Mike Tauchman Contributes On Both Sides As New York Beats Baltimore
A season ago Mike Tauchman was in Denver playing for Colorado.
In 2019 however, he is in the Bronx dawning the pinstripes and making his contributions both on offense and defense.
While the bat has been apparent for a while, it was his glove that came to life in Tuesday night’s 9-4 win over the Orioles at Camden Yards, the seventh straight victory for the Yankees. On what seemed like a no-doubt homer from Orioles catcher Pedro Severino in the fourth inning with the Yankees leading 5-2, Tauchman leaped at the low-standing left-center-field wall, stuck his glove hand out and came down with a ball 363 feet away from home plate.
“I knew it was going to be around the wall,” Tauchman said. “So I just wanted to get to the wall fast and give me some time to time my jump rather than trying to drift and make up time at the end.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
Whatever he did, it worked, and Severino could only laugh on his way back to the home dugout. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
“About as good a home run robbery as you’ll see,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
“I’m glad he was over there and not me,” said center fielder Brett Gardner. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
There was one question postgame that stumped Tauchman: Does he prefer to steal a homer or hit one? It was a timely question, since he had also launched his third homer in the past two games on Tuesday. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
“I mean,” he paused, “hitting homers is pretty cool. That’s probably one of the first robs like that I had where I really had to go up and get it.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
Another pause.
“They're equally fun,” he said, stifling a laugh. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
Tauchman’s leadoff homer an inning before his robbery kicked off a string of three solo homers in the frame -- starting a back-to-back effort with DJ LeMahieu before Didi Gregorius went deep later -- to give New York a 3-0 lead at the time. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
Known lovingly as the “Sock Man,” the 28-year-old outfielder the Yankees acquired from the Rockies in a March trade had two home runs in Monday’s 9-6 win over the Orioles. Since the All-Star break, Tauchman is batting .433/.477/.867 with six doubles, six homers and 19 RBIs in 18 games. His batting average heading into Tuesday led the Majors in that span, while his OBP and OPS ranked second. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
In the world of the next-man-up Yankees, Tauchman is leading the pack. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
“Mike Tauchman is continuing to play his butt off on both sides of the ball,” Gardner said. “It’s been a lot of fun to be a part of.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
There was one question postgame that stumped Tauchman: Does he prefer to steal a homer or hit one? It was a timely question, since he had also launched his third homer in the past two games on Tuesday. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
“I mean,” he paused, “hitting homers is pretty cool. That’s probably one of the first robs like that I had where I really had to go up and get it.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
Another pause. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
“They're equally fun,” he said, stifling a laugh. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
Tauchman’s leadoff homer an inning before his robbery kicked off a string of three solo homers in the frame -- starting a back-to-back effort with DJ LeMahieu before Didi Gregorius went deep later -- to give New York a 3-0 lead at the time. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
Known lovingly as the “Sock Man,” the 28-year-old outfielder the Yankees acquired from the Rockies in a March trade had two home runs in Monday’s 9-6 win over the Orioles. Since the All-Star break, Tauchman is batting .433/.477/.867 with six doubles, six homers and 19 RBIs in 18 games. His batting average heading into Tuesday led the Majors in that span, while his OBP and OPS ranked second. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
In the world of the next-man-up Yankees, Tauchman is leading the pack. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
“Mike Tauchman is continuing to play his butt off on both sides of the ball,” Gardner said. “It’s been a lot of fun to be a part of.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
Tauchman would add an RBI double for insurance in the eighth that scored Austin Romine, who had a night at the plate himself. The catcher was 3-for-5 with a pair of two-baggers and his second homer in as many days -- his second time homering in back-to-back starts in the last eight days. Over his last 10 games, Romine has four homers and 12 RBIs after just two and 16 the 37 games prior. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
For good measure, Cameron Maybin and Gardner went back to back in the ninth, giving the Yankees six homers on the night and 47 against the Orioles this season. With five games left against Baltimore, one more will tie the single-season record against one team, set by the 1956 Yankees against the Kansas City A’s. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
“They hit a lot of homers,” deadpanned opener Jonathan Holder. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
“What’d we hit? I think five, six?” Tauchman asked. “Whatever it was, six?” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
It was six indeed. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
“It’s not even their big boys either, which is pretty scary,” said Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. “They have a ton of power that’s not even in their lineup, and they’ve hit 11 homers in two nights, without [Giancarlo] Stanton, Edwin [Encarnacion], Gleyber [Torres].” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
Unlikely characters, too, appeared on the mound, starting with Holder himself. While his final statline was not the most auspicious, Boone praised the efficiency -- just 20 pitches through the first two innings -- that allowed Holder to pitch into the third in his first trial as an opener this year.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
His start came after a rain delay that lasted an hour and 12 minutes. The Yankees rode Holder, Stephen Tarpley -- who was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after the game -- and Nestor Cortes Jr. for seven innings before Adam Ottavino closed it out, pushing New York to 11-0 in games it has utilized the opener. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
Cortes, who appeared in four games with the Orioles last season as a Rule 5 Draft pick from the Yankees, led the charge with 2 1/3 scoreless innings. He saved a taxed Yankees ’pen, doing so as one of three pitchers in the game who would have most likely been stored in the Minors all season had it not been for the injury bug. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
“Ever since the first or second day of the season it’s kind of been a broken record, unfortunately,” Gardner said of the injury shake-ups. “But we found a way to just prevail, if you will, and weather the storm. We have a resilient group of guys and it doesn’t matter who's playing where or who's hitting where in the lineup. Our expectations never change, and everybody in this room realizes that.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/mike-tauchman-hits-homer-robs-homer-vs-orioles
While New York won the series Baltimore meanwhile lost their second straight in the series.
