They beat the Royals, 5-2, Wednesday on a day in which the heat index soared well over 100 degrees at Kauffman Field.

The Yankees scored three runs in the first and used six pitchers to win their seventh game in their last nine, as they battle for a playoff spot with 20 players shelved.

And once again, it didn’t come easy, as the Royals brought the potential tying run to the plate with one out in the bottom of the ninth thanks to a hit by pitch and an error before the struggling Zack Britton got pinch-hitter Carlos Santana to hit into a game-ending double play.

Clay Holmes became the latest Yankee to be shelved, placed on the COVID-IL.

The Yankees got off to a fast start, as DJ LeMahieu led off with a walk and the Yankees loaded the bases with a lined single to center by Aaron Judge and a Joey Gallo walk.

Luke Voit came through with a two-run single to right and Rougned Odor drove in another run with a single to left to make it 3-0.

Lucas Luetge, used as an opener, gave a run back in the bottom of the inning, as the pesky Whit Merrifield singled to start the inning, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a Salvador Perez groundout.

Tyler Wade sparked a two-run fourth with a leadoff double, scoring on a LeMahieu single. And LeMahieu came around to score on another hit by Judge.

Albert Abreu pitched well in relief of Luetge, allowing just a run in 2 ¹/₃ innings.

Left-hander Joely Rodriguez finished the fifth before Chad Green tossed two scoreless innings, striking out three.

Jonathan Loaisiga pitched the eighth and Britton, in the midst of his worst stretch in years, closed it in the ninth for the save.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

Holmes reported symptoms and the team was awaiting test results. Brooks Kriske was activated to take his place on the roster before Wednesday’s game against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

The Yankees already are without Anthony Rizzo, Gary Sanchez, Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery, who were part of the team’s most recent outbreak. 

Asked Tuesday about the team’s troubles with COVID, which has now sidelined 12 players over the course of the season, Zack Britton said it was “frustrating.”

“We don’t know why it keeps happening,’’ Britton said Tuesday. “We’re over 90 percent vaccinated [as a traveling group]. We did everything we felt we needed to do to protect ourselves.”

Rizzo is the only Yankee who has publicly said they were not vaccinated, but the team has had at least one other non-breakthrough case.

On getting the vaccine, Britton said, “We knew it didn’t mean you can’t get COVID, but it lessens the symptoms — which it has in some cases and hasn’t in others. Guys are still getting severe symptoms like they never got the vaccine.”

And Britton said he has no answers as to why they have had so many cases.

“It’s hard to say,’’ Britton said. “Guys have been coming to the field, playing baseball. I know guys aren’t going out doing stuff they shouldn’t be doing. I feel like I’m pretty in tune with the team and guys’ thinking… I don’t know why we’re leading the pack and other teams seem not to have any cases. At this point, it’s pretty annoying.”

The Yankees are still on the outside looking in to the playoffs.

“We’re trying to win games and have a lot of important guys out,’’ Britton said. “It’s aggravating.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

Aaron Boone said before the game, “I’d like to win some easier going forward from time to time.”

But as much as Boone hoped Monday’s wild 11-inning win would prove to be a spark, reality set in Tuesday, when the Yankees had to let Nestor Cortes pitch into the sixth inning for the first time and then go to the inexperienced Stephen Ridings as the game unravelled. It ended in an 8-4 loss to the Royals in which the Yankees committed a season-high four errors.

The streaking Rays beat the Red Sox for their fifth consecutive victory, so the Yankees fell to seven games back of first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.

After an RBI single by DJ LeMahieu gave the Yankees a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth, Salvador Perez took Cortes deep to open the bottom of the inning.

Cortes was replaced by Ridings after Emmanuel Rivera’s two-out single in the seventh. Ridings, pitching in his fourth game in the majors, gave up a double to left-center to Dozier, which scored Rivera from first, putting the Royals ahead, 5-4.

The night got worse for Ridings in the seventh. He gave up another booming double to left-center, this one to Michael A. Taylor. Hanser Alberto then bunted back to Ridings, who bounced the throw to first, which got away from LeMahieu. Taylor scored and Alberto moved to second.

Joely Rodriguez replaced Ridings and Lopez dropped down a safety squeeze, which scored Alberto.

Luke Voit committed the Yankees’ fourth error on an Andrew Benintendi grounder to lead off the bottom of the eighth against Nick Nelson.

After a pair of walks by Nelson sent Benintendi to third, he scored on an Alberto sacrifice fly for the third unearned run allowed by the Yankees on the night.

The Yankees had initially overcome a slow beginning to Cortes’ start after the lefty had pitched well in his prior two outings.

