Brett Gardner Blasted Away as the Yankees Took Down Corey Kluber Once Again
This may very well be Brett Gardner’s last year in pinstripes, or in Major League Baseball if he chooses so, but man am I going to miss him. It’s so difficult to replace what he brings to this team. On a night where it initially looked like Corey Kluber was going to cruise his way to seven or eight dominant innings, Gardner made sure that would not be the case.
After the Tribe grabbed a quick 2-0 lead in the first behind four hits, including an Encarnación tank shot, Miggy Andujar led off the 3rd with a double. It appeared like he was going to be stranded at second after back to back strikeouts from Romine and Walker. That’s when Gardy stepped to the plate and worked himself an at bat. The result? A line drive homer that just scraped over the right field fence.
Just like that we had a ball game. Unfortunately Luis Severino was not sharp at all. Other than the early Boston game in Fenway, I thought this was the hardest he had been hit all year. Since his start against the Phillies, I thought Sevy has looked a bit off. Even though he shutout Boston, it was clear he didn’t have his best stuff that night. In his most recent start against Toronto he was knocked around a bit. Everything last night was hit on the screws from the get-go when the Tribe jumped out in front in the first. That continued in the 3rd when the Indians quickly retook the lead on a Yonder Alonso RBI base hit. The Yankees had their own answer in the top of the 4th when Didi blasted a ball to right center for a long home run. That was weird because it came on the road and wasn’t just over the right field fence. I keep getting told Didi can only hit little bitch homers at home and nowhere else.
Didi seems to have figured something out with Klubot with his two huge homers in Game 5 of the ALDS and again last night with that blast. Greg Bird came up a few batters later after a Stanton single and a bad throwing error on an Aaron Hicks bunt. Bird, who has seemingly figured something out with his swing lately, ripped a giant RBI double off the right center field wall, missing a homer by only a few feet.
During his current six game hitting streak, Bird is hitting .300 with two homers and 11 RBIs. The OPS during that stretch is a beautiful 1.057 while it’s clear he’s been more relaxed at the plate. Getting Greg on board here would be massive, but he’s got to keep it going.
In the 8th inning with Kluber nearing the end of his night and his pitch soaring over 110 pitches, Aaron Hicks ripped a go ahead RBI double over the centerfielder’s head to knock him out of the ball game.
From there on Bird knocked in another with a sac fly and Gardner blasted his second homer in the ninth to add some extra cushion to the lead. Once Severino left the game after five, the bullpen took over and didn’t blink. Adam Warren, David Robertson, Dellin Betances, and Aroldis Chapman were all rock solid in their relief efforts. They didn’t allow a single hit in their four innings of work and Dellin’s lead off walk to Ramirez in the 8th was the only base runner to actually reach. It was a very similar game to the Twins wild card playoff game. The team fell behind early with Severino not being sharp, battled back, went back and forth for a bit and then pulled away eventually while the bullpen shut the door.
It was a night where pretty much everyone in the lineup, shy of Romine and Walker, produced. It was a true collective team effort and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The Yankees needed this win after splitting a series with the O’s. I’m willing to call it one of their more impressive wins of the whole season considering who they were facing and it coming on the road. Taking three of four to finish off the first half would be incredible and we’re certainly in a position to do that after last night.
Machado Update
People keep continuously DMing me asking for an update. There is no update. We’re in the waiting game right now. From how it’s been reported to this point it seems it’s a three man race between the Brewers, Dodgers, and Yankees. All three teams have three very good offers on the table. The Yankees offer does not include Justus Sheffield or Clint Frazier. I know people are saying we don’t need Machado. And they’re right we don’t. We didn’t need Giancarlo Stanton either. But when a guy of that caliber is out there and you can get him without giving up top guys then how can you resist if you’re Cashman? Acquiring him won’t set the Yankees over the luxury tax and in fact will keep them under enough to still be able and go out and grab a starting pitcher. If I were to predict, I’d say the offer is something like Brandon Drury, Dillon Tate, Albert Abreu, and maybe Medina? The O’s need pitching. We have plenty of it in the system. The positives outweigh the negatives. The next three days should be interesting to see if he’s dealt before the break.