Warren not wild about costly pitch
Adam Warren admitted that is was “just one of those nights” Monday, when a wild pitch he threw in the seventh led to a costly run. “I completely missed my spot,” Warren, the right-hander, said after the 6-2 loss at the Stadium.
Luis Severino departed after 6.2 innings, and when Warren entered the game, Indians center fielder Bradley Zimmer was on first after he hit a oneout single. Zimmer stole second and moved to third on a Starlin Castro error, but it was Warren’s fastball in the dirt that got past Yankee catcher Gary Sanchez and allowed Zimmer to scamper home to score.
“The fastball that Adam threw, you don’t see catchers block fastballs in the dirt,” said manager Joe Girardi. “Very seldom are you ever going to see Adam throw a wild pitch with a fastball in the dirt.”
The Yankee skipper praised Sanchez’s defense Monday — Sanchez threw out Jose Ramirez at third in the fourth inning — and said Sanchez is “continuing to improve” behind the plate. Earlier this month in Cleveland, Girardi had been critical of Sanchez’s defense and emphasized he needed to improve and work harder.
“Definitely a tough pitch,” Sanchez said through a translator, referring to Warren’s wild pitch. “When you call a pitch inside, and it ends up being low and outside, and on the ground, it’s hard to block. I tried my best to try to stop it, but I couldn’t.”
Warren has allowed at least one run in each of his last four relief appearances.
“The last couple of outings, I haven’t been as sharp,” said Warren.
HEAVY HEARTS FOR TEXAS
Several players at Yankee Stadium Monday have Texas roots, and in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, they offered candid remarks on the devastation in Houston and the surrounding communities in the southeast part of the Lone Star state. Former Mets outfielder Jay Bruce – traded to Cleveland Aug. 9 – was born in Beaumont, east of Houston, and said he lived in Houston for six years. Bruce still has family in Beaumont, although he said everyone is safe since the hurricane made landfall. His wife and young son are in Cleveland. “We’re very familiar with what’s going on there. The outskirts of Beaumont are starting to get hit pretty hard. It’s a sad situation. The thing that I hope that everyone realizes is that there are strength in numbers. The more help the better,” said Bruce Monday in the visiting dugout at the Stadium. “Anything you can do to help anyone in that area can really be a difference maker. I feel a little bit helpless being here not being able to do my part. I hope everybody knows that my thoughts and my family’s thoughts are with them back home.” Yankees rookie lefty Caleb Smith grew up about an hour from Houston, and he said he remains concerned and in constant contact with friends and family members in the area in the aftermath of Harvey. “My girlfriend and my son are here, but other than that, all of my family is back in Texas,” Smith said. “My mom has an apartment in Houston. She’s kind of trapped in her apartment right now, but she’s fine. I texted her today and she has no flooding in her apartment. I’d like to be there to help her and anybody else who needs help, but there’s only so much I can do from here.”
SCOUTING TRIP
The Daily News confirmed through a source a report that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is en route to Japan to scout phenom outfielder/ pitcher Shohei Otani who plays for the Nippon Ham Fighters. The 23-year-old bats left and throws right, and is batting .345 with five homers in 44 games this season in the Japan League.
NOT AN APPEAL-ING THOUGHT
Girardi said he has no update on the appeals by both catchers, Sanchez and Austin Romine, who are contesting their respective four-game and two-game bans after the two players were involved in a benches-clearing brawl in Detroit Thursday. Sanchez said through an interpreter that he didn’t have an update either, and that his agent was handling the matter. It’s possible Sanchez could lose his grievance and be out for the upcoming fourgame series against the Red Sox starting Thursday. “It’s something that you are worried about, but my focus really is today. I mean, it’s possible, but I don’t think we have any word on it yet,” said Girardi.
NO HOLLIDAY
Designated hitter Matt Holliday (left lumbar strain) most likely won’t join the Yankees this week and Girardi said the slugger is “continuing to rehab.”
“(Holliday) might go to Scranton (Wilkes-Barre Triple-A RailRiders) for a few days. We’re going to take a look at that. The weather hasn’t been cooperating a whole lot in Tampa. So that’s something we’re going to look at,” said Girardi.