clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Around the Empire: Yankees News - 10/17/19

Tauchman is healthy and ready; Tanaka to start tonight; Boone is not sure when Stanton will return; Astros manager refers to pitch-tipping controversy as “funny”

MLB: Texas Rangers at New York Yankees Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

Newsday | Erik Boland: Game Four of the American League Championship Series, which was scheduled to be played last night, was postponed due to rain. Yankees manager Aaron Boone had stated that it was going to be a bullpen game, but after yesterday’s events, he has anointed Japanese postseason hero Masahiro Tanaka the starter. Houston’s counterpart A.J. Hinch will use Zack Greinke. Boone also said that he would “likely” use James Paxton in Game Five.

New York Post | Joel Sherman: Mike Tauchman, who excelled for the Yankees in the regular season before injury, is now healthy and in consideration to be included for the World Series should New York make it that far. The outfielder suffered a left calf strain on September 9 and has been out of action since then. Brian Cashman told Sherman that “he is healthy and eligible” and “that is why he has been down in Tampa doing all his stuff.” He may even be included in the roster against the Houston Astros if the Yankees decide to drop Giancarlo Stanton due to an injured quad, but that would make him ineligible for the Fall Classic.

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Speaking of Stanton, Hoch reported that he got to enjoy an extra day of rest and treatment for his strained right quadriceps, Aaron Boone doesn’t know whether he will be ready to be included in the lineup tonight. “I’m not sure. I’m not really close to making that decision yet,” Boone said. “That’ll be something that we kind of work through [Wednesday] and possibly into [Thursday] before I make that decision.”

ESPN.com: Much has been made about Rays and Yankees hurlers tipping their pitches against the Astros. Houston manager A.J. Hinch referred to the whole paranoia regarding the subject as “kind of funny” and said that if rivals “don’t want to tip their pitches, then they should take consideration into doing the same thing over and over again.’’ The Astros allegedly used the tactic to take advantage of Tampa starter Tyler Glasnow and Yankee pitchers James Paxton and Luis Severino.