HE’S JAY-OK!
Stroman, one possible Yankee trade target, looks sharp in his Bronx ‘audition’ as Bombers beat Toronto
Aaron Judge isn’t so much scoreboard watching right now as keeping an eye on the transaction wire. The Yankee slugger knows where the Bombers stand right now. After beating the
Blue Jays 4-2 at the Stadium Sunday, they have a healthy sixgame lead in the American League East.
But Judge also knows things can change quickly after the July 31
MLB trade deadline.
On Saturday night, the Red Sox’s move to acquire Andrew Cashner caught his eye and he’s eager to see how his GM Brian Cashman counters that move.
“It always gets a little interesting around this time of year near the trade deadline. You are always watching to see what kind of moves are made,” Judge said. “What kind of move we’ll make.
We’ve got a quality team here, we have a good group of guys.
“Whoever we add is gonna hopefully bolster that and put us in a good position We’re in pretty good spot.”
Sunday, Masahiro Tanaka pitched six strong innings, allowing two runs — both on solo homers — as the Yankees (59-32) clinched the series over the Blue Jays (35-59), putting the Yankees in a good spot heading into this week’s important series with the Rays.
But almost everyone at the Stadium on Sunday was focused on the Blue Jays’ ace, Marcus Stroman.
Cashman has talked openly about reinforcing and adding to the Yankees pitching for the push down the stretch. Stroman, a Long Island native, is one of the best pitchers who is most likely to be moved before July 31 and the Yankees have been
scouting every start of his for the last month.
Sunday, the 28-year-old suffered his 10th loss of the season despite posting his 12th quality start He allowed three earned runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out seven in six innings. Stroman, who made it clear last month that he craves pitching in the spotlight that comes with the Bronx, matched a career-high with his 10th loss, but has received two earned runs of support or less in 14 of his 19 starts this season.
“He’s got good movement on his fastball. He can throw any pitch at any time. He has a good little cutter he’s starting to throw slider, curveball and he’ll throw any pitch at any time and he works both sides of the plate,” Judge said of Stroman. “When you’ve got a guy with that kind of movement and put it inside corner, outside corner it makes it tough and kind of keep you off balance. We were able to scratch those two and then get it to the bullpen.”
Pitching on 14 days of rest because of the All-Star break, and an issue with his pectoral muscle, Stroman did not allow a home run — a trait that has set him apart this season with the ball flying out of the park. He has allowed 10 homers over 19 starts.
Stroman has struck out 88 over 146.2 innings pitched this season and posted a 3.25 ERA.
The Yankees had to grind out their runs against him.
Gio Urshela, who is hitting .362 with runners in scoring position, singled in two off Stroman in the second. After Tanaka gave up homers to Randal Grichuk and Eric Sogard in the top of the fifth, Urshela singled and then scored on a wild pitch during Judge’s at-bat. He was initially ruled out, but video replay overturned that, saying Urshela slid around Danny Jansen and got his foot to the plate before the young Jays catcher attempted to tag him on the upper body.
Mike Tauchman, who made a terrific diving catch in the top of the sixth, hit his fifth homer off Derek Law in the seventh.
Tauchman and Urshela are two of the previously unknown players who stepped up during the Yankees’ epidemic of injuries this season. And despite the fact that Cashman has talked openly about the need to bolster the Yankees’ pitching, Aaron Boone is loyal to the group that has not only persevered, but thrived to this point. The Yankees manager reiterated his confidence in this group Sunday, while acknowledging that things can change.
“That group in there is capable of being the best team in baseball. Capable of being the best team in the world,” Boone said. “That said, Cash is gonna look around every corner to where we can improve, whether it’s in a big way or at the margins or whatever. And if something comes to fruition, then great, but we know we have the guys capable of doing something special.”