bring Arraez home with the equalizer. Jason Castro struck out, setting up a two-out opportunity for Kepler, who had already doubled and hit a three-run homer in the game. “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
“I heard the crowd behind me. It kind of gave me goosebumps for a second, and I could feel the emotions get ahold of me,” Kepler said. “And then I just took a deep breath and zoned in on the pitcher.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
Kepler capped a three-hit, four-RBI afternoon with a single into the left-field gap to complete the comeback off Oakland's All-Star closer Liam Hendriks. “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
“Tough guys who have kind of really had a good year or have been dominant at times, [Adrianza] has been their kryptonite,” May said. “We had the right guy in the right place. … [Kepler] did what he always does in the clutch. That was literally the perfect lineup, and it happened exactly the way we needed it to happen. I can't say how proud I am of those dudes identifying what they needed to do and getting the job done. It was awesome." “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
Even before they were trailing late, Sunday was always going to be an uphill battle for the Twins because of the state of their bullpen. “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
That’s because the Twins’ relief situation was already particularly scant entering Sunday, with only Harper, May and Kohl Stewart likely to be fully available, as Blake Parker, Tyler Duffey and Zack Littell had all been used both Friday and Saturday, while Taylor Rogers had taken the loss on Saturday. “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
“It was a day going into the game where we knew we were not going to be at full strength,” Baldelli said. “We knew we were going to push certain guys into spots and have them pitch more than they normally would. It was a game where we knew we would be challenged.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
That showed in the management of the Twins' skipper, who has erred on the side of caution with his starters’ pitch counts all season. He allowed Jose Berrios to go 113 pitches on Saturday and followed it up by leaving Michael Pineda in for 109 pitches on Sunday. “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
When May entered the game in the seventh inning with the Twins leading, 5-3, the idea in his mind was that he would need to pitch two innings. “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
“My plan was just to leave everything on the field,” May said. “And I can say I did that. To say it was a grind today for me, it would be an understatement." “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
May needed 21 pitches to complete the seventh and allowed a run to score on a walk, double and wild pitch, but he returned to the mound for the eighth nonetheless, where he labored but had to endure the Oakland rally. A one-out walk to Robbie Grossman was followed by a game-tying double by Chris Herrmann, a passed ball and a go-ahead sacrifice fly from Josh Phegley. “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
“I don't know if anyone could notice, but I was constantly stopping between pitches and saying, 'Dig down deep,’” May said. “I knew I wasn't as sharp as I had been recently. I was just going to have to find it. Find it somewhere. ‘You have to find some way to keep these guys from scoring.’” “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
He was eventually relieved by Zack Littell and Kohl Stewart. May had only been asked to pitch more than one inning in three of his 40 appearances entering Sunday. His 49 pitches were the most he had thrown in an outing since he was a starter in 2015. “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
Even with the taxed bullpen, the Twins have seven games remaining against the Yankees and White Sox before their next scheduled off-day. Littell was optioned to Triple-A Rochester despite his solid performance in the Majors, as he pitched for a third day in a row Sunday and the Twins simply need fresh arms at this point. “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
May was absolutely tired after the game and expects Monday to be a telling day for the condition of his arm after the Twins rode him through Sunday’s drawn-out affair. But because of the way the club shook off the rust -- even for one inning -- and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, he can’t wait to come back and get back to work. “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
“The timing of some of this stuff is incredible,” May said. “You can't write it. I got picked up. We got picked up today beyond anything I've ever seen. That's what's important, is getting the W at the end of the day. “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
“You've just got to find a way to do it,” he added. “And the way we get there is -- winning the way we won today, the taste in our mouth tomorrow morning is going to be really nice. And I don't want to say it erases things, but it puts us back in the winning mindset of feeling like, 'We've got this.'” “according to https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-max-kepler-walk-off-hit-vs-athletics
First pitch is set for 8:10pm from Target Field. The game will be televised on FSNO and Yes.