Whit Merrifield led off the bottom of the first with a single to center and Perez hit his first of two homers off Cortes, this one a two-run shot to left-center with one out, to give the Royals an early 2-0 lead.

The Yankees got a run back in the third.

Andrew Velazquez drilled a one-out double to center and moved to third on a long fly ball to center by LeMahieu.

Velazquez scored on a wild pitch by Daniel Lynch to make it 2-1.

Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge followed with singles before Joey Gallo whiffed.

Kyle Higashioka put the Yankees up 3-2 with his 408-foot two-run homer in the fourth, after a Rougned Odor walk.

Cortes settled in after the Perez homer, at one point retiring 10 in a row.

The Yankees had a chance to add to their lead when they loaded the bases in the fifth on three walks, but with two out, Domingo Tapia came in and struck out Odor.

After Cortes retired the first two batters in the fifth, Merrifield doubled and stole third. Higashioka’s throw was high and wide, and Odor had to jump over a sliding Merrifield to try to catch it. The ball defected into left field and Merrifield scored on Higashioka’s throwing error, his second of the game, to tie it at 3-3.

The Yankees went up again in the sixth.

Jonathan Davis walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Velazquez struck out, LeMahieu singled to right to knock in Davis with the go-ahead run before the Yankees let it slip away.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

Manager Aaron Boone said the Yankees have been unable to determine exactly what has caused Frazier’s issues, testing for concussion-related symptoms, as well as vision issues. 

“I know he’s in a pretty good place,’’ Boone said before the Yankees faced the Royals on Tuesday at Kauffman Stadium. 

But when asked if there was even a spot for Frazier on the roster after the addition of Joey Gallo, Boone didn’t say yes. 

“We’ll see,’’ Boone said. “That’s a ways off to even think about. … I’m not gonna speculate. Our roster is as fluid as it could possibly be. Every time I’m making a plan for the next few days, something gets turned upside down.” 

Boone did note: “We know what Clint is capable [of] and his talent. He needs to get games under his belt.” 

Giancarlo Stanton started in left field Tuesday. 

Anthony Rizzo, one of four Yankees currently on the COVID-19 injured list is “doing a little better,” according to Boone. 

“He’s feeling OK,’’ Boone said of Rizzo, a cancer survivor who said publicly in June that he hadn’t been vaccinated. “He has some symptoms.” 

Gary Sanchez had symptoms for “several days,’’ according to Boone, but “felt really good [Tuesday]. … He turned a corner the last couple days.” 

As for Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery — also out with COVID-19 — Boone said they might rejoin the team on the road trip this week and possibly will throw bullpen sessions this weekend, when the Yankees are in Chicago to play the White Sox. 

“We’ll evaluate where they are as far as when we insert them back in [the rotation],’’ Boone said. 

Luis Severino (elbow surgery, strained groin) is scheduled to make another rehab start Friday and could be back with the Yankees next week, while Corey Kluber is due to make his first rehab start from a strained shoulder on Thursday. 

Domingo German (shoulder inflammation) could throw a bullpen session Thursday. 

Boone said there was no update on Aroldis Chapman, on the IL with left elbow inflammation. 

Not generally known for their speed or prowess on the basepaths, the Yankees lead the majors with 20 stolen bases since the All-Star break.

The Yankees have already used 57 players this season, their second-highest total in history (58 in 2014).

Andrew Velazquez started at shortstop for a second straight game after being promoted from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Monday. The Bronx native went 0-for-4 in his Yankees debut Monday. 

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

The 27-year-old starred at Fordham Prep and said he grew up going to Yankee games.

“This is where my love for baseball began,” Velazquez said of the Yankees on Monday, shortly before starting at shortstop for the Yankees in a wild, 8-6, 11-inning win. “I’m looking forward to putting the uniform on.”

He ended up going hitless, but scoring a run and making several fine defensive plays at short before Rougned Odor pinch-hit for him in the 11th.

Velazquez is from the Morris Park section of The Bronx and was drafted in the seventh round of the 2012 draft by the Diamondbacks and reached the majors with the Rays in 2018 and then played 40 games with the Orioles in 2020 before signing with the Yankees this offseason.

“Just telling my parents I got activated was great,’’ Velazquez said. “I just want to help the team win. They’re rolling now.”

The switch-hitting Velazquez had been on the Yankees’ taxi squad in The Bronx after playing well for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Velazquez, whose favorite player was Derek Jeter, said Monday becoming a Yankee was something “I kind of felt I manifested since I was a child.”

He often went to games at Yankee Stadium.

“It kind of feels like my [MLB] debut again,’’ Velazquez said, who said after signing with the Yankees this past offseason that he knew he’d play for them someday.

