Bauers is part of first-base solution in Rizzo’s absence
Less than two weeks after his Bronx Bombers debut, Jake Bauers crushed an opposite-field home run into the Yankee Stadium bullpen beyond the wall in left-center — a rare feat for a left-handed hitter.
That 420-foot blast on May 9 captured the attention of Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who has continued to lean more and more on the 27-year-old journeyman in the months since.
Originally called up in late April to help fill the Yankees’ left-field void, Bauers recently returned to his original position of first base in the sudden absence of Anthony Rizzo, who is out indefinitely with post-concussion syndrome. Saturday’s game against the Houston Astros marked Bauers’ third consecutive start at first after Rizzo went on the injured list Thursday.
“He’s been really good,” Boone said Saturday of Bauers. “Kind of been a revelation for us, and I think a very interesting player moving forward.”
“I didn’t necessarily see this coming,” the manager continued. “He got off to a tremendous start at Triple-A. All the reports were, ‘This is real and he looks really good.’ He’s come up and really impacted the ball and had really consistent, quality at-bats. He’s a real threat in the box and I think he’s got a bright future.”
Indeed, Bauers followed up a strong spring training with nine home runs in his first 21 games with Triple-A Scranton/WilkesBarre. He joined the Yankees for an April 29 road game against the Texas Rangers, during which he departed in the first inning after crashing into the left-field wall on a sliding catch.
Bauers avoided serious damage to his right knee and has since delivered his share of damage at the plate. He slugged his 11th home run of the year in Saturday afternoon’s game against Houston, hours after hitting his 10th on Friday night. Boone has used him throughout the Yankees’ lineup this season, including in the leadoff spot Saturday.
Boone said Bauers didn’t immediately jump out to him at spring training, where he collected 11 hits in 27 at-bats, but he quickly impressed after his call-up.
“You saw it in his batting practice, then he was getting some results in the games,” Boone said. “He hits that ball into our bullpen in left-center. It’s like, ‘That’s different.’ He’s kind of shown what he’s capable of doing.”
Bauers debuted with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018, primarily playing first base that season. He later suited up with Cleveland and Seattle before signing a minor-league contract with the Yankees last year.
That April 29 game was his first in the major leagues since 2021. Before his Yankees debut, Bauers attributed his torrid play at Triple-A to finding new ways to handle success, failure and adversity.
“Getting out of my own way. Kind of figured out myself mentally a little bit, and that allowed me to figure out myself physically,” Bauers said in April. “I feel like I’m just in a good spot right now and I’m not looking to really change anything.”
Judge returns to right
Aaron Judge returned to right field Saturday, marking the first time he played the position in a week and the second time since returning from an injured big toe that kept him out nearly two months.
Judge, 31, had been the Yankees designated hitter in six of the previous seven games he started since coming off the injured list on July 28. He didn’t start Friday’s game against the Astros but pinch-hit in the seventh inning.
Boone expects to put Judge back at DH on Sunday and have Giancarlo Stanton return to right field. Stanton, who was the DH on Saturday, played right field in Wednesday and Thursday’s games.
Yankees discuss struggling Severino
The morning after Luis Severino struggled through his latest loss, Boone said the Yankees are still discussing whether the righthander will make his next start.
Severino surrendered five runs in four innings Friday against the Astros, dropping his record to 2-6 and inflating his ERA to 7.74.
“We’ve been discussing it for the last several days, even before this,” Boone said Saturday. “His next [start] would be Wednesday ahead of the off day, so we’ll kind of see what it looks like as we get into that point.”
Nestor Cortes rejoined the Yankees rotation Saturday, but the pitching staff recently lost Domingo German, who is likely done for the season as he attends inpatient treatment for alcohol abuse.
Asked Friday about a potential move to the bullpen, Severino said he views himself as a starting pitcher “right now” but suggested he’s open to “whatever they need me to do.”
“We’ve got to do what’s best for the team and for Sevy in trying to get him sharp with his execution,” Boone said Saturday. “I think Sevy will do what he’s got to do and we’ll continue to work to try and get him consistent.”