Young stars light up Yankees skies
Gardner closing in on first 100-run season
ARLINGTON, Texas — Round numbers and all-time records possess the power both to fire us up and calm us down. They fire us up when we’ve already boarded a bandwagon. They calm us down when we’ve been looking to abandon ship.
Sunday’s pinstriped fireworks at Globe Life Park probably did a little of both.
In their 16-7 pounding of the Rangers, a win that allowed them to gain ground on both the Red Sox and the Twins — they’re now both 3 ½ games out of the American League East and in front of the AL wild-card derby — the Yankees saw their two young studs, Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez, each go deep twice, reaching multiples of 10 and joining heroes — and perhaps reminding detractors just how good they’ve been — in the process.
Judge hit homers 40 and 41 on the season, and he drew walk 107, setting the major league single-season rookie record, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Sanchez slugged home runs 29 and 30.
“It’s incredi- ble, what these kids have done,” manager Joe Girardi said. “And there’s still three weeks to go.” These kids both have generated more than their share of consternation even as they’ve compiled such superb statistics. With the Yankees having won seven of 10 games and putting themselves in strong position to play postseason ball — they play 17 of their final 20 regular-season games at home, including the next three in a “road” series against the displaced Rays at Citi Field — Judge’s and Sanchez’s assets far outshine their liabilities. Here is the list of Yankees who have gone deep 40 or more times in their age-25 season or younger, in chronological order: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Judge. “Pretty surreal,” said Judge, 25. “Never as a kid would I ever think that I’d be in the same sentence as those guys. It’s quite an honor. It’s pretty humbling.” He also joined Mark McGwire as the only rookies to hit more than 40 homers in a season. McGwire’s record of 49 looks difficult but not impossible for Judge to catch. The walks, too, mean much to Judge and to his team. The Yankees made sure to get the ball from his second-inning ball four against Rangers starters A.J. Griffin. “Just getting on base,” he said. “With the team I have around me, all I have to do is get on base for them and they’ll drive me in. My goal all year has been to get on base with knock or a walk.”
Judge’s overall numbers look ridiculously good and should get him unanimous support for AL Rookie of the Year honors. But his post-Home Run Derby flameout sent panic through Yankees Universe and gave us a long debate about when and how much Girardi should lower Judge in the lineup. Girardi eventually lowered Judge a few notches (he hit sixth Sunday) and also benched him for a few days last month in the hopes of recharging his batteries.
The right fielder still hasn’t turned back into the offensive machine he was in the first half. He might never be that guy again. However, in his past seven games, Judge has a .292/ .455/.833 slash line with four homers. Sunday marked his first day in that stretch with more than one hit, yet he has reached base twice or more in five of these games thanks to his walks.
Then there’s Sanchez, 24, who has endured arguably more 2017 grief than Judge after his spectacular twomonth debut last year. He received a scolding and benching from Girardi for his defense. He agreed to a three-game suspension from Major League Baseball for his role in a bench-clearing brawl with the Tigers on Aug. 24. Here he is, though, still standing and still hitting.
“At this point now, I’m feeling pretty good,” Sanchez said through an interpreter. “I’m getting good results. I’ve had highs and lows throughout the season. But I’ve always kept my head up. Keep working hard.”
Keep producing like this, and Sanchez’s and Judge’s stocks will climb toward more milestones and records. Those, not the down times, will stand the test of time and fire you up all over again.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Brett Gardner said in spring training that a goal of his for this season was to score 100 runs, which is something he hasn’t done at any level of professional baseball.
“On one hand it’s just a number, but on the other it’s important to set goals and reach them,’’ said Gardner who scored twice in the Yankees’ 16-7 win over the Rangers on Sunday at Globe Life Park.
With 20 games remaining, Gardner has 88 runs scored. His career-high is 97 in 2010.
“One hundred would be nice because I am not a guy who drives himself in 30 to 40 times,” Gardner said. “It would mean I am getting on base and the guys in the lineup would get credit. [Aaron] Judge has already scored a hundred and we need that because the last few years the offense has been a little disappointing.’’
Didi Gregorius tied a career-high with four hits. He also drove in four runs. He has 10 RBIs in the last six games and is batting .385 (10-for-26) in that stretch. His 41 multi-hit games are the most by a Yankee this season.
Dellin Betances gave up two runs in the eighth inning Sunday when he walked two. He was pitching for the first time since Tuesday when he gave up a two-run, game-winning homer to Manny Machado in Baltimore and eventually was replaced by Aroldis Chapman as closer.
Getting hit by pitches twice Saturday and once each Thursday and Friday didn’t factor into manager Joe Girardi’s decision not to start third baseman Todd Frazier on Sunday.
“We have four guys for three spots and I am just trying to keep them all involved,’’ said Girardi, who started Chase Headley at third base and Greg Bird at first base.
The fourth guy in the equation is Matt Holliday who would have been the DH if not for Girardi using Gary Sanchez there with Austin Romine catching Jordan Montgomery.
“You look at a couple of days in advance and try to put something together,” Girardi said. “It’s not been difficult.’’
As for Frazier, he had a knot on his left elbow after Saturday’s victory, but said Sunday he was fine.
Since Aaron Hicks went on the disabled list Sept. 3 with a strained left oblique muscle, the Yankees have been limited to three outfielders with extensive big league experience. They do have Tyler Wade and Tyler Austin to serve as fourth outfielders if necessary, but neither — even in the minor leagues — has spent a lot of time playing in the outfield.
That could change this coming week when Clint Frazier could be activated from the DL.
“I am not sure when he is coming,’’ Girardi said of Frazier, who has been out since Aug. 9 with a strained left oblique muscle. “But I expect him sometime [this] week.’’
In four postseason games for Double-A Trenton in the Eastern League playoffs, Frazier went 2-for-17 (.118) and has struck out 10 times.