Masahiro Tanaka Gets The Start As New York Welcomes Texas To The Bronx

Most people are off on Labor Day.

However, the team that dawns the pinstripes will be in action with Masahiro Tanaka getting the start in the opening game of a three game series as they welcome Texas to the Bronx who like Oakland who New York just took two of three games from is a member of the American League West.

However, mother nature could be the deciding factor as to if they get the opening game in or not as there is a chance of a shower and heavier thunderstorm. “according to https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/bronx-ny/10462/weather-forecast/334650

New York who is leading the American League East comes into the opening game with a record of 90-48 while Texas who is in third place in the American League West comes into the opening game with a record of 67-71. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/standings

As stated above,

Masahiro Tanaka will get the start for New York. The Japanese right -hander comes into the game with a record of 10-7 with a 4.47 earn run average Tanaka is coming off seven scoreless, three-hit innings against the Mariners, walking one and striking out seven. He has heavily incorporated his slider of late, generating swings and misses along with his splitter and fastball. He will oppose Texas left-hander Mike Minor who comes into the game with a record of 11-8 with a 3.25 earn run average. Minor is 0-2 with a 6.05 ERA in his past 3 starts and 3-4 with a 4.47 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in his past 8 outings. Minor is 1-1 with a 3.92 ERA in 5 career appearances against the Yankees, and his lone win came last season with the Rangers. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers

As for New York’s previous game,

They came back to beat Oakland.

wo players made the difference for the team that dawns the pinstripes in deciding if they were going to win or lose in the New York, Oakland finale as well as lose the series.

The first being the longest tenured player in the Yankee organization in Brett Gardner who has been in pinstripes for all eleven seasons of career. The second being Mike Ford who has gone between Scranton -Wilkies -Barre and the Bronx this season.

After Brett Gardner tied the game with a ninth-inning homer, Ford came off the bench and drove a Liam Hendriks offering into the Yankee Stadium bullpen, flipping his bat and breaking into a trot to celebrate the Yankees' 5-4 victory over the Athletics -- their second such win in as many days. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

"I don’t think it has set in yet, but I definitely dreamed about it in the past," said Ford, the first Yankees rookie to ever slug a pinch-hit, walk-off homer. "It was just an awesome dream. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

The back-to-back blasts from Gardner and Ford echoed an Aug. 8, 2000 game at the old Yankee Stadium, when Bernie Williams and David Justice also led off the ninth inning with consecutive homers to sink the A's. The Yankees are the first team to reach 90 wins this year, while also leading the Majors with 41 comeback victories. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

Combined with DJ LeMahieu's walk-off homer on Saturday, the Yankees have won consecutive games on walk-off homers for the first time since May 16-17, 2009, when Alex Rodriguez and Johnny Damon went deep to dispatch the Twins. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

"Our guys have been great at this all year," manager Aaron Boone said. "Whoever we have brought up, they've controlled situations and the moment really well -- maybe beyond their experience." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

Despite J.A. Happ's six scoreless innings of one-hit ball, the Yankees trailed by four runs with six outs remaining. With most of his more trusted relievers unavailable, Boone saw Oakland score three seventh-inning runs off Ryan Dull before Matt Olson belted an eighth-inning homer off Chance Adams. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

Silenced through seven frames by Sean Manaea and two relievers, the Yankees broke through in the eighth. Two walks and a single loaded the bases, setting up Gleyber Torres' sacrifice fly off Lou Trivino, and Didi Gregorius stroked a two-run single to center field off Hendriks.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

"They have some tough arms in the bullpen, but up and down the lineup, guys had good at-bats," Gardner said. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

Oakland asked Hendriks for a five-out save, but Gardner ensured it never got close, slugging a 97.8 mph fastball into the right-field seats to tie the game. Hitting in place of Clint Frazier, Ford looked at three straight balls to run the count full, then turned on a 97.6 mph fastball that sparked another wet and wild celebration at home plate. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

“The organization does a great job of preparing us, so we’re waiting down there [in the Minors] and if we get our chance, we run with it," Ford said.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

There's a Happ for that

Happ said that he was encouraged after completing six innings for just the second time in his last 14 outings, and for only the third time in 15 home starts. Happ equaled a season high with four walks, but he managed to keep Oakland off the scoreboard.”according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

"I’ve been chasing results for a while now; to get some positive ones is great," Happ said. "I’ll try to continue that. Process-wise, it’s not that dissimilar from the way I’ve been throwing the ball, but the results were better so maybe the consistency was a little bit better today." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

Happ induced a double-play grounder to end the second inning and pitched out of trouble in the fifth, stranding two men on. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

"The couple of times it had a chance to get a little away from him, he buckled in and made a couple great pitches," Boone said. "I thought he was really good. Six innings, no runs; that speaks for itself." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

