The forecast for Thursday has not improved, meaning Game 2 of the ALDS between the Yankees and Guardians in The Bronx remains in jeopardy — as do the pitching plans for both teams.
Nestor Cortes, who will start for the Yankees in Game 2 — either Thursday or Friday — would have been available to come back on short rest for a potential Game 5 on Monday back at the Stadium.
On Wednesday, the lefty said he would be ready to pitch in some capacity in that game, though both he and the Yankees hope they have the series wrapped up by then.
Cortes said he would not adjust his pre-start routine based on the shaky forecast.
If he doesn’t pitch until Friday, he’d be limited the rest of the series.
“I’m ready to go,” Cortes said. “I’m going to empty the tank. So if I pitch on Friday, and I have to come back on short rest — whether it’s two or three days — I’m going to try and prepare in between the best I can to feel as best as I can.”
Nestor Cortes and Shane Bieber (inset) will face each other in Game 2 of the ALDS — either Thursday or Friday — weather permitting.N.Y. Post: Charles Wenzelberg; AP
Luis Severino will start Game 3 in Cleveland. Cole, Tuesday’s Game 1 starter, is slated to come back on normal rest to pitch Sunday’s Game 4.
“With this [Cleveland] team, there are lefties and … if you had [Cortes] in an inning scenario, a couple-inning scenario, that would be pretty valuable,” manager Aaron Boone said. “But if he goes Friday … hopefully we’re not in a Game 5 situation, but if we are, we’ll see. He would maybe be in play but not necessarily as a traditional starter.”
Boone has stressed his preference for a three-man rotation for this round and had Jameson Taillon up and ready to come into Tuesday’s Game 1 win in the ninth inning.
If Thursday’s game is postponed, the teams would be in line to play four straight days and that would likely take Taillon out of much of a role out of the pen, since he would be a logical option to start Game 5.
As for the Guardians, after starting Cal Quantrill on Tuesday, Shane Bieber is set for Game 2 on Thursday and Triston McKenzie for Game 3 on Saturday. Even if Quantrill returns for Game 4 on normal rest, a postponement Thursday would bring Aaron Civale into play as a potential Game 5 starter.
Aaron Judge’s wait for the ball from his milestone No. 62 home run will continue until the end of the postseason, since both the Yankees and the fan who caught it, Cory Youmans of Dallas, have agreed to hold off on potential negotiations until the Yankees’ season is over to avoid a distraction.
Judge broke Roger Maris’ 61-year-old American League and franchise record with his 62nd homer of the season on Oct. 4 against the Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Boone said he has no plans to talk to Josh Donaldson about the third baseman’s failure to run out his fly ball to right field that bounced off the top of the wall and back into play in Game 1.
Donaldson thought it was a home run and was thrown out trying to get back to first base.
“Weird play,” said Boone, who said on Tuesday he hadn’t gotten a good look at what happened.
“[Donaldson] thought it went over the fence. We are shaking hands at first [in the dugout]. The music goes off. I think it’s just a weird play.”
Jonathan Loaisiga got an important double play to end the seventh on Tuesday, but he also gave up two hits in just two-thirds of an inning. In his last six postseason outings dating back to 2019, the right-hander has allowed 15 base runners over just 4 ¹/₃ innings.
The Yankees are counting on him to return to the form he showed for much of the second half of this season after returning from a shoulder injury, as well as most of 2021.
“I know people feel like we have a lot of questions [in the bullpen]” Boone said. “[That’s] fair. We don’t have the ‘this guy is the closer’ and all these certain roles. But I do feel like right now, even though we have experienced some attrition down there, we have a lot of really talented options down there and [Loaisiga] is right in the middle of that. If we are going to get far in this, he’s going to have to get a lot of big outs for us.”
Marly Rivera is a writer for ESPNdeportes.com and ESPN.com.
NEW YORK — As the race for the postseason continues to heat up, so have the tempers in the toughest division in baseball.
The Yankees clawed out a 4-2 win over the AL East rival Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon, but not before tensions boiled over in the fifth inning when Toronto starter Alek Manoah hit Yankees All-Star Aaron Judge with a 92 mph fastball.
“Been struggling with my sinker for about five, six starts now,” Manoah explained after the game. “I made a pitch and it obviously hit Judge. I looked at him, said, ‘Man, you know, I’m not trying to do that.'”
With a runner on second and first base open, Manoah’s sinker hit Judge on the shoulder, the same spot in which he had barely missed earlier in the game. Visibly upset, Judge mouthed a few words to Manoah as he walked to the mound.
