When the New York Yankees hit Sahlen Field last September, they were 21-20 and in such a funk that General Manager Brian Cashman made a rare address to the troops in the right-field clubhouse that fills the Exchange Street parking lot.
That crisis feeling is back again.
At one of their biggest crisis points in recent memory, the longtime GM decided it was time for a one-way conversation.
What figures to be a heavily pro-Yankees crowd in Buffalo will see their team at another critical juncture this week against the Toronto Blue Jays. The teams meet Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:07 p.m., with all games televised on the YES Network.
The Yankees are just 33-32. They're fourth in the AL East and entered Monday's game 8 1/2 games behind division-leading Tampa Bay. The offense has been a colossal disappointment, entering Monday second-last in the AL in runs and just 10th in batting at .234. The baserunning and defense have been subpar, and the rotation is struggling. Even rock-solid closer Aroldis Chapman lost two games in walkoff fashion last week in Minnesota and Philadelphia.
People are also reading…
The Yankees, who were off Monday, were lifeless in Sunday's 7-0 loss at Philadelphia as slugger Aaron Judge missed that game due to back spasms. They've dropped seven of their last nine games and 13 of the last 18.
After Sunday's no-show, embattled manager Aaron Boone barked back when asked if his team was getting used to losing.
"I know them too well, and I don’t think there’s any getting used to freaking losing," Boone said. "Hell no. Get the hell out of here with that.”
Earlier in the interview, Boone acknowledged that the Yankees' character will be tested even more in this series. Outfielder Brett Gardner, the club's elder statesman, said the team isn't in panic mode.
The Buffalo Bisons are going to have a former World Series MVP in their lineup when they ope…
“We’ve got quite a bit of season left, and we still have a little time left to figure that out,” Gardner said. “But you know every day that passes is a wasted opportunity.”
The Yankees will start Jordan Montgomery against Hyun Jin Ryu in a battle of lefties on Tuesday. Gerrit Cole will face Ross Stripling on Wednesday. Thursday's pitching matchup is uncertain, as Michael King is slated to go for New York, but presumed Toronto starter Steven Matz is a scratch because we was placed on the Covid-19 IL list Monday. The Blue Jays don't know what their plan is for the series finale.
"It could be somebody from Triple-A, we could go with a bullpen day,' Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said prior to Monday's game in Boston. "We don't know yet."
The Blue Jays announced Matz tested positive for Covid-19, and he will be out at least 10 days. The team announced last week they had passed the 85% vaccination threshold to relax some protocols and said there were no other cases. Matz is asymptomatic.
The Toronto Blue Jays went 3-2 on their first homestand of the season at Sahlen Field, a modest success on the field but a smash hit off of it.
Vladdy Jr. leads All-Star voting
Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is having a Triple Crown season, leads all players in the first balloting update for the All-Star Game on July 14 in Denver.
Guerrero belted his MLB-leading 22nd home run in Monday night's 2-1 loss in Fenway Park, a dramatic shot to left-center with two out in the ninth off Boston closer Matt Barnes. It carried 451 feet but went for naught as Rafael Devers' RBI double off Rafael Dolis won the game and allowed Boston to split the series.
"That's amazing. That's a guy who's got it," Montoyo said of Guerrero. "You don't teach that. Against a good closer and he just hits the ball 500 miles on a breaking pitch. It's been fun to watch, man."
The All-Star ballot, available exclusively online and via mobile devices at MLB.com, all 30 club sites and the MLB App, will be accessible until the voting period for Phase 1 concludes at 4 p.m. June 24. On June 27, the top three vote-getters at each position (and the top nine outfielders) in each league will be revealed on the All-Star Ballot Finalists Show at noon on MLB Network. Those players advance to the second phase of voting to determine who starts for each league.
Phase 2 of voting begins June 28 at noon and concludes at 2 p.m. July 1. Winners will be announced that night.
Guerrero, seeking his first career All-Star selection, has received 857,956 votes and is the runaway leader at first base for the AL (Chicago's Jose Abreu is second at 146,549). Guerrero leads the AL in home runs, batting (.346) and RBIs (56). He is also the leader in on-base percentage (.451), slugging (.697) and OPS (1.148).
"He deserves to be out there ... And, right now, he's leading in all departments," Montoyo said. "So he's been great. He deserves all the attention he's getting."
Gates open early
The Yankees went 2-5 here in September, when games against the Blue Jays were played in front of no fans. This will be their first game in Buffalo in front of paying customers since they suffered a 5-0 loss in an exhibition against a team of International League all-stars in War Memorial Stadium on Aug. 19, 1963.
Fans are reminded that the ballpark gates open at 5 p.m. – two hours prior to the first pitch and an hour earlier than customers might be used to for Bisons games at Sahlen Field.
Fans are encouraged to come early to watch batting practice, weather permitting, and avoid security and temperature check lines at the gates that may build up closer to the first pitch.