“When I was in kindergarten [at St. Francis Xavier], I said I’d play in Yankee Stadium,’’ Velazquez said in January. “I’m gonna bust my ass to get there again.”

Aaron Boone noted that Velazquez hit well with SWB this season, where he had an OPS of .838 in 277 plate appearances- and liked his speed. Velazquez had 26 stolen bases in 29 attempts with SWB. 

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

“It was a grind,’’ Luke Voit said. “We had ups and downs, but we came up with the win.”

With extra runner Joey Gallo on second to start the 11th, DJ LeMahieu belted a double to the gap in right-center to give the Yankees the lead for good.

After Tyler Wade and Kyle Higashioka walked with two out, Brett Gardner hit a hard grounder right at shortstop Nicky Lopez, but the ball took a nasty hop and appeared to hit Lopez in the face. It was ruled a hit and allowed Wade and LeMahieu to score.

The extra runs were welcome for the Yankees, who became the first team in the modern era to give up leads in the seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th innings of the same game, according to StatsbyStats.

They seemed on the verge of doing it again in the 11th, as Peralta got the first two outs before an RBI single from Edward Olivares and a single through the shift by Hunter Dozier.

But Peralta got Carlos Santana on a chopper to third, ending the Yankees’ marathon win after 4 hours and 52 minutes.

“That’s who these guys are,’’ Aaron Boone said of the win. “It hasn’t been easy all year. They keep on coming.”

Prior to that, after six scoreless innings, the Yankees took the lead — and gave it right back each time, wasting one-run leads in the seventh, eighth and ninth and a two-run lead in the 10th.

They were an out away from a victory in the bottom of the ninth before Zack Britton — filling in at closer for Aroldis Chapman, out with left elbow inflammation — walked Whit Merrifield. Merrifield stole second and scored on a Lopez single to left.

Then in the 10th, with extra runner Andrew Velazquez on second, Wade singled to center to put runners on the corners for Higashioka, whose fly ball to the track in center scored Velazquez. Wade also moved to second on the fly ball and came around to score on Gardner’s single up the middle, giving the Yanks a two-run lead.

Clay Holmes came on in the bottom of the 10th and got a grounder from Santana that sent Dozier to third and walked Andrew Benintendi. A wild pitch moved Benintendi to second.

Jarrod Dyson’s sacrifice fly to left made it a one-run game and Hanser Alberto singled to drive in Benintendi to tie the game — again.

Voit, in his second game back after returning from left knee inflammation, gave the Yankees a one-run lead with a solo shot to right with two outs in the top of the ninth.

At the beginning of the weekend, Voit’s spot on the roster seemed questionable, but the Yankees put Anthony Rizzo on the COVID IL on Sunday, leading to Voit coming back.

It was a rare highlight in what has been a trying season for Voit, who was sidelined by knee surgery during spring training and the early part of the regular season, as well as by a strained oblique.

But Voit’s time as hero was short-lived, as Britton couldn’t protect the lead.

“Extra innings are tough to navigate,’’ Boone said. “Give the Royals credit. They battled. It’s not always gonna be perfect, but we’ve got to continue and move forward.”

The Yankees also hadn’t scored since the sixth inning of their win on Saturday, a span of 17 innings including Sunday’s shutout loss to the Mariners.

They finally broke through in the seventh when Aaron Judge ripped a one-out double to left and Gallo’s grounder up the middle bounced off second base, allowing him to reach on a single.

With runners on the corners, LeMahieu hit a dribbler in front of the plate. Hernandez fielded the ball and shoveled it home, where Cam Gallagher tagged a sliding Judge at the plate — after Judge got a bad jump from third.

The Yankees challenged the out call, but it was upheld and the game stayed tied.

But Voit’s single to left scored Gallo to give the Yankees the lead.

Taillon had tossed six scoreless innings before a leadoff single from Emmanuel Rivera ended his night in the seventh.

With Ryan O’Hearn at the plate, Jonathan Loaisiga made an errant pickoff throw to first that sent pinch-runner Dyson to second and then balked Dyson to third, which led to Boone’s ejection for arguing the call.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

That’s just what the Yankees did the last three days in Miami, where they finished off a sweep of the Marlins on Sunday with a 3-1 win, thanks to more inspired play by Anthony Rizzo, and they’ll return to The Bronx on Monday looking to make that long-anticipated run in the AL East.

Rizzo drove in the Yankees’ first run with a game-tying single in the eighth and started a 3-6-3 double play to end the bottom of the inning, as the Yankees finished off a sweep of the reeling Marlins at loanDepot Park.

They’ve won five of six, despite the offense still not firing on all cylinders.