“[Judge] looked at me and he’s like, ‘That’s two,'” Manoah said. “In the first inning, I did mistakenly throw one up there as well. But obviously, in a situation like that, I’m trying to minimize baserunners. So I told him, ‘I’m not trying to do that.'”
Yankees starter Gerrit Cole, who took the loss Saturday, came out of the dugout followed by several teammates during the tense exchange as Judge waved them off. The game was briefly halted but tempers settled, and Judge went to first base. Manoah walked over to talk to Judge and appeared to help defuse the situation.
Manoah said he explained to Judge that it was trouble with his command, but there was no love lost for Cole’s fuming reaction.
“I think [Judge] understood that. And I think if Gerrit wants to do something, he can walk past the Audi sign next time,” Manoah said, referring to the luxury car brand logo sprayed on the grass by the visiting team dugout at Yankee Stadium.
When asked whether it had anything to do with it being Manoah specifically, and whether he believed he intended to hit Judge intentionally, Cole remained vague in his postgame comments.
“Not necessarily,” said Cole, who gave up four earned runs over six innings in the Yankees’ 5-2 loss to the Jays on Saturday. “Just a little one too many [batters hit by pitch] for my taste. I don’t know what to say.”
Manager Aaron Boone said he did not believe Manoah’s pitch was intentional, but defended Cole’s reaction.
“He doesn’t like our guy getting drilled,” Boone said. “Sometimes we get caught up in this intentional thing, like if it’s not intentional, then fine. Sometimes we have a different take on that. When your dude gets hit, it usually gets your attention. I think [Judge] handled it great. I thought Gerrit was just sticking up for his guy, for our guy. It’s just two division rivals, playing for a lot, a little moment in the game, not much to it.”
Judge, who also said he believed there was no intent, described the incident as the emotional part of competition.
“It’s the heat of the moment. Nobody likes to get hit,” Judge said. “Everybody’s watching the game, everybody’s into it. No matter who gets hit, everybody’s going to take exception to it. Dugout had a couple of things to say and then you move on.”
In terms of disclosing his conversation with Manoah, Judge said, “We’ll keep it between each other.”
And with the Yankees having lost 14 of their previous 17 games and looking to snap a three-game losing streak and avoid a sweep, Judge stated his focus was clear.
“At first you’re pissed, and I was pissed, but I didn’t need anybody else getting thrown out for me getting hit. I was just kind of moving on to the next play,” Judge said. “I know [Anthony] Rizzo had a big at-bat behind me. I’d be a little happier with getting a couple of runs instead of us brawling out there. … We took care of business and moved on.”
Better late than never, we have arrived at opening week of the 2022 MLB season.
With — among other changes — more playoff spots available, is this the year your favorite team will make a run in October? Will your favorite player win a postseason award?
No one can know for sure, which is why we put 38 ESPN writers, analysts and editors on the spot to predict what will happen in baseball this year, from the wild-card contenders all the way up to the World Series champion, plus the MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year in both leagues.
For each category, we’ve asked a contributor or two to explain why they chose what they chose. Were they on the mark … or way off? We’ll know about seven months from now, if they post this page on social media — or pretend it never existed.
Here goes!
Jump to:
AL picks | NL picks | AL awards | NL awards
AL East
Our pick: Blue Jays (29 votes)
Who else got votes? Rays (5), Red Sox (2), Yankees (2)
The Blue Jays are heavy favorites among our voters in the AL East. You picked the Rays. Tell us why.
The name of the game in 2022 is pitching depth and power hitting. You need lots of pitching to get through a season and you have to hit home runs to score — and that’s how the Rays won 100 games in 2021. No team has the pitching depth to match Tampa Bay’s — and young arms Shane McClanahan, Luis Patino and Shane Baz can improve or, in Baz’s case, once he returns from arthroscopic surgery on his elbow, make an immediate impact as a rookie. The Rays, oh by the way, scored more runs than the Blue Jays last season. Maybe the offense overachieved a bit, but it will benefit from a full season from sophomore Wander Franco, the rising superstar who might win the batting title. — David Schoenfield
AL Central
Our pick: White Sox (34 votes)
Who else got votes? Twins (4)
All but four of our voters chose the White Sox to win the division. You picked the Twins. Explain yourself!
