Yankees drop first series against Blue Jays
Slimmed-down Guerrero Jr. homers
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. dropped 42 pounds after an underwhelming 2020.
He’s hoping less can be more — and the 22-year-old sure still looks like a heavy hitter.
Guerrero and Randal Grichuk homered off Domingo German in the Yankee right-hander’s return from a domestic violence ban, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat New York 3-1 Sunday to win a season-opening series against their AL East rival.
A slimmed-down Guerrero had a hit in all three games, including an opposite-field shot leading off the second inning against German.
“He makes the lineup a lot better,” manager Charlie Montoyo said. “That’s what we think could happen. That was a beautiful swing to go opposite field.“
It was Guerrero’s first longball of the season after he hit .262 with nine homers in 60 games last year. The son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero went on a diet over the winter, and teammates have remarked on his energy this spring.
“I feel a lot better this year,” he said via translator.
Grichuk wrapped a two-run drive around the left-field foul pole two batters after Guerrero, helping Toronto take two of three.
Orioles 11, Red Sox 3: Boston dropped to 0-3 at Fenway Park for the first time since 1948 and the second time ever as Trey Mancini and Austin Hays hit two-run doubles during a seven-run third inning. Cedric Mullins went 5-for-5 with three doubles and walk for the Orioles, collecting four of hits in the initial four innings. Maikel Franco added a first-inning, two-run double, helping Baltimore to its first three-game sweep at Fenway since Aug. 25-27, 2017.Baltimore left-hander Bruce Zimmerman (1-0) gave up three runs and four hits in six innings with five strikeouts and one walk for his first victory. Boston starter Garrett Richards (0-1) was chased with no outs and after loading the bases in the third. He allowed six runs and seven hits.
Phillies 2, Braves 1: Alec Bohm hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, Zach Eflin gave Philadelphia another strong start and the Phillies completed a three-game sweep of the defending NL East champion Atlanta Braves.
Atlanta starter and Shenendehowa graduate Ian Anderson wiggled in and out of trouble early, striking out seven hitters while allowing four hits. Philadelphia regained the lead in the eighth as Rhys Hoskins, Bryce Harper and Bohm hit consecutive singles off Chris Martin (0-1). Hector Neris got his first save.
Reds 12, Cardinals 1: Shaker graduate Jeff Hoffman (1-0), acquired from the Colorado Rockies in an offseason trade, gave up just a run and three hits through five innings with six strikeouts for Cincinnati. Nick Castellanos came
out swinging with his bat a day after being ejected for inciting a benchclearing melee, hitting a three-run homer off Carlos Martinez (0-1) and triple to finish the series 6-for-11 with five RBIS. Tyler Naquin also hit a threerun shot for the Reds, who won two in a row.
Indians 9, Tigers 3: Jordan Luplow hit a two-run homer to cap a four-run seventh, and Cleveland overcame a home run by Akil Baddoo on the first pitch of his first major league at-bat.
Cubs 4, Pirates 3: Zach Davies (1-0) permitted two runs and four hits in 5 2⁄3 innings in his Chicago debut against short-handed Pittsburgh. Ian Happ homered and Kris Bryant reached three times as Chicago earned its second straight win after losing on opening day.
Rangers 7, Royals 3: Nate Lowe had a three-run homer in the third for Texas, which avoided a sweep, and a teamrecord nine RBIS in the first three games of the season, a Texas record.
Twins 8, Brewers 2: Miguel Sano and Mitch Garver homered to back up Michael Pineda (1-0), who gave up just one unearned run and four hits in five innings.
Dodgers 4, Rockies 2: Julio Urias (1-0) gave up one run and three hits over seven-plus innings in the longest start of the 24-year-old left-hander’s major league career. He struck out six and walked one.
Astros 9, Athletics 2: Jason Castro homered in his first start with Houston since as a free agent following the 2016 season, helping complete a four-game sweep. Dusty Baker tied Bill Mckechnie for 14th among managers with 1,896 wins.
Diamondbacks 3, Padres 1: Rookie Taylor Widener (1-0) held San Diego to three hits over six scoreless innings to win his first big league start and David Peralta hit a two-run triple as Arizona avoided a four-game sweep. Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his first homer of the season with two outs in the ninth, off Chris Devenski, who got the save.