New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, Saturday, June 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) (Ashley Landis, AP)
LOS ANGELES – The Yankees’ first west coast trip of the season proved successful, as the team went 4-2 over six games in Seattle and Los Angeles.
The team won its first two games against the Mariners before getting blanked by George Kirby. A less-than-electric Luis Severino then started the Dodgers set on a sour note before the Yankees won their last two games at Chavez Ravine.
The third-place Bombers, who had an off day on Monday, are now 36-25 this season.
While the Yankees’ westward expedition was fruitful, it was also painful. With a new crop of injuries leading the way, here are some takeaways from the club’s road trip.
The Injuries Never End
The Yankees were thrilled to get three players – Giancarlo Stanton, Josh Donaldson and Tommy Kahnle – back for the opening Dodgers game, but that same contest also saw Ryan Weber (forearm) and Greg Allen (hip flexor) get hurt. Aaron Judge then banged his right big toe while making a spectacular, gate-breaking catch on Saturday. That forced him out of the lineup Sunday, which was also when the Yankees revealed that Nestor Cortes is likely going on the IL with shoulder soreness.
The Yankees also lost Harrison Bader to a hamstring strain in Seattle. A stiff neck kept Anthony Rizzo on the bench against the Mariners, but he played in all three Dodgers games.
Pain has plagued the Yankees all year, and they once again have an injured list in the double-digits. Cortes will also give them three starters on the IL again, as Carlos Rodon and Frankie Montas are still on the shelf.
However, the team mostly won in various ways out west, and has been rolling for a bit despite some early disappointments and being short staffed since Opening Day.
“Just credit to a lot of different people. Obviously, Judge, Rizzo and Gleyber [Torres] have been constants for us in their consistency,” Aaron Boone said. “But we’ve gotten contributions all over the place from guys that aren’t even still here. Some winning things are happening, which is good. It doesn’t mean everyone’s hot or everyone’s doing great. Some guys are struggling. But when you do things that help you win games, that’s what it’s about. A lot of those things are happening. It’s just a credit to them.
“Win or lose, we’re hooked up on that bench and ready to go.”
Judge Didn’t Say He’s Fine
Judge almost always says he’s okay after suffering an injury, even when he’s not. But that wasn’t the case Sunday when he spoke to reporters about his toe. He said not playing Sunday was “precautionary,” and the plan was for him to undergo tests in New York. But the slugger seemed resigned to the possibility of landing on the IL.
“I really don’t care at this point,” Judge said. “If I’m on it, I’m on it. I’m trying not to be, but I got no answer yet. I’m hoping today and tomorrow, having a little bit of rest, it’ll be good to go hopefully on Tuesday. We’ll take it day-to-day right now.”
Judge said “yeah” when asked if he will get X-rays in New York before adding that he wasn’t exactly sure what tests awaited him. He also mentioned MRIs.
An X-ray would suggest there’s concern that Judge’s toe is broken. When asked if he thinks he has a break, Judge said, “It’s tough to say. I’ve never broken a toe. So we’ll see what the tests say.”
Domingo German Has Been Yanks’ Second-Best Starter
Domingo German has not been perfect this season, but he’s certainly been the Yankees’ second-best starter with the team’s rotation battling injuries and youthful growing pains.
German has a 3.69 ERA over 11 starts after holding the Dodgers to one earned run over 6.2 innings on Sunday, his second start since a 10-game sticky stuff suspension. The righty logged the Yankees’ longest start of the series after Severino and his velo-lacking fastball lasted four innings on Friday. Gerrit Cole, meanwhile, exited Saturday’s game after six efficient frames due to cramps.
Command helped German, as he threw 71 of his 99 pitches for strikes.
“That’s what command looks like,” Boone said. “That’s big-time command. That’s what you have to have when you go up against a lineup like the Dodgers.”
German is now first among Yankees starters in WHIP; second in ERA, innings pitched and bWAR; and third in strikeouts and ERA+.
DJ LeMahieu Needs To Be Better
As Boone mentioned, some Yankees are struggling. DJ LeMahieu is certainly one of them.
The veteran is hitting .206 since April 26, and he’s been even worse over his last 15 games. LeMahieu has slashed .153/.194/.254 with one double, one triple, one home run and three RBI over that span. He’s also struck out 18 times while walking four times. One of those walks was intentional.
“What I’ve noticed is, within the at-bat, that one good swing he’s getting off where he’s getting a pitch, it’s foul ball right now,” Boone said. “Fouled straight back. Hits some balls hard over here foul, and then now down in the count, has expanded a little more than he normally would.
“When you get that pitch within an at-bat, you got to make sure that’s the one you put in play with authority. So just going through a little stretch where that hasn’t happened.”
Boone added that LeMahieu is healthy after battling foot/toe issues last season.
Regarded as a contact hitter, LeMahieu is striking out 27.3% of the time, a career-worst by a wide margin. But he has an average exit velocity that matches what he did when he won a batting title in 2020, and his Barrel% is a career-high. LeMahieu’s Hard-Hit% is also the highest it’s been since he finished fourth in MVP voting in 2019.
LeMahieu’s underlying numbers suggest a turnaround is possible, but he needs to start showing results – especially if Judge misses time.
Schmidt Showing Growth
Clarke Schmidt hasn’t pitched well overall this year, but the rotation replacement is coming off his best start of the season. Schmidt threw 5.2 scoreless innings against the Mariners on May 31 while walking one and striking out seven.
The young righty has allowed just three earned runs over his last three starts.
Schmidt, Boone and pitching coach Matt Blake attributed the pitcher’s recent success to a combination of execution, an aggressive mindset, and a better understanding of his starting role and how to use his pitch package, which added a cutter this spring.
“We made some adjustments,” said Schmidt, who throws again Tuesday, “and we’re continuing to learn and grow and mature as a starting pitcher.”
No Natural Centerfielder
The injuries to Bader and Allen left the Yankees without a natural center fielder on their active roster.
“It’s not the ideal situation,” Boone said, “but it’s things that come up within the course of the season that you got to deal with.”
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, an infielder by trade, has played relatively well in the outfield after learning center and right in spring training. The versatile Oswaldo Cabrera, meanwhile, will work on the position, per Boone, after mostly playing in left this season.
If Judge avoids the IL, he has some experience in center, too. But Boone said he was “a little reluctant” to use Judge there before he hurt his toe.
“Doesn’t mean I won’t,” the manager said. “I just don’t necessarily want to do it right now.”
Boone did not elaborate when asked why.
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Originally published at Tribune News Service