I am leaning into the great potential of their lineup. The upside up the middle is limitless with Byron Buxton, Carlos Correa, Jorge Polanco (33 home runs last season) and a focused Gary Sanchez. Then you add Miguel Sano, and a contact hitter like Luis Arraez and they can make pitchers truly work. They were an above-average defensive team last season that added a Gold Glove shortstop. It will take some breakout seasons by the other young players, especially on the mound, but they have the talent to do just that. — Doug Glanville
AL West
Our pick: Astros (35 votes)
Who else got votes? Angels (2), Mariners (1)
The Astros were a nearly unanimous pick here. You were the sole voter who took the Mariners. Why Seattle > Houston?
Did you see Seattle’s offseason? The Mariners are loaded and can actually still play the underdog card even though they became a known quantity last year. The addition of Robbie Ray might be the single most important addition for any team. He fills such a big void at the top of the rotation, while Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez bring the kind of veteran bats any team needs when it wants to make a leap in the standings. While they were adding, the Astros lost their star shortstop and pitching coach. Don’t underestimate the latter change as Brent Strom was instrumental in helping along Houston’s young pitchers. It’ll be a tight race, but Seattle will prevail. — Jesse Rogers
AL wild cards
Our picks: Yankees (30 votes), Red Sox (25), Rays (24)
Who else got votes? Angels (9), Blue Jays (8), Mariners (5), Twins (4), Tigers (3), White Sox (3), Astros (2), Rangers (1)
Blue Jays, Yankees, Red Sox, Rays. We’ve chosen all four AL East teams to make the playoffs (there’s a rumor the AL East has a fifth team, but that’s unconfirmed at press time). What will make this division so dominant?
There’s a lot that goes into it, but it starts with the Yankees setting a high bar for winning the division. Not only has New York stretched its remarkable streak of winning seasons to 29, but in 26 of those campaigns, the Yankees have posted a winning percentage of .537 or better, which translates to 87 wins over a full season. That’s the starting point for the Rays, Red Sox and Blue Jays. (And also those poor Orioles.) We’re at an inflection point where all of those contending clubs have built their rosters to be at least 87-wins good. At the same time, none of the teams in the other AL divisions, beyond projected champs Chicago and Houston, project to be much better than .500. Of course, one or two of them will probably break out and pass that barrier, so the wild-card races aren’t likely to be the routs they look to be right now for the AL East. Those teams in the Central and West also have a significant advantage: Unlike the AL East contenders, they don’t have to play the Yankees, Rays, Red Sox and Blue Jays 19 times apiece. — Bradford Doolittle
AL champion
Our pick: Blue Jays (16 votes)
Who else got votes? White Sox (10), Rays (4), Yankees (4), Red Sox (2), Angels (1), Astros (1)
You picked the Yankees to win the pennant. What do you think gives them the edge over our panel’s favorites — namely, the Blue Jays and White Sox?
I haven’t loved every move of the Yankees’ offseason, but they’re at least solid average at every spot except maybe fifth starter and middle relief, though those are also the easiest places to find unexpected contributors. With quality prospect depth lingering (Oswald Peraza, Anthony Volpe, Clarke Schmidt, Ken Waldichuk, Luis Medina, Deivi Garcia, et al.) to possibly contribute, the pieces to make another major move if needed, and the inclination to go for it this year, I think the incentives and talent level are right for the Bombers to break through this season, though I’d love to see a couple more pitching contributors emerge. — Kiley McDaniel
NL East
Our pick: Braves (28 votes)
Who else got votes? Mets (8), Phillies (2)
The Mets got some tough news on Jacob deGrom heading into the season. But you still have them down as your NL East pick. What makes you so high on the Amazin’s?
Steve Cohen’s money goes a long way toward filling prospective in-season roster holes, especially since it’s clear he’s not going to worry about silly things like the luxury tax, and I think he’d be much more apt to bring in additional starting pitching help if and when it’s needed. But even sans deGrom, Max Scherzer is a plenty talented ace, and Chris Bassitt is underrated. On offense, I expect a big bounce-back year from Francisco Lindor, and I see him, Pete Alonso and Starling Marte leading a formidable offense. There’s just too much depth here, and Cohen’s not going to let injuries deplete it. — Tristan H. Cockcroft
NL Central
Our pick: Brewers (32 votes)
Who else got votes? Cardinals (6)
Tell us why you think the Cardinals are going to overcome the Brewers, whom our voters chose overwhelmingly.
The Brewers have incredible pitching, and it’s not as if the Cardinals made big moves in the offseason. But the difference between the teams is incredibly thin, and day after day, the Cardinals will be fueled by this internal push to get Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright to the end of their respective careers in style — and that push will extend to the front office, which will fill holes and add needed help at the trade deadline. Sometimes these milestone situations can drag down teams, but in this case, the last dance of this trio will energize the group. — Buster Olney
NL West
Our pick: Dodgers (35 votes)
Who else got votes? Giants (3)
You picked the Dodgers to win the NL West. (SPOILER ALERT: You also picked them to win the NL pennant and the World Series.) You certainly weren’t alone. What makes L.A. special?