Jordan Montgomery gave up just one run in five innings and Clay Holmes, Joely Rodriguez, Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman combined to throw four scoreless to finish the game.

The Yankees’ lineup was shut down for seven innings by Sandy Alcantara before they were given new life in the eighth.

Brett Gardner opened the inning with a single to center off Anthony Bass. Pinch-hitter DJ LeMahieu struck out and Giancarlo Stanton — also pinch-hitting — grounded to third. But Bryan Anderson bludgeoned the play, dropping the routine chopper twice and throwing the ball away for an error that allowed Stanton to reach first and Gardner to advance to third.

Rizzo tied the game with a single to left off Richard Bleier, and Aaron Judge followed with a single to left of his own to score Stanton from second, as the Yankees took a 2-1 lead.

Rizzo was thrown out trying to get to third for the second out and Joey Gallo struck out.

Britton came on in the eighth. With one on and one out, the lefty got a hard grounder to first from Jazz Chisholm and Rizzo turned it into an inning-ending double play.

The Yankees tacked on another run in the ninth, courtesy of some laughable defensive play by Miami. With Gleyber Torres on first and two out, Gardner hit a slow roller that second baseman Chisolm mishandled. Chisholm then tried to throw Torres out at third, but no one was covering the base and Torres scored on the play.

It made up for a slow start, as Alcantara retired the first seven Yankees he faced before Tyler Wade walked in the third.

The Yankees didn’t get their first hit of the afternoon until Judge opened the fourth with a ground ball through the right side of the infield.

Alcantara continued to dominate the Yankees through seven shutout innings.

After throwing a combined 10 ²/₃ shutout innings against the Red Sox and Rays in his previous two outings — and entering the game with a 14 ²/₃ scoreless streak overall — Montgomery got off to a rough start Sunday.

Miguel Rojas led off the bottom of the first with a double to left. He moved to third on an infield hit by Jazz Chisholm and scored on an Anderson groundout.

Montgomery left after 81 pitches, replaced by pinch-hitter Greg Allen to lead off the sixth.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

Albert Abreu — who gave up six runs without retiring a batter in his last outing against the Rays — was called up as a result.

The move comes a day after German tossed four innings and gave up two runs in Saturday’s win over the Marlins. German threw 66 pitches in the outing and was removed for pinch-hitter Gio Urshela with two on and two out in the top of the fifth.

After the game, German said he felt “phenomenal,’’ so it’s unclear when the issue came up.

Andrew Heaney, acquired Friday in a trade with the Angels, was already slated to make his debut with the Yankees on Monday in The Bronx, with another lefty, Nestor Cortes, moving back into a long relief role.

Cortes could now be shifted back into the rotation while the Yankees wait for Luis Severino to complete his rehab from Tommy John surgery, which was delayed by the strained groin he suffered in June.

Corey Kluber is also working his way back from a strained shoulder that’s sidelined him since May.

German pitched seven no-hit innings in his previous start before he was removed after an eighth inning double. On Saturday, he kept the Marlins hitless into the fourth before a pair of hits led to the two runs.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

He hit a monstrous home run in his debut on Friday to give the Yankees a lead and the first baseman delivered again in Saturday’s 4-2 win over the Marlins, when he scored the go-ahead run in the fifth and added another towering homer two innings later for an insurance run.

The 31-year-old Rizzo, acquired in a trade from the Cubs on Thursday, was in the midst of a hot streak with Chicago before the move and it has continued with his new team.

He has hit five home runs in his last six games and provided a much-needed jolt to a Yankees offense that has underperformed all season.

Rizzo got on base in all five of his plate appearances Saturday, getting hit by a pitch and adding a walk and a single before hitting his 16th homer of the season — which gave the Yankees their 4-2 lead. Rizzo walked again in the ninth.

The leadoff single in the fifth was key, as Giancarlo Stanton followed with a walk and both runners advanced on Rougned Odor’s deep fly ball to left.

After Gary Sanchez struck out looking, the Marlins walked Tyler Wade intentionally to get to Domingo German’s spot.

Gio Urshela, not in the starting lineup due to a tight left hamstring, pinch-hit and the Marlins went to Anthony Bender with the bases loaded.

A wild pitch — which catcher Jorge Alfaro probably should have handled — allowed Rizzo to score the go-ahead run before Urshela struck out.

Lucas Luetge replaced German to start the bottom of the fifth and pitched around a leadoff double by Lewis Brinson in the scoreless inning. The lefty then retired the side in order in the sixth, as the Yankees’ new-look bullpen pitched well, also getting a shutout inning from Clay Holmes, who arrived from the Pirates last week.

