About Last Night: The Yankees Jazzed-Up Lineup Stomped the Red Sox 8-2

About Last Night: The Yankees Jazzed-Up Lineup Stomped the Red Sox 8-2

By Tim Kabel

July 29, 2024

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After Friday night’s devastating loss to the Red Sox, most Yankees’ fans probably did not feel optimistic about their chances in the remaining games of the series. Well, they won a tremendous back-and-forth game on Saturday.  Last night, the Yankees dominated the game in all aspects, winning in a very impressive way. The fact that the Yankees won the game last night and the series against the Red Sox is very encouraging. However, it is even more encouraging considering the way they lost Friday night and came back to win the next two games.

Quick Stats – 

·       Aaron Judge is batting .314 with 37 home runs and 95 RBI. It is possible that he could enter August with 40 home runs and 100 RBI. Who remembers when people thought he was washed up in April?

·       Austin Wells was 2-4 with a double, an RBI, and a sacrifice fly. It’s clear that he should be the starting catcher when Jose Trevino returns from the IL Let’s hope it is clear to Aaron Boone.

·       Giancarlo Stanton is set to rejoin the Yankees on Monday in Philadelphia. A lot has been made of the fact that when he comes back, he can provide protection for Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. It was suggested by one of the readers that at very least, he could function as “a scarecrow”. In theory I agree with that, but if he is rusty and in one of his streaks where he can't make contact, he's not going to scare anyone. 

·       The JD Davis era ended yesterday, when the former cast-off of the Oakland A's was designated for assignment by the Yankees. Could DJ LeMahieu be far behind?

·      Carlos Rodon is now 11-7 for the season, after a stretch where he was not very good.

·       On July 28th, 1983, American League President, Lee McPhail, ruled that George Brett’s “pine tar” home run in the game on July 24th should count. I remember watching George Brett's conniption after he was ruled out and thinking I had never seen anybody react that way before. I was young and naive then. Now, that tantrum wouldn't even crack the top ten that I have witnessed first-hand.

Big Story –

The Yankees may be turning the corner. They won convincingly last night. They have won two games in a row. They won their second series in the month of July after not winning one since the beginning of June. They had offensive production throughout the lineup. The only starter who did not get a hit was Juan Soto. I wouldn't be worried about him. Carlos Rodon turned in his second consecutive solid pitching performance. Jake Cousins and Caleb Ferguson were extremely effective in relief as well.

The Yankees newest acquisition, Jazz Chisholm, Jr., made his debut and seemed to fit in well with the team. Although he misplayed a ball in centerfield, he had a hit and stole third base after being banged up at second base. He seems enthusiastic about being on the Yankees. It is hard to define his exact role on this team until we know what other moves, if any, the Yankees make. It appears that the Yankees will continue to be aggressive before the trade deadline on Tuesday evening. They could become very creative, possibly acquiring a player in an area where they have a strength and flipping one of their own players for someone they need. I anticipate at least two or three more moves before Tuesday evening.

It is possible that the Yankees survived their collapse and dreadful stretch of games over the last six weeks. If that is the case, it's because every other team was horrible too. If they resume their winning ways and acquire players who can make the team more well-rounded and formidable, the last two months of the season could be very interesting.

Player of the Game – 

Austin Wells had another big night and is doing well in the cleanup spot. If he keeps this up for the rest of the season, he could be in the conversation for Rookie of the Year, especially considering his very effective defense.

Notable Performance –

Carlos Rodon had another strong outing and seems to be back on track.

Better to Forget – 

There really wasn't much to gripe about last night.

My Take –  

I have several thoughts about last night’s game and the current state of affairs with the Yankees:

·       Prior to the Yankees acquisition of Jazz Chisholm, Jr., I read many articles stating that he had a bad attitude and could be a problem on the team. Last night, he was beaming throughout the game and afterward, stated that it was his dream to play for the Yankees. During the game, he was banged up getting back into second base. He promptly got up, stole third base, and subsequently scored on a sacrifice fly. He also said that he would play any position the Yankees asked him to. Meanwhile, Gleyber Torres made another base running blunder and committed an error in the field, He was also benched recently for his lack of hustle. After the game, he made comments that he would not move to third base to accommodate Chisholm and that he is a second baseman. Now, who has the attitude problem? Gleyber Torres will not be a Yankee next year; we all know that. The Yankees should take advantage of his recent resurgence, which may only be temporary, and trade him. Hopefully they could get a viable bullpen arm for him. Then, Chisholm could move right into second base.