The Dodgers have a relentless lineup, one of the best we’ve seen in the last 10 years. One through nine, they’ll have someone who can hit it out of the ballpark. They led the NL in runs scored last year. Now, they have Freddie Freeman and Trea Turner for a full season. Wow. — Tim Kurkjian
You picked both the Giants and the Padres to make the playoffs. Tell us why.
The Padres, who spent the 2021 season systematically dismantling high expectations, and the Giants, who won 107 games and the National League West, will join the Dodgers in the postseason. The Padres rescued manager Bob Melvin from the rubble in Oakland, and his presence alone will change the culture. A better rotation (with Sean Manaea) and more power (Luke Voit) won’t hurt, either. In San Francisco, the attention has been on the loss of the retired Buster Posey and spring injuries to Brandon Belt, Evan Longoria and LaMonte Wade Jr., but the Giants have retooled with the deepest — if not the best — rotation in the NL. Logan Webb, Carlos Rodon, Anthony DeSclafani, Alex Wood and Alex Cobb provide a diverse right-left-right-left-right lineup. It’s also a safe bet president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi once again has unearthed a few more players — pitcher Jakob Junis might be one, infielder Luke Williams another — who will write their redemption stories. — Tim Keown
Why did you take the Braves to repeat as NL champs?
Because the Braves won just 88 games in the 2021 regular season, the strength of how they performed in the last three months of last season seems to be underrated constantly. They won the World Series even without Ronald Acuna Jr., arguably baseball’s best player, and now the postseason experience that the likes of Max Fried, Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies have accumulated will be leveraged. They lost Freddie Freeman, yes, but added Matt Olson, Collin McHugh and Kenley Jansen — and yes, Acuna, who is expected to return relatively early in the season. — Olney
World Series champion
Our pick: Dodgers (16 votes)
Who else got votes? Blue Jays (8), White Sox (5), Braves (2), Brewers (2), Yankees (2), Giants (1), Rays (1), Red Sox (1)
The Dodgers are our favorite to win the World Series, but the White Sox got their share of votes too — including yours. What makes them so dangerous?
The way everyone talks about the Toronto Blue Jays reminds me of how we used to talk about the Chicago White Sox. While this team lost Carlos Rodon, the White Sox still have a really strong rotation led by Lucas Giolito and Lance Lynn, while top prospect Michael Kopech could make a splash in fortifying this group. A full year of health from Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez would help take this lineup over the top, and while the team will certainly miss having Garrett Crochet in the back end of the bullpen, the team’s depth across its roster will make it a favorite to win the World Series. — Joon Lee
You picked the Blue Jays (over the Dodgers) to win the World Series. Why?
The Blue Jays’ offense — headlined by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer, Teoscar Hernandez, Bo Bichette, Matt Chapman and others — is one of few that can even compare with that of the Dodgers. But their rotation — featuring Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman, Hyun Jin Ryu, Alek Manoah and Yusei Kikuchi — looks significantly better. And the energy they play with is palpable. It’ll win them the final series of the season. By then, the rigorous AL East will have this relatively young group tested and ready. — Alden Gonzalez
AL MVP
Our pick: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (13 votes)
Who else got votes? Shohei Ohtani (9), Mike Trout (9), Aaron Judge (3), Yordan Alvarez (1), Byron Buxton (1), Luis Robert (1), Trevor Story (1)
Vladdy won a close three-way race in our vote for AL MVP over Ohtani and Trout. You took Trout. What made you choose him to bounce back and outplay the others?
Barring another major injury, I expect Trout to play the way he always has. Trout has been one of the most consistent athletes in all of sports, and his skill set will continue to age well as he advances in his career. As much as I love Vladdy’s game, I think he will take a very small step backward in 2022 as the league adjusts to his success last year. Ohtani presents the biggest challenge to Trout, and I got very close to picking the two-way star as a back-to-back MVP. — Lee
AL Cy Young
Our pick: Gerrit Cole (10 votes)
Who else got votes? Shane Bieber (8), Lucas Giolito (7), Jose Berrios (6), Dylan Cease (2), Justin Verlander (2), Kevin Gausman (1), Chris Sale (1), Framber Valdez (1)
Our AL Cy Young was a close race between four aces — Berrios, Bieber, Giolito and your pick, Cole. Why him?