Chad Green tossed a scoreless eighth and Jonathan Loaisiga came in for the ninth, because Aroldis Chapman having pitched three of the previous four days.

After the pen retired 13 straight following Brinson’s double, Loaisiga allowed a one-out single to Brian Anderson.

Lewin Diaz followed with a grounder to the right side of the infield, which was shifted, allowing Gleyber Torres to field it. Anderson stopped to try to avoid the tag and Torres tagged him with his glove — but had the ball in his hand — and then bounced the throw to Rizzo at first.

Both runners were safe, and with runners on first and second, pitching coach Matt Blake visited Loaisiga.

Loaisiga got Alfaro looking and Bryan De La Cruz to ground out to end it.

The Marlins were without manager Don Mattingly, who will miss at least the rest of the series after testing positive for COVID-19. Bench coach James Rowson managed in Mattingly’s place.

Odor gave the Yankees the lead for the first time in the second inning.

The inning started when Trevor Rogers drilled Rizzo on the hand. Stanton followed with a double to center that was initially ruled a home run, but bounced off the top of the fence, sending Rizzo to third.

Odor’s single to right scored Rizzo and Sanchez’s ground-rule double drove in Stanton to make it 2-0.

After the first four batters of the inning reached, Rogers recovered to get Tyler Wade, German and Gleyber Torres.

The Yankees loaded the bases with two outs in the third with walks to Rizzo and Stanton and another single to right by Odor, but Sanchez flied to left to keep it a two-run game.

German, coming off a start in Boston in which he didn’t allow a hit until the eighth inning, kept Miami hitless until the fourth inning Saturday, when Miguel Rojas led off with a single.

German got Anderson and Diaz before Alfaro belted a triple to left-center for the Marlins’ first run.

The play was ruled a triple, but Aaron Judge, playing center field, threw the ball to second, which allowed Alfaro to move to third.

Alfaro scored on a German wild pitch to tie the game at 2-2.

The Yankees took the lead for good in the fifth.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

New arrival Anthony Rizzo got the Yankees on the board with a mammoth solo homer to right-center with one out in the sixth inning, sparking a 3-1 win over the Marlins at loanDepot Park.

On the night Rizzo and Joey Gallo joined the Yankees, the offense looked as anemic as it had throughout the season. The Yankees didn’t score until Rizzo’s 449-foot shot into the upper deck.

Right-hander Jameson Taillon did his part to keep the Yankees in the game.

Impressive in his previous seven starts — and even better the last four, when he had a 1.42 ERA — Taillon was effective again Friday.

Taillon tossed 5 ²/₃ scoreless innings in a 98-pitch performance. He pitched around a pair of singles in the first with the help of a double play.

Miami right-hander Zach Thompson matched Taillon, zero for zero, for most of the night.

After Aaron Judge and Rizzo reached with two outs in the top of the first, Giancarlo Stanton whiffed to end the threat.

Taillon, batting because there was no DH, even walked to lead off the fifth, but was erased when Gleyber Torres grounded into a double play.

In the sixth, Taillon got the first two outs, then left the game after walking Brian Anderson.

Jonathan Loaisiga entered and got Jorge Alfaro to hit a routine grounder to second, but Rougned Odor botched the play and the Marlins had two on and two out for Bryan De La Cruz. When De La Cruz hit a ground ball up the middle, however, Torres made a fine diving stop and throw to second for the force to end the threat and preserve the one-run lead.

Tyler Wade, playing third base with DJ LeMahieu and Gio Urshela nursing injuries, led off the seventh with a walk, but was thrown out trying to steal second.

Things got worse when Torres was called looking, to end the inning, on a pitch that was outside. He argued the call, slammed his bat down and was tossed by home plate umpire Dan Bellino.

The ejection meant LeMahieu, who had been held out of the lineup with a strained triceps, had to come in to play second base, with Odor moving to third and Wade to short in the bottom of the seventh.

The Yankees loaded the bases with one out in the eighth.

It started when former Yankee Richard Bleier hit Judge with a pitch. Rizzo followed with a single and Urshela, who was in the starting lineup due to a tight hamstring, pinch-hit in the pitcher’s spot.

Ushela singled and was replaced by Nestor Cortes (yup, the pitcher) as a pinch runner. Odor followed with a two-run single.

Cortes overran second base and should have been thrown out, but he managed to get back to the bag in time.

A Sanchez double play ended the inning.

After Loasiga tossed 1 ¹/₃ scoreless innings, Zack Britton entered to start the bottom of the eighth.

Britton gave up a grounder up the middle to Jazz Chisholm for a leadoff single and a bloop hit to right to Jesus Aguilar to put runners on the corners with no one out.

