Garcia, Betances miffed at early hooks in victory
Jaime Garcia has never played in a market this size. Nor has he been part of a team that houses as deep and talented a bullpen as the Yankees.
Had Garcia done both before he might have better understood why Joe Girardi took the ball from him in the fifth inning and one out away from qualifying for a 3-2 win over the Rays on Wednesday at Citi Field in front of 13,159.
“I don’t want to come out of any game,’’ said Garcia, who was skipped the last time through the rotation and hadn’t worked since Aug. 30. “It’s human nature, we don’t want to come out of the game.’’
As Garcia handed Girardi the ball and walked off the hill he was clearly annoyed. That didn’t subside in the dugout when Girardi stopped him to explain why he made the move, and the pitcher looked like he didn’t want to hear it. Yet, as long as the situation doesn’t linger, Girardi has no problem.
“I tell all my players, ‘I don’t want you to want to come out, I want you to stay in.’ I don’t take too much in the heat of the moment,” Girardi said. “I want competitors and I went up to him and said, ‘I understand if you are mad at me.’ I was happy he didn’t want to come out.’’
With strikeout machine Chad Green ready, Girardi brought the right-hander to face Evan Longoria with a runner on first, two outs and the Yankees leading, 3-1.
Green didn’t get a punch out, but Longoria was retired on a stress-free fly to center. In the next frame, Green used 98-mph fastballs to finish off Logan Morrison, Steven Souza Jr. and Adeiny Hechavarria.
Garcia said he couldn’t lie and say a personal win wouldn’t have been nice, but understands where the Yankees are with 17 games left in the season.
“The major goal is to help the team win,’’ said Garcia, who gave up a run on five hits, walked one and fanned four. “It’s a big win.’’
The Yankees’ eighth win in 11 games earned them a fourth straight series win and moved them to within three lengths of the AL Eastleading Red Sox, who lost 7-3 to the Athletics. The Yankees remained three games ahead of Minnesota in the race for the top AL wildcard spot after the Twins’ 3-1 win over the Padres. Three runs in the second inning against Chris Archer thanks to Brett Gardner’s two-run single and Todd Frazier’s RBI single gave Garcia an early cushion. He gave one run back in the third when Kevin Kiermaier homered.
Dellin Betances snapped his head back on the mound in the eighth when Girardi hooked him for Aroldis Chapman with Longoria on first and two outs. Longoria scored on Hechavarria’s single to center, but Chapman regrouped and fanned pinch-hitter Wilson Ramos.
Chapman walked Curt Casali to start the ninth, but fanned Brad Miller, Kiermaier and Lucas Duda to post his 18th save.
“I didn’t have a chance to, I will talk to him [Thursday],’’ Girardi said of Betances who wasn’t in the clubhouse during media access. “He is a competitor and wants to be out there. I am OK with that.’’
Chapman walking two, giving up a hit and allowing an inherited runner to score wasn’t the way the Yankees wanted to end it, but the drama caused by Girardi’s decisions was washed away by a victory.
“You go through rough patches and that’s what happened today,’’ said Chapman, who admitted being caught off guard when Girardi lifted Betances. “He is a really good reliever. I was a little surprised.’’