Cole is the safest combination of that group of production and health, finishing fifth, second, fourth and second in the Cy Young voting over the past four seasons, with his only missed time coming last year when he contracted COVID-19. Yes, I’m a little concerned that he didn’t pitch as well after the crackdown on Spider Tack and other grip substances, but this is a durable power pitcher who had the best strikeout-to-walk ratio in the American League and will benefit from an improved Yankees defense. He’s due to finally win his first Cy Young Award. — Schoenfield
AL Rookie of the Year
Our pick: Bobby Witt Jr. (18 votes)
Who else got votes? Spencer Torkelson (8), Adley Rutschman (3), Riley Greene (2), Julio Rodriguez (2), Gabriel Arias (1), Shane Baz (1), Josh Lowe (1), Gabriel Moreno (1), Jeremy Pena (1)
What makes Witt so special? What can we expect this season from him?
Witt is one of the most talented rookies we’ve seen in some time. He was posting eye-popping exit velocities as a prep underclassman who stood out against the older kids and has continued to beat expectations since then. There may be some up-and-down as his good-not-great pitch selection and power-focused approach could see growing pains against the best pitchers in the world. But he’s plus at everything else (bat speed, raw power, in-game power, speed, defense, arm) and has never really failed on a baseball field in a meaningful way. Hitting .260 with 20 home runs and real speed/defensive value is basically expected, with face-of-the-franchise upside as the next step. — McDaniel
NL MVP
Our pick: Juan Soto (19 votes)
Who else got votes? Ronald Acuna Jr. (3), Freddie Freeman (3), Austin Riley (3), Trea Turner (3), Francisco Lindor (2), Matt Olson (2), Mookie Betts (1), Nick Castellanos (1), Bryce Harper (1)
He has finished ninth, fifth and second in the NL MVP balloting the past three seasons. Why is this the year Soto finally wins it?
Since the beginning of the 2020 season, Soto has a 1.042 OPS. That gets him into the conversation. At 23 and with a steeled work ethic, he keeps making upgrades to his plate approach. His walk rate has increased during all four of his seasons while his strikeout rate has dropped. Thus his on-base percentages the past two seasons have been Barry Bonds-esque. When Soto swings, he makes contact at an elite level, giving him a baseline of a .330 BABIP. And we’ve seen in the Home Run Derby just how much raw power Soto has. All Soto needs to put up a season for the ages is to match that raw power with game power for a full season. With an isolated power figure of .291 after the All-Star break last season, that process appears to already be well underway. If Soto stays on the field for 150 games or so, this is the season it all comes together for him and the numbers could be massive. It doesn’t hurt that he’s motivated by the pursuit of a potential record-breaking contract extension. — Doolittle
NL Cy Young
Our pick: Walker Buehler (21 votes)
Who else got votes? Max Scherzer (6), Logan Webb (3), Jacob deGrom (2), Aaron Nola (2), Sandy Alcantara (1), Corbin Burnes (1), Zack Wheeler (1), Brandon Woodruff (1)
With deGrom on the shelf to start the season, Buehler became our runaway pick here. What makes him so good — and what do you expect from him this year?
For one, he’s supremely confident and downright fearless. The Dodgers noticed this immediately, then watched him channel that in some of their biggest games over the past four years — Game 163 against the Rockies in 2018, NLCS Game 7 against the Brewers later that October, NLCS Game 6 against the Braves in 2020, and World Series Game 3 against the Rays six days after that. Buehler can command as many as six pitches, throws into the upper 90s and has established himself as the Dodgers’ ace, taking the mantle from Clayton Kershaw. The 2021 season, which saw him finish fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting, marked the first time Buehler surpassed 200 innings. He said he learned a lot from the experience. Backed by a potent offense and a deep bullpen, Buehler, 27, looks primed to take the next step. — Gonzalez
NL Rookie of the Year
Our pick: Seiya Suzuki (16 votes)
Who else got votes? Oneil Cruz (12), Hunter Greene (4), Joey Bart (2), CJ Abrams (1), Edward Cabrera (1), Cade Cavalli (1), Bryson Stott (1)
What are the Cubs expecting from Suzuki — and what’s one thing fans might not know about him that they should?
You don’t pay a guy $85 million — $17 million a year — and not expect big things. Having said that, the Cubs will be more than patient as Suzuki transitions to his new surroundings and league. His power will play during the summer at Wrigley Field, as one scout said he exhibits a “pretty” right-handed swing — a description usually saved for left-handed hitters. Even via an interpreter, baseball fans should see his sense of humor, as Suzuki has already proved to be fun and self-deprecating. — Rogers
NEW YORK — Two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels is a finalist for American League MVP in voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America.