The left-hander recovered to get Anderson to hit into a double play, though Chisholm scored to make it 3-1. Alfaro followed by striking out.

Aroldis Chapman hit pinch-hitter Joe Panik with a pitch with two outs in the ninth before fanning Magneuris Sierra to end it.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

He’s proving that to be true prior to the Friday deadline.

On the same day the Yankees announced the acquisition of outfielder Joey Gallo in a trade from the Rangers, the Yankees reached a deal to trade for first baseman Anthony Rizzo from the Cubs, according to sources, sending a pair of minor leaguers to Chicago: right-hander Alexander Vizcaino and outfielder Kevin Alcantara.

The 24-year-old Viazcaino was at High-A Hudson Valley and Alcantara, 18, was with the Florida Complex League team in Tampa.

According to The Post’s Joel Sherman, the Cubs are also picking up the remaining money on Rizzo’s contract — about $5.5 million — with the first baseman set to become a free agent following this season, a move that left the Yankees roughly $4 million shy of the $210 million luxury-tax threshold and able to make more trades prior to Friday.

Rizzo turns 32 next month and doesn’t quite have the power he used to. He has 14 homers and a .792 OPS this season, but he’ll be a contact hitter in a lineup filled with swing-and-miss hitters, another left-handed bat and solid at first.

He’d play first base, with DJ LeMahieu likely staying at second, Gio Urshela at third and Gleyber Torres at shortstop.

Luke Voit, nearing a return from a stint on the injured list due to left knee inflammation, could be the odd man out, since Giancarlo Stanton is locked in at DH. Voit has struggled to stay healthy this season, sidelined by knee surgery in spring training and a strained oblique during the season, before hitting the IL again due to the knee.

And after leading the majors with 22 homers a year ago, Voit has been ineffective at the plate even when on the field, with just three home runs and a .698 OPS in 122 plate appearances.

The move for Rizzo helps the Yankees completely shake up their offense, which many believed was too right-handed — especially after Aaron Hicks was lost for the season following wrist surgery.

With Rizzo and Gallo, they have added two power left-handed bats with excellent discipline.

And Rizzo would also add championship experience from the Cubs.

Sending Vizacaino and Alcantara to the Cubs — after the Yankees shipped four prospects to Texas for Gallo and two more to the Reds in exchange for righty reliever Clay Holmes — still leaves the Yankees with their top prospects in the organization, including outfielder Jasson Dominguez and infielder Anthony Volpe.

According to sources, the Yankees remained in the market for more pitching, as they look to strengthen their bullpen.

As for the luxury-tax threshold, after Steinbrenner said he would “absolutely consider’’ going over it if it would help the team contend for a title, the organization seems determined to remain under it this year.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

Looking to complete a series sweep of the Rays on the same day they completed a trade for slugger Joey Gallo, the Yankees saw Gerrit Cole get pounded in a 14-0 loss at Tropicana Field.

Cole allowed a season-high eight runs — seven earned — in 5 ⅓, as his ERA rose to season-high 3.11.

And one-time prospect Albert Abreu followed Cole by allowing six runs — and three homers- without retiring a batter in the Rays’ 10-run sixth inning. 

In a sign of things to come, Brandon Lowe hit Cole’s pitch of the day into the stands in right. Initially called a home run, the umpires reversed themselves and ruled it foul and ended up reviewing the play, which confirmed it was a foul ball. 

It didn’t matter.

Lowe reached on an infield hit and Ji-Man Choi followed with a walk. A Yandy Diaz single to center drove in Lowe for the Rays’ first run. 

Austin Meadows then drilled a three-run shot to right-center to make it 4-0.

After giving up four runs without recording an out, Cole got the next three batters to end the 26-pitch inning.

Cole settled down and allowed just one hit over the next four innings, but unravelled again in the sixth.

The Rays loaded the bases with one out with singles by Meadows and Randy Arozarena and a walk to Wander Franco.

Following a visit from pitching coach Matt Blake, Kevin Kiermaier hit a fly ball to deep left. Brett Gardner caught up to it, but dropped the ball.

Two runs scored on the play, which was ruled a sacrifice fly and an error by Gardner.

Cole was replaced by Albert Abreu and Abreu promptly walked Mike Zunino before Brett Phillips put the game away with a grand slam in the 10-run inning. 

The Yankees’ offense, meanwhile, was shut down by right-hander Luis Patino, who allowed just hits in six scoreless innings. 

The bigger worry remains Cole, who has a 5.35 ERA in his last six starts (20 earned runs and six homers in 33 ⅔ innings). He followed up a subpar outing in Boston (three runs in five innings) with an even worse performance against the Yankees’ other AL East rivals.