In April, it was Gary Sanchez who turned Camden Yards into an early-season launching pad. In May, it was Gleyber Torres, who went so homer happy at Oriole Park it nearly sent Gary Thorne flying from his chair. This week, it’s been Mike Tauchman, Brett Gardner and Austin Romine, just to name a few. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-allow-six-more-home-runs-vs-yankees
In truth, there has been no shortage of Bronx-based nemeses this year for the Orioles, who are now rapidly approaching some dubious history. The Yankees were already responsible for a disproportionate amount of home runs prior to Tuesday, and after the Orioles allowed six more on the way to a 9-4 loss, the talent gap between the two clubs was again plain to see. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-allow-six-more-home-runs-vs-yankees
“It sucks,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “It’s not even their big boys either, which is pretty scary. They have a ton of power that’s not even in their lineup … without [Giancarlo] Stanton, Edwin [Encarnacion], Gleyber. The other guys are hitting homers off our pitchers. It shows you how long we have to go, one, to be a competitive team in the AL East, to have the pitching to compete. Their guys are just way better than our guys.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-allow-six-more-home-runs-vs-yankees
Hyde was sure to note the efforts of the Orioles’ offense, which clawed back for the second time in two nights and has played like an above-average unit for more than a month now. The main contribution Tuesday came from Anthony Santander, whose emergence continued with a two-run homer off Stephen Tarpley that temporarily drew Baltimore within one in the fifth. That cut into the lead New York had taken via homers from Tauchman, DJ LeMahieu and Didi Gregorius off losing pitcher Asher Wojciechowski. Romine, Gardner and Cameron Maybin added solo shots later to drop Baltimore to its 14th consecutive home loss against New York dating back to 2018. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-allow-six-more-home-runs-vs-yankees
Our numbers don’t lie,” Hyde said. “They’re setting all types of records, our ERAs are unbelievably inflated. We just have a long way to go. I don’t know what else to say. It’s hard to watch. It’s tough. You do the best you can and try to get guys better. But we are not close.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-allow-six-more-home-runs-vs-yankees
Let’s dig into those numbers to help put Baltimore’s season-long struggles against New York into context. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-allow-six-more-home-runs-vs-yankees
Number: 47
Relevance: The number of home runs the Orioles have allowed over 14 total games this season to the Yankees, one off the all-time single-season MLB record. The previous mark was set in 1956, when the Kansas City A’s surrendered 48 to New York. The Yankees and Orioles still have five head-to-head matchups remaining this season. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-allow-six-more-home-runs-vs-yankees
Number: 38
Relevance: The number of homers the Orioles have allowed to the Yankees at home this season. That is the most by any team in a visiting ballpark in MLB history. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-allow-six-more-home-runs-vs-yankees
Number: 11
Relevance: The number of consecutive games in which the Orioles have allowed multiple homers, extending their own MLB record. Baltimore also owns the all-time record for consecutive games hitting multiple homers, with 10, having set the mark late last month. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-allow-six-more-home-runs-vs-yankees
Number: 6
Relevance: Times this season the Orioles have allowed at least six homers in a game, tied with the 2006 Cubs for the most in a single season. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-allow-six-more-home-runs-vs-yankees
Number: 14
Relevance: Consecutive games won by the Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. That is the longest win streak in the ballpark’s history (Orioles or visitors). “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-allow-six-more-home-runs-vs-yankees
Number: 229
Relevance: Total home runs allowed by the Orioles this season, through 113 games. They are 29 shy of the all-time single-season record of 258, held by the 2016 Reds. “according to https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/orioles-allow-six-more-home-runs-vs-yankees
New York and Baltimore are supposed to play their finale on Wednesday night but mother nature might be the deciding factor as to if they get the finale in or not.