The BBWAA revealed finalists for American League and National League MVPs, Cy Young Awards, Rookies of the Year and Managers of the Year on Monday night. The winners — decided on ballots sent at the end of the regular season — will be revealed next week.
Ohtani is in the final three of AL MVP voting along with two Toronto players, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Marcus Semien.
The 27-year-old Ohtani hit .257 with 46 homers, 100 RBIs and a .965 OPS as the Angels’ full-time designated hitter, while also going 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 23 starts on the mound. It was his first full season in both roles — he won Rookie of the Year in 2018 even after an elbow injury shut him down as a pitcher after 10 starts.
Ex-St. Louis Cardinals skipper Mike Shildt was nominated for NL Manager of the Year less than a month after he was fired. The other finalists are Milwaukee’s Craig Counsell and San Francisco’s Gabe Kapler.
The Cardinals won 17 straight games down the stretch and made the postseason for the third time in four years under Shildt, but the 2018 Manager of the Year was cut loose because of what general manager John Mozeliak termed “philosophical differences.” Oliver Marmol was promoted from bench coach to replace Shildt.
The NL MVP race is down to Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper, Washington’s Juan Soto and San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. Harper is the only former MVP of that trio, earning the honor in 2015 with the Nationals.
In a sign of how voters’ priorities have changed, none of the six MVP finalists played for teams that made the postseason.
Soto, Tatis and Guerrero were all 22 on the final day of the season, and this is the first time a trio of players younger than 23 was among the finalists. The last time even two players that young were finalists was 1956, when Hank Aaron finished third in NL voting and Al Kaline was third in the AL.
Max Scherzer is a finalist for a fourth Cy Young Award after splitting the season between the Nationals and Dodgers, but all the other finalists would be first-time winners.
Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes and Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler are finalists in the NL, while the AL honor is down to the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole, the White Sox’s Lance Lynn and the Blue Jays’ Robbie Ray, who is now a free agent.
Postseason star Randy Arozarena and teammate Wander Franco of the Tampa Bay Rays are finalists for AL Rookie of the Year along with Astros right-hander Luis Garcia. Franco appeared in just 70 games but still got attention after reaching base in 43 consecutive games, matching Frank Robinson’s record from 1956 for longest by a player age 20 or younger.
Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson, Reds second baseman Jonathan India and Marlins left-hander Trevor Rogers are finalists for NL Rookie of the Year.
BOSTON — In Gerrit Cole’s biggest moment yet as a Yankee, he didn’t make it out of the third inning.
The $324 million right-hander got shelled for two home runs and walked two batters in two-plus innings on Tuesday night against the Red Sox in the American League wild-card game at Fenway Park.
By the time Cole walked the second batter on his 50th pitch of the night, putting runners on first and second with no outs in the third inning with the Yankees already trailing 3-0, manager Aaron Boone decided he had seen enough. He made the long walk to the mound and took the ball from Cole — seemingly stunning the crowd, which responded with cheers. Boone called on Clay Holmes from the bullpen.
Holmes got out of the jam with a strikeout and double play to limit the damage on Cole’s line.
Pitching to the soundtrack of “Gerr-it” chants from the Boston crowd, Cole issued a two-out walk in the first inning and it came back to hurt him when Xander Bogaerts crushed changeup down the middle for a two-run home run to center field.
Gerrit Cole was pulled in the third inning on Tuesday.Getty Images
Cole worked around a hard double by Kevin Plawecki in the second inning but then gave up a 435-foot home run to Kyle Schwarber on a 97 mph fastball above the zone to lead off the third inning. Kiké Hernandez then singled on a swinging bunt before Rafael Devers drew his second walk of the night, sending Cole to an early exit.
It marked the latest clunker for Cole, who pitched to a 5.13 ERA in September. He left a Sept. 7 start early with hamstring tightness, but insisted on Monday it was fine.
Boston Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez remains a question for the team’s American League Wild Card Game against the visiting New York Yankees on Tuesday night at Fenway Park as he continues to recover from a sprained left ankle.
Martinez suffered the injury in the fifth inning when he tripped over the second-base bag while jogging out to right field in Boston’s regular-season finale Sunday against the host Washington Nationals. He was pulled from the game — a 7-5 Red Sox victory — an inning later.
Speaking Monday at Fenway, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Martinez continues to receive treatment on the ankle and that the team will make a roster decision Tuesday morning.