·       Oswaldo Cabrera plays sporadically. He was benched regularly in deference to DJ LeMahieu. Oswaldo Cabrera is currently batting .246. DJ LeMahieu is batting .176. Gleyber Torres is batting .237. Alex Verdugo is batting .237. If the Yankees do not acquire a starting third baseman prior to the trade deadline, Cabrera should start over LeMahieu for the rest of the season.

·       Austin Wells has done a great job over the past month or so and has greatly improved his standing on this team. He is now batting cleanup and doesn't look out of place there. He clearly deserves to be the starting catcher even after Jose Trevino returns from the IL. However, let's not kid ourselves. Wells has flourished because he is receiving regular playing time. Everyone knows that if Jose Trevino had not been injured, that never would have happened. Wells would still only be playing once in a while. Aaron Boone deserves no credit for the development of Austin Wells because prior to Trevino’s injury, Boone was stunting Wells’ growth. Boone has done this before with other young players.

·       The Yankees do not need a massive overhaul to turn this season around and head into the playoffs. The acquisition of Chisholm was a very good first move. Although I believe that Giancarlo Stanton would benefit from a minor league rehab, it appears that will not happen. I imagine he will struggle to get his footing offensively. However, if the Yankees bolster the lineup with other players, that might not matter too much. They could create enough of a cushion that Stanton could fine-tune his swing without having too much of a negative effect on the lineup. For example, Jasson Dominguez is already playing games at Scranton. He could be called up to the Yankees relatively soon. If that happens, the Yankees will have an outfield of Judge, Cabrera, and Soto. Trent Grisham and Alex Verdugo would be bench players. That would strengthen the lineup. If the Yankees acquire another infielder to play either third base or second base, and move Chisholm to the other position, their infield defense and offensive production would be vastly improved.

·       The removal of JD Davis was the first step in trimming this roster for the run for the postseason. DJ LeMahieu, Gleyber Torres, and a couple of the cast-offs from the bullpen should also be gone. Jamai Jones can be a pinch runner.

·       If the Yankees acquire another starting pitcher, such as Blake Snell, they might use a starter who is currently in the rotation to acquire another piece for the team. Or, one of the starters who is currently in the rotation could move to the bullpen. If the Yankees obtain a very solid starting pitcher, one or two bullpen pieces, and someone who can play either second base or third base and do some damage offensively, they will have a very formidable team. Because if Stanton eventually comes around and Dominguez is healthy, those will also be two very solid additions to the lineup.

·       Chisholm's willingness to play third base cannot be overemphasized. The Yankees will have him for two more years. Torres will be gone at the end of this season or perhaps sooner. Whether Chisholm plays second base, or third base and they acquire someone else, that will hopefully make each of those positions much less of a liability than they have been all season.

·      It is possible that by the time I next write an article, the Yankees could look considerably different than they do right now. My prediction is that Gleyber Torres, Alex Verdugo, and DJ LeMahieu will not be on the team. I also would not be surprised if Nestor Cortes, who is one of my favorites, is pitching for someone else. I suspect the Yankees will have a new member of the starting rotation and that the bullpen will have at least one new arm. Don't forget, Scott Effross should be up here relatively soon. Jack Neely may make the jump from the minors. Also, I believe that when Clarke Schmidt returns from the IL, he will slot very nicely into the bullpen. The combination of internal adjustments and additions along with one or two arms they might acquire from the outside, should make the Yankees’ bullpen dominant.

Next Up – 

Tonight, the Yankees will open a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies at 6:40 PM at Citizens Bank Park. Luis Gil, (10-5, 3.1 7ERA) will face Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler, (10-4, 2.70 ERA). Let’s hope the Yankees are wheeling and dealing against Zack.