'Pen pals

There were some eyebrows raised when Dull was summoned from the bullpen to make his Yankees debut in a scoreless game, and even more when Sheldon Neuse broke the seventh-inning tie with his first big league hit, a two-run double to right field. Josh Phegley added a run-scoring fielder's choice. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

Boone said that he turned to Dull and Adams because most of his relievers were unavailable. The Yankees are the only remaining team not to pitch a reliever three straight days, which automatically ruled out Cory Gearrin and Tommy Kahnle. They also wanted to stay away from Zack Britton after he exited Saturday's appearance with a right calf cramp. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

"We knew we didn’t have a lot," Boone said. "We were able to hang around enough." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

Home cooking

By taking two of three games from the A's, the Yankees improved to 20-0-3 in their last 23 series at Yankee Stadium. They have not lost a series in The Bronx since the White Sox took two of three games during an April 12-14 set, and they are 51-21 at home overall. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

"We've always played well at home," Gardner said. "I feel like this year especially we've played great here. Our fans were great today. We believe in ourselves, down to the very end, even if we're down by a few runs. We feed off that. It was a fun day." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-walk-off-with-back-to-back-homers-in-9th

Unlike New York,

Texas lost their previous game to Seattle who like them is a member of the American League West.

Rangers pitcher Edinson Vólquez completed his quest on Sunday afternoon at Globe Life Park. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

Volquez made it back to the big leagues five months after going on the injured list with a sprained right elbow. Volquez was one of seven relievers used by the Rangers in an 11-3 loss to the Mariners, and he and Jeffrey Springs -- pitching for the first time since June 16 -- were the only two to not allow a run. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

“Yeah, it was good to see him back out there,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. “He tells us every time he’s in the clubhouse, 'Use me, I’m ready,' and he’s been saying that for a while, so it was actually nice to see him get back out there. I think everybody was happy to see his arm, see that windup that we all know and love, just see him kind of enjoying the game.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

Volquez, who has already said this will be his final season, took over in the seventh and pitched for the first time since April 4. He could have just walked away from baseball, but he was willing to go through almost five months of rehabilitation just for the chance to finish his career on an active roster. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

The Rangers were trailing 7-3 into the seventh when Volquez came out throwing around 95 mph, topping out at 97. He walked Dylan Moore to start the inning, but he got Dee Gordon to ground into a double play before striking out Braden Bishop to end the frame. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

“I can’t tell you about my future, but I can tell you about today,” Volquez said. “It was good. Good inning, walked the first guy, made a good pitch to get the double play, struck out the next guy.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

Not bad for a guy who started just two games for the Rangers before going on the injured list. Volquez also had to sit out all of last season while recovering from his second Tommy John surgery. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

“I wasn’t surprised,” Woodward said. “I had seen all the reports and he definitely told me as well, so I knew he was still throwing hard. We saw it in Spring Training. When he went down, I think that was more of just a muscular thing. I think the ligament is what it is. As long as he can tolerate that ... I guess muscular discomfort at times, and if that’s the only thing that’s going to injure him, he should be fine. So yeah, we’ll see what it looks like at the end of September.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

Volquez said he felt some emotions going through him when he started warming up, but that went away when he took the mound. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

“Once in the game, I was already hot and I was ready to pitch,” Volquez said. “I didn’t think about anything else. I was just trying to get three outs.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

When Volquez first injured the elbow in April, there were concerns he might have torn the ulnar collateral ligament again. If so, Volquez said he would retire rather than go through another Tommy John surgery. Once he found out it was just an elbow sprain, Volquez made the decision to rehab the elbow and be able to pitch again in September. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

“I want to pitch, I want to prove to a lot of people that I can still do it,” Volquez said. “And look where I am right now? I’m back in the big leagues. Everybody thought I was done, with my arm, my age. I think I made the right choice to go to the Minor Leagues and get ready to pitch in the big leagues.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

Volquez, 36, is not done yet. He said he still intends to retire at the end of the season, but the Rangers plan to use him as needed in September. His next assignment could be as the opener on Tuesday against the Yankees in Yankee Stadium. “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

“As long as I’m still healthy and can help the team and the young guys here, I think I’ll be good,” Volquez said. “I want to stay with those guys the rest of the season. They can learn something by watching me pitch.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

And then after that? Maybe a chat with president of baseball operations and general manager Jon Daniels? “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

“I don’t know,” Volquez said. “I want to retire no matter what, but maybe JD wants to sign me? So who knows? In my mind right now is just to stay home, it doesn’t matter what happens here.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

Said Woodward, “I guess it’s his choice to make. It’s still coming out pretty good.””according to https://www.mlb.com/rangers/news/rangers-struggle-in-bullpen-game-loss-to-mariners

First pitch is set for 1:05pm from Yankee Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN, FSSW and Yes.

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