“He’s getting treatment,” Cora told reporters. “We’ll probably have to make a decision tomorrow morning roster-wise, of course, and let’s see how he reacts to treatment and everything that they are doing to him in there. We don’t know yet.”
Cora also said outfielder Jarren Duran will likely make the wild-card roster, giving Boston a potential speed option on the basepaths, as will Nick Pivetta, who threw an inning of scoreless relief against the Nationals on Sunday. Chris Sale, who started that game in D.C., is unlikely to be on the roster, per Cora.
“He actually threw today. He felt good. He stopped by the office and [I was] like, ‘No, we’re not doing that,'” Cora said. “Hopefully he has a chance to start again here in October.”
The Yankees, meanwhile, expect Gio Urshela to be in the lineup Tuesday. Urshela bruised his right thigh and suffered some cuts when he made a diving catch in the Tampa Bay dugout in the teams’ regular-season finale Sunday, a massive play that helped New York en route to a walk-off 1-0 win that clinched its wild-card spot.
“I think we got incredibly fortunate in that situation,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters. “As you know, it really scared me watching him launch into there from my angle. He might be a little stiff or whatever. But I don’t think it’ll have much impact.”
Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (16-8) faces Nathan Eovaldi (11-9) at Fenway. The Yankees-Red Sox winner will move on to face the AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays beginning Thursday in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The skidding Yankees could not afford to drop another game, and they certainly could not afford to lose their best pitcher, but the costly L’s continued to pile up Tuesday night.
Ace Gerrit Cole departed in the fourth inning with what the team announced as left hamstring tightness, and the Yankees went on to suffer their eighth defeat in 10 games following a 13-game winning streak, 5-1, to the surging Blue Jays at the Stadium.
Afterward, Cole called coming out of the game “super-disappointing” and he was “pretty bummed about it,” but the $324 million righty expressed hope that he will make his next start.
“It’s tough to say right now. I’m obviously disappointed about the outcome of today,” Cole said. “I just want to reserve judgment and see how this thing reacts the next 24-36 hours. I guess maybe for my own mentality I just want to make sure I’m good or if I need a few extra days.
“I’m gonna definitely be as smart about it as I can, and trust my instincts. … Hopefully I’ll be able to make the next one. We’ll see how it shakes out.”
Alejandro Kirk rounds the bases after his solo home run during the second inning against Gerrit Cole.Robert Sabo for the NY Post
The Yanks (78-60) at least maintained their half-game lead over the Red Sox — losers again to the runaway AL East leaders, the Rays — for the first wild-card position, but the Jays suddenly have moved within 2 1/2 games of Aaron Boone’s club with their sixth consecutive victory. They’ll have two more chances to draw closer in this week’s four-game series.
Boone sat a couple of slumping regulars — Joey Gallo and Gleyber Torres — but former Mets lefty Steven Matz limited the Yankees to one run on seven hits over six innings to improve to 11-7.
According to the YES Network, the Yankees have failed to record a walk or an extra-base in successive games for only the fourth time in team history and the first time since June 1962.
“In comparison to [Monday], at least we put some good swings on balls, but the bottom line is we’ve got to be better,” Boone said of Monday’s 8-0 loss. “We’ve got our guys now, and if we’re going to be the team we hope to be, our offense has to carry that freight for us. We’ve got to get it rolling.”
The 31-year-old Cole (14-7, 2.78) came in rolling and as one of the front-runners for the AL Cy Young Award. But Matz, the Long Island-bred lefty obtained from the Mets last winter, also came in pitching well for Toronto, sporting a 1.65 ERA over his previous six starts since Aug. 4.
Cole already had allowed three runs (two earned) when he signaled for a trainer following a sacrifice fly by Toronto’s Reese McGuire for the second out of the fourth inning. After a brief discussion with Boone, Cole walked off the mound with the Yanks trailing, 3-1.
“I was out there for a few pitches trying to weigh the pros and cons, and I just wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get through the inning,” Cole said. “You’re only one pitch away from making it worse.”
Boone said he appreciated Cole’s caution in that situation and hopes “he avoided something more serious.” No MRI is presently scheduled for Cole, Boone added.
“I know in talking to Gerrit, he feels pretty optimistic about it, something that’s popped up with him before,” Boone said. “Hopefully, it’s something he got out in front of enough and we’ll see where we’re at in the coming days.”
Cole was replaced by righty Albert Abreu, who got out of that inning before allowing a leadoff homer to Marcus Semien (38th) in the fifth for a 4-1 game. Cole also had surrendered a solo home run in the second inning to Alejandro Kirk, who went deep again against Clay Holmes in the eighth.
