Yanks Blow Off Final Game. Texas 4 NY 2

John Sterling kept saying on the radio the last few days that he wanted to see the Yankees win 100 games; and most Yankee fans were rooting for it as well. But apparently the Yankee team thought differently. With Aaron Judge‘s pursuit of 62 homers accomplished, and the Yankees post-season schedule already set — manager Aaron Boone seemed to throw this game to the wind — prioritorizing trials for post-season roster spots over winning.

Boone sat Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton — and refused to bring them in for pinch-hitting opportunities late when the Yanks had the tying run at the plate in the 7th, 8th, and 9th.

Jose Trevino (DH’ng) and Kyle Higashioka (catching) provided all the Yankee early offense, getting them out to a 2-1 lead. But the Rangers and poor Yankee defense got to Domingo German in the 3rd through 5th innings — sending him to the showers down 4-2.

Boone’s steadfast resting of Judge and Stanton seemed illogical as Stanton was just getting hot — homers in each of his last 3 games — and the Yankees have a long 1-week-plus layoff now as they don’t play in the Wild Card round.

By not playing, Judge gave up any attempt at winning the batting title and triple crown.

  • Coming into the day, Judge was at .311, Luis Arraez was at .315.
  • That meant that if  Arraez went 0-4 he would be at .3127, and if Judge went 3-4 he’d be at .3135; if Judge went 3-5 he’d be at .3130.
  • The Yankee and Minnesota games both started at 4 pm EST.

But Judge didn’t play and Arraez walked his first 2 times up, then doubled in the 3rd inning (Minnesota scored 10 runs in the first 3 innings) before being pulled in that 3rd inning to win the batting title with a .316 average.

NY ends the season at 99-63, winning the AL East by 7 games over Toronto. Texas finished 68-94.

1. Trevino & Higgy Lead Early Offense

Texas started Glenn Otto, a 26-yr-old 6’3 right hander who came in with a 6-10 4.72 record. The Yanks jumped on top against Otto in the 2nd when Oswald Peraza walked, Jose Trevino singled, and Kyle Higashioka singled in a run to give NY a 1-0 lead.

German yielded a homerun to Charlie Culberson in the 3rd to tie the game but the Yanks jumped back on top 2-1 on a 395-foot homer to left by Jose Trevino in the 4th.

2. Defense Deserts German

But Domingo German gave the lead right back — coughing up a solo homer to Jonah Heim in the bottom of the 4th.

German pitched well early — then allowed the two solo homers for the 2-2 tie — and then had the Yankee defense fail him in the 5th.

Leody Taveras began the inning with a hard single to right-center that Aaron Hicks misplayed — the ball going under his glove and behind him — allowing Taveras to go to 2nd.

Bubba Thompson then hit a grounder to 3rd that Josh Donaldson booted — it went past him as a run scored. Everyone including John Sterling and Jeff Nelson on the radio thought it was an error but they ruled it an RBI double.

Marcus Semien then singled in Thompson and it was 4-2 Texas.

German struck out Mark Mathias and was relieved at 70 pitches. He loses to go 2-5 3.61.

3. Yankee Pen Does Well

Aaron Boone seemed to be evaluating pitchers for the post-season roster as well as who would stay with the team for next year.

  • Albert Abreu came in for German in the 5th and got the last 2 outs of the inning. He may have been auditioning for staying in the Yankee organization for next year.
  • Miguel Castro pitched a shutout 6th. Recently back after having missed a month, it will be interesting to see if Castro is put on the post-season roster.
  • Lou Trivino pitched a shutout 7th — he’ll definitely be on the post-season roster; and
  • Lucas Luetge pitched a shutout 8th — but struggled through it — allowing 3 straight singles to begin the inning — luckily Josh Jung was thrown out at home by Oswaldo Cabrera. Luetge then got a strikeout and popout to end the inning. As Jeff Nelson pointed out on the radio — the Yanks may be making a decision for what lefthander to go to the post season with — Aroldis Chapman or Leutge; not both.

4. Yanks Do Not Pinch Hit Judge or Stanton

Down 4-2 the Yanks brought the tying run to the plate in the 7th, 8th, and 9th — but Boone refused to pinch hit Judge or Stanton. Stanton has been getting red hot — hitting a homerun in each of the last 3 games.

  • In the 7th, Marwin Gonzalez singled with 2 outs — and Kyle Higashioka was left in as batter — he grounded out. Albiet if they pinch hit for Higgy, Trevino would have had to move over to catch, and NY would’ve lost the DH. If Stanton or Judge hit a homer though, it’d be a tie game.
  • In the 8th, Anthony Rizzo walked with 2 outs — and Oswaldo Cabrera was the batter. Understandably, Boone let him bat and he flew out.
  • In the 9th, Oswald Peraza walked with 1 out — bringing up two chances to tie it on a homer. But Boone did not pinch hit for Jose Trevino or Marwin Gonzalez, who flew out and struck out, respectively, for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401423220

 

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