Cat entertains fans & players
In the eighth inning of the Yankees’ 7-1 loss to the Orioles in the Bronx, the fans at Yankee Stadium finally had something to cheer for. A clearly terrified grey cat ran onto the field, delaying the game for nearly four minutes as it sprinted from the third base line out to the left field wall. It twice evaded security and grounds crew to chants of “M-V-P,” in the bottom of the eighth inning, before being corralled off into the left-field stands.
“That thing was pretty elusive to catch there,” Yankees left fielder Joey Gallo said. “Their tactics to get it I think we could work on, but the thing was quick.
“So I actually had to call time because the catcher and the umpire and (Aaron) Judge (who was at-bat), they didn’t see it. So I pointed this out... I just heard all the fans yelling and whatnot but uh, pretty cool, I guess. Weird moment but interesting for baseball.”
STANTON IN OUTFIELD OFFERS FLEXIBILITY
It had been 21 months since Giancarlo Stanton had played a game in the outfield when he took the field Friday night in Miami. Now the slugger has played in the outfield three out of the last four games. Monday night was the first time Stanton — who was playing in right field — had taken the field as a defensive player at Yankee Stadium since September 22, 2019.
It loosens up the Yankees lineup, which had almost permanently had him in the designated hitter spot for the past year and a half, and gives Aaron Boone more versatility.
“The ability to get out there once or twice a week is really beneficial team wise,” Boone said before the Bombers’ opener against the Orioles at the Stadium. “We’re in the middle of 17 games in a row right now. (Aaron) Judge coming off the COVID (injury list) and playing every day allows me to DH him today coming off the road trip.
“I was really encouraged by what I saw out in Miami, I thought….. It’s like riding a bike, I thought he looked really good out there, a really seamless transition for him,” Boone continued.
Stanton played just 18 games in 2019 because of a litany of injuries that began with a biceps problem and then included leg issues. He missed half of last year’s abbreviated, 60-game COVID-19 season with a leg injury. The Yankees used him in the DH to try and keep him in the lineup without risking injury.
It also limited how the Yankees could use their bats. For example, when Gerrit Cole preferred to throw to back-up catcher Kyle Higashioka, Boone could not use the DH to get Gary Sanchez’s bat in the lineup.
KLUBER MOVING AHEAD
Corey Kluber, who has been out since late May with a shoulder injury, threw to live hitters for the first time Monday afternoon. Yankee GM Brian Cashman said on SiriusXM radio Sunday that Kluber and Luis Severino are expected back between Aug. 22 and Sept. 1.
This was a big step for Kluber.
“I thought it went really well. I think he ended up throwing 22 pitches. All his pitches, the breaking ball from the side, looked like the Corey Kluber breaking ball where he got some swings and misses on,” Boone said. “So I thought it was another really positive step. I know he felt good coming out of it. So we’ll see now and in bouncing back tomorrow and then before his next bullpen before doing another live (batting practice), but I thought today was a really good step.”
Severino, who had his rehab from March 2020 Tommy John interrupted by a groin injury, is expected to make his first minor league rehab start since June Tuesday night with Double-A Somerset.
DJ’S BACK
DJ LeMahieu, who was dealing with what the team said was a minor triceps strain, was back in the starting lineup Monday for the first time since Friday. He was playing second base, making it easier on his arm.
“I think he kind of wanted to get in there yesterday . ... When I checked on him this afternoon, he said, ‘Let’s go, good to go.’ And the trainers are good with it,” Boone said. “And like I said, the diagnosis we got on him, we felt like it was good news overall.”
LeMahieu was forced to play in the field as a reserve Saturday night when Gleyber Torres was ejected. With Gio Urshela nursing a left hamstring issue, Boone had to scramble to cover the infield.