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The Yankees scored a whopping 31 runs over their last two games, including 17 today as they handily defeated the Blue Jays. I think the offense is ready for the season to start.
Here are three takeaways from the game:
1. It was all about the long ball today. Aaron Judge kicked off the impromptu Home Run Derby with a solo shot to left in the first inning. Greg Bird worked a walk, then Gleyber Torres mashed a home run of his own to left field. In the second, Gio Urshela continued to make the most of his big league hits, and knocked a two-run bomb to deep center. Jorge Saez replaced Judge in the fourth, then contributed to the Bombers’ lead with a two-run blast. They added two more runs to the board in the seventh via a Matt Lipka dinger. Finally, Zack Zehner knocked yet another two-run shot in the eight to make it a 17-7 game.
2. On the other side, today marked J.A. Happ’s fourth outing of the spring, and he continued to struggle to keep the ball in the park. He surrendered a two-run homer in the second (though to be fair, it should have been just one run—Brett Gardner had a bad read on the bloop hit that came before that and took a step backwards). Happ wasn’t able to get out of the inning without giving up another home run, his sixth of the spring. It’s a small sample size, but that’s something to keep an eye on.
Happ blamed the two homers he allowed to the Jays on missed location. Also said he was working on his slider and his change up today. Full interview on YES soon.
— Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES) March 16, 2019
3. It’s always fun to see the Yankees on the winning side of a high-scoring game, and everyone contributed. Aside from the players who belted home runs, many of the prospects played well. Estevan Florial walked, singled, and stole a base, and Thairo Estrada tripled and doubled. Pretty much every player who made it into the lineup did something good today. Even Clint Frazier, who has gotten off to a slow start, knocked a two-run triple!
Highlight of the Game
The Judge has ruled that the baseball should be removed from the ballpark. The decision will be carried out immediately. pic.twitter.com/xb9ywAb0CH
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 16, 2019
Tomorrow is the Yankees’ last split-squad day of the spring. Half of the team will travel to Sarasota to take on Baltimore at 1:05 ET. The other half will travel to Clearwater to play the Phillies, also at 1:05 ET. Jonathan Loaisiga will start the first game, and James Paxton will face Philadelphia.