And it’s the second consecutive appearance Cole’s pitched poorly versus Tampa Bay. In his previous game against the Rays, he allowed five runs in five innings. He’s also 1-3 with a 5.11 ERA facing the Rays this season. 

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

After starting the game on the bench as a late scratch, Aaron Judge knocked in the winning run in the 10th inning of the Yankees’ 3-1 win over Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field.

Judge’s hard grounder up the middle off Pete Fairbanks was mishandled by shortstop Wander Franco, which allowed extra runner Gio Urshela to score from second to give the Yankees the lead. It was the Yankees’ first hit with runners in scoring position on the night.

After Fairbanks left with an injury, a wild pitch by Andrew Kittredge allowed Greg Allen to score from third after he’d reached on a hit by pitch to make it 3-1.

Aroldis Chapman pitched the bottom of the inning and walked Randy Arozarena with one out.

Nelson Cruz then pinch hit for Joey Wendle after Cruz had been scratched with a foot contusion. A Chapman wild pitch sent the runners to second and third with one out before Chapman got Cruz swinging for a second consecutive night.

That brought up Francisco Mejia, who sent a sky-high pop up toward the roof of the dome. DJ LeMahieu, playing first base and battling to see the ball against the background, made a diving catch to end the game for the Yankees’ second win in a row.

Chapman finished off a game in which the bullpen pitched five no-hit innings.

It came on a night when sources said the Yankees were closing in on a deal for Rangers slugger Joey Gallo.

They got five terrific innings from Nestor Cortes Jr. before Lucas Luetge tossed two shutout innings and Zack Britton a scoreless eighth.

They had a chance to take the lead in the top of the ninth, when Gary Sanchez singled to lead off the inning and was replaced by pinch-runner Tyler Wade.

After Brett Gardner flied to right, Wade moved to second on a balk by Wisler with Urshela at the plate. Wade was then doubled off second as Urshela’s lined out to second.

Cortes helped the Yankees on a night their bullpen was somewhat depleted after the Tuesday night trade of Luis Cessa and Justin Wilson to Cincinnati. Cortes pitched three scoreless innings before faltering in the fourth.

Franco led off with an infield hit. After Cortes retired Austin Meadows and Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe delivered an RBI double to right to give the Rays a 1-0 lead.

Cortes then hit Arozarena with a pitch before Joey Wendle lined out.

Still, Cortes gave the Yankees everything they could want Wednesday, allowing just the one run in five innings over the 79-pitch outing.

The Yankees tied it in the top of the fifth. Urshela reached on an error by Wendle at third. Allen followed with a double to right that sent Urshela to third.

After Judge — who was scratched for unspecified reasons shortly before the start of the game — pinch hit for Estevan Florial and struck out, LeMahieu’s sacrifice fly scored Urshela to make it 1-1. Gleyber Torres lined out to end the inning.

Luetge replaced Cortes to start the bottom of the sixth and tossed two shutout innings.

Torres ripped a double to right-center with one out in the eighth off Drew Rasmussen, who was replaced by Matt Wisler.

Rougned Odor followed with his third strikeout of the night — and the Yankees’ 13th of the game — and Giancarlo Stanton’s struggles continued, as he flied to right.

Britton entered in the eighth and walked Mejia before Brett Phillips hit into a double play in the scoreless inning.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

Gallo, long coveted by the Yankees, was scratched from the Rangers’ lineup Wednesday and would give them some much-needed left-handed power.

He is owed slightly more than $2 million this season, which would allow the Yankees to stay under the $210 million luxury tax threshold.

The 27-year-old is another high strikeout option. He has 25 homers and an OPS of .869 this season after a disappointing 2020.

Gallo can play first and third base in addition to the outfield and is a Gold Glove right fielder.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

The right fielder was scratched shortly before Wednesday’s game against the Rays. He was replaced by Estevan Florial. No reason for the move was immediately given. He didn’t take batting practice on the field prior to the game.

Sources said the move is not related to a trade with the deadline on Friday. 

Judge missed nine games while on the COVID-19 IL, one of six Yankees players to land on the COVID IL this month. 

He started in right field in Tuesday’s 4-3 win over the Rays and went 1-for-4 with a hit by pitch.

Judge has not spoken with the media since returning from the IL.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

The Yankees had been intrigued by Starling Marte, who was sent from the Marlins to the Athletics, at least since the loss of Aaron Hicks to season-ending wrist surgery earlier in the year.

Marte, a 32-year-old outfielder, is set to become a free agent after the season.

