Around the Empire: Yankees news - 8/27/17

Around the Empire

The New York Times | Wallace Matthews: Since joining the Yankees, Sonny Gray has pitched well. Very well. Yesterday, Gray pitched the best game of his pinstriped career, finally got some run support, and came away with the win. This particular win was extra special for Gray due to the emotional significance of the day. On August 26, 2004, Gray’s father died in a car accident. This was the first time since that tragic day that Gray has pitched on August 26th. Give this article a read. It’s well worth it.

MLB.com | Danny Knobler: GREG BIRD! Greg Bird is back off the DL and back in the lineup. Bird got a hit and two walks. His at-bats already looked a lot better from the beginning of the year. More patience and less hacking. It’s only his first game back, but it was definitely a promising return for the young first baseman. Fly, Greg Bird fly!

New York Post | Steve Serby: Starlin Castro made his return to the Yankees a day before the Greg Bird did. Castro contributed to the Yankees’ offense in yesterday’s game. While he was on the DL, Ronald Torreyes did an excellent job of covering for him in his absence. The Yankees’ utility infielder sat down with Steve Serby and answered some questions. Feel free to give it a read.

Newsday | David Lennon: The Yankees are currently paying two particular players a lot of money to not quite do the job they’re being paid to do. Three, if you count Alex Rodriguez. The two this article talks about are Jacoby Ellsbury and Aroldis Chapman. The topic is which contract seems worse. Ellsbury is now a bench player and Chapman is no longer closing. Both are on the Yankees for another three to four years. Ellsbury could build himself back up and perhaps waive his NTC to play full-time for another team. Chapman could rebound from his meh 2017 over the winter. We’ll see.

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