Albert AbreuRobert Sabo for the NY Post
And the Yanks’ offense couldn’t pick up their departed ace, plating its lone run against Matz on an RBI single by Anthony Rizzo in the third.
“Obviously, concerned about him and his health. You never want to see anyone come out of a game in any circumstance, especially our horse,” Rizzo said of Cole. “Hopefully, it’s a fast recovery for him. … Gerrit’s a big part of what we’re trying to accomplish here.”
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Aaron Judge hit his 30th home run in Wednesday night’s 4-1 win over the Angels and enters the final month of the season as good as he’s been all year.
That’s in part due to being able to stay healthy, outside of a stint on the COVID-19 IL.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done,’’ Judge said of his production at the plate.
He credited his teammates getting on base to give him opportunities to drive in runs, but acknowledged he’s playing a little safer than in years past.
“The most important thing is not running into too many walls and doing stupid stuff out there that causes injuries,’’ Judge said.
The Yankees would like that to remain the case, since they know what Judge can do when he’s on — and he’s reached base in 22 of his past 23 games and gotten multiple hits in eight of his last nine.
Gerrit Cole said Judge’s approach at the plate is “tried and true” and he has an ability to take away the strengths of opposing pitchers with his ability to cover the entire plate and hit to all fields.
Aaron Boone put it more bluntly: “Let’s not overthink it. He’s playing really well.”
The Yankees rolled to their 13th straight win and blasted four homers in an 8-2 victory over the A’s at Oakland Coliseum on Friday night.
They’ve hit 10 homers in their past three games and scored at least five runs in their last eight. It adds up to the franchise’s longest winning streak since 1961, when they also won 13 in a row.
“Any time you push records with this organization, you’re probably doing something special,’’ Gerrit Cole said of the streak. “But there’s a lot left out there for us.”
Their biggest bats — Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge — both went deep and their best pitcher, Cole, pitched like an ace, with six shutout innings.
Chad Green got five huge outs before the Yankees tacked on three runs in the ninth against the A’s, who are going in the opposite direction, losing six in a row.
Luke Voit and Gio Urshela celebrate Voit’s home run during the Yankees’ win Friday night.Getty Images
“This is what we thought we’d do all year,’’ Luke Voit said. “We’re finally getting to that point.”
And because the Rays also refuse to lose, the Yankees remained four back of first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.
“We know every game is still a must-win,’’ said Kyle Higashioka, who also homered. “It’s going to be hopefully that way until the end of October.’’
And for a change, they pulled away late.
“It was good to see us continue to add on,’’ Aaron Boone said. “It’s something we haven’t done a lot of. We put the team away.”
Stanton gave them the lead with another titanic homer to lead off the top of the fourth. He’s homered in four straight games for the third time in his career.
“Watching ‘Big G’ hit homers is my favorite thing in all of baseball,’’ Higashioka said of Stanton’s prodigious home runs.
Two batters after Stanton’s 472-foot shot, Voit, still in a limited role following the arrival of Anthony Rizzo, hit one out to center to make it 2-0.
Since his return from an IL stint due to left knee inflammation, Voit has looked like the hitter who led the majors in home runs last season.
The Yankees got a three-run homer from Judge in the fifth, his 28th of the season.
It knocked left-hander Sean Manaea out of the game and unlike on Thursday — when the Yankees blew a 6-0 advantage — Cole helped them hold onto this one.
Cole allowed consecutive singles to Elvis Andrus and Tony Kemp to start the bottom of the fifth before Marte popped out. Matt Olson walked to load the bases, but Cole got Jed Lowrie swinging for the second out.
Giancarlo Stanton circles the bases after his massive home run on Friday night.AP
Josh Harrison then hit a liner that seemed destined for left field for a two-run single, but Gio Urshela, in just his second game back from a strained hamstring, made an excellent leaping grab to his left end the threat.
Cole has been superb since his return from the COVID-19 IL. He’s given up just one run in 17 ²/₃ innings in three outings.
Joely Rodriguez replaced Cole to start the seventh and was shaky.
He walked pinch-hitter Chad Pinder with one out and allowed a single to Marte. After a visit from pitching coach Matt Blake, Olson singled to left to score Pinder and a throwing error by Joey Gallo allowed another run to come in.
Chad Green took over for Rodriguez and walked Lowrie, but then got Harrison to ground into an inning-ending double play.
The offense prevented any further drama with three runs in the ninth, with Higashioka hitting his ninth of the season and Judge adding an RBI single.