Oakland, which is ahead of the Yankees in the wild card standings, sent 23-year-old left-hander Jesus Luzardo to Miami. Luzardo has struggled this year, but is still seen as an excellent young arm — and more than the Yankees were believed willing to give up for a rental.

Marte is hitting .306/.407/.453 with seven home runs and 25 RBIs in 63 games.

The Yankees remain on the search for upgrades after freeing up salary and two 40-man roster spots with their trade of Luis Cessa and Justin Wilson to the Reds late Tuesday night.

They added right-hander Clay Holmes in a trade with the Pirates on Monday, sending a pair of minor leaguers to Pittsburgh, and they’re looking for possible moves at shortstop, the outfield and rotation — but they appear determined to remain under the $210 million luxury tax threshold.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

The move frees up money in advance of Thursday’s trade deadline. Wilson is making $2.85 million this season and Cessa $1.05 million, according to Spotrac.com.

The Yankees were less than $1 million under the $210 million luxury tax threshold, so this would allow them to add payroll elsewhere and still remain under the threshold.

It came a day after the Yankees traded a pair of minor leaguers for Pittsburgh right-hander Clay Holmes, who is making $685,000.

Wilson struggled in his second stint with the Yankees after signing with them in the offseason. He allowed five homers in just 18 innings and had a 7.50 ERA. Cessa, though, is in the midst of his best season in the majors and provided valuable innings this year.

Now, a taxed bullpen has even more question marks — although there are undoubtedly more moves to come soon.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

The Yankees followed up a nightmarish weekend at Fenway Park with a trip to Tropicana Field to face a Rays team that has given them fits the last two years.

They clung to a one-run lead in the bottom of the eighth after Zack Britton allowed an RBI double to Randy Arozarena and an infield hit to Brandon Lowe to put runners on the corners with one out.

After a visit from pitching coach Matt Blake, Britton — limited to 10 appearances so far this season — responded by getting the Rays’ catcher to bounce into an inning-ending double play.

Aroldis Chapman retired the first two batters in the ninth, but after getting ahead of Wander Franco 0-2, walked the shortstop to bring up Nelson Cruz.

Down 3-0 to Cruz, Chapman got back to a full count and got him swinging to end the game.

Against a Rays team that entered having won five of their previous six games overall, Jordan Montgomery pitched five scoreless innings and the Yankees survived another ugly performance from Chad Green, who allowed a two-run homer to Lowe in the sixth.

Jonathan Loaisiga tossed a scoreless seventh before Britton survived the eighth.

“We understand we’re at the point of the season where we’re a little behind the eight-ball,’’ Aaron Boone said of his team that moved to 8 ½ games behind the Red Sox in the AL East with the victory. “It’s all about winning.”

The Yankees survived going 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position.

DJ LeMahieu led off the game against left-hander Shane McClanahan with a double and moved to third on a single by Aaron Judge, who returned from the COVID IL.

After a Gary Sanchez strikeout, Giancarlo Stanton walked to load the bases for Gleyber Torres, who grounded into an inning-ending double play.

The Rays also wasted a scoring chance in the bottom of the inning. Manuel Margot opened the inning with a walk. He moved to second on a wild pitch, but was thrown out by Sanchez as he tried to steal third.

Montgomery allowed one-out singles to Margot and Franco in the third, but got Cruz to ground into a double play to keep the game scoreless.

With one out in the fourth, Torres lined a ball off the wall in center. Kevin Kiermaier played it well and made a strong throw to second to keep Torres at first.

Rougned Odor followed with a walk before Urshela and Ryan LaMarre both grounded out to end the threat.

The Yankees broke through in the fifth. Greg Allen started the inning with a double to left and scored on LeMahieu’s single through the right side of the infield.

Judge then grounded into a double play, and after a Sanchez walk, Stanton fanned again to keep it a one-run game.

Montgomery pitched around a two-out walk to Franco in the fifth, striking out Cruz with his 102nd and final pitch of the night.

The Yankees padded their lead in the sixth with three straight hits off McClanahan to start the inning.

Torres singled to right and moved to third on an Odor single, also to right.

Urshela hit a booming double to center. Torres scored easily, and after first waving Odor home, third base coach Phil Nevin held up a late stop sign, but Odor raced home and beat the throw to make it 3-0.

Green replaced Montgomery to start the sixth. The right-hander pitched poorly in two of his previous four outings.

The trend continued Tuesday, as Green allowed a two-out, two-run homer to Lowe to cut the Yankees’ lead to 3-2.

Loaisiga pitched a perfect seventh and LaMarre hit an opposite-field homer in the eighth to put the Yankees up by two runs again.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

“It’s huge, obviously,’’ Aaron Boone said of getting Judge back