New York Yankees v Seattle Mariners / Stephen Brashear/GettyImages
Right before the start of the postseason, the New York Yankees lost both Nestor Cortes and Anthony Rizzo to injuries. We’d call it “devastating” but it’s exactly what this organization and fanbase is used to by now.
Cortes was the more impactful loss because of how valuable pitching is come October. He’s expected to remain out for the ALDS with a flexor strain in his throwing arm. Many suspected such an injury would more than likely wipe him out for the entire playoff run.
But the Yankees got news on Sunday that could foster some positive thinking. Cortes played catch for the first time since hitting the shelf with the injury (he hasn’t thrown since Sept. 18). Should the Yankees advance to the ALCS, play will begin on Monday.
That gives Cortes a week to try and get up to speed. That sounds rather aggressive and unrealistic, so it’s likely the Yankees take it day by day and put him on the roster later down the road should he respond well.
It could be a massive boost for the pitching staff, which only features 11 arms during the NLDS against the Kansas City Royals.
Yankees News: Nestor Cortes injury update, Alex Verdugo comments, Aaron Judge
Though it was ugly, the Yankees triumphed against the Royals in Game 1 on Saturday. They eked out a narrow 6-5 win thanks to Alex Verdugo, who made a couple of great defensive plays and went 2-for-3 with the game-winning RBI and a walk. For all those lobbying for Jasson Dominguez to get the start, Verdugo made an emphatic statement with his play despite his season-long struggles.
What made it better was that he was extremely candid in the postgame. He knew fans were getting on him while he was letting his performance crater. He knew they had every right to get on him. And he was very much upset with himself.
We’re not going to sit here and pretend like Verdugo’s 2024 output is all of a sudden forgivable because he came through in the postseason opener. His solid play will need to sustain in order for that to happen. That said, the talent is there. The clutch ability is there. He just has to put it all together and focus in order to make it happen. Then we can talk about the ultimate praise.
On the other side of the coin in Game 1, Aaron Judge had a concerning outing. After going 0-for-5 with five strikeouts in his final regular season appearance, Judge went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts against the Royals, as KC perfectly executed their plan to use Michael Wacha against him.
It felt like more of the same for Judge in the postseason. Though Yankees fans can be harsh at times, Judge really hasn’t been an October stalwart outside of a few key moments. And they’ve never really been magnified because the Yankees never won.
The numbers in totality look bad, too. Judge is hitting .206 with a .758 OPS with 69 strikeouts in 45 games. Yes, his 13 home runs and 25 RBI are solid, but he also only has four doubles. It’s a very bizarre mish-mash of statistics for somebody who has put up three surefire MVP seasons as well as abbreviated ones due to injury.
That said, Judge’s focus seems like it might be on another level based on what he told ESPN prior to the start of the postseason. He said “If you don’t win [it all], then what’s the point?” while acknowledging the Yankees’ winning culture.
We like the sound of it. Now we just need to see it put to the test.
News
Robert Saleh Makes Heartbreaking Admission As He Breaks His Silence After Being Fired By The New York Jets
Robert Saleh (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) Robert Saleh made a sad admission in the wake of his firing, revealing that he was taken by surprise when he was informed of the Jets’ decision to part ways with him. The…
Grizzlies Star Ja Morant Said He’s “Done” After Suffering An Ankle Injury During The Preseason Game Against The Mavericks
Ja Morant (Image Credit: Getty Images) The Memphis Grizzlies kicked off their season on a high note with a thrilling 121-116 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in their first preseason game on Monday night. However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing…
VIDEO: Cameras Caught Travis Kelce & Taylor Swift Engaging In Some Intense PDA Right In Front Of Their Dads After Chiefs’ MNF Win
Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift and their dads. (Photo via TikTok) Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce thought nobody would be watching them, but they were surely wrong. The Chiefs’ 26-13 win over the Saints on “Monday Night Football” had a family feel for…
Elliotte Friedman Hints at Possible Injury to Maple Leafs Goalie After Surprising Roster Move
Insider Elliotte Friedman hinted at a possible injury to a Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender after the organization is set to make a surprising roster move. The Toronto Maple Leafs 2024-25 NHL season is finally starting tonight! The Leafs will play…
Nicholas Pryor, Beverly Hills, 90210 and Risky Business actor, dies at 89
Pryor had worked professionally since the ’50s. Actor Nicholas Pryor, known for roles in films like Risky Business and Less Than Zero, plus TV’s Beverly Hills, 90210 and several soap operas, has died. He was 89. Pryor’s publicist confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that he died from cancer…
Fernando Tatis Jr. puts MLB insider on blast for Machado hit piece after Padres win
Yeah, it’s safe to say the San Diego Padres read Ken Rosenthal’s article about Manny Machado. Division Series – Los Angeles Dodgers v San Diego Padres – Game 3 / Harry How/GettyImages The San Diego Padres defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers by a run…
End of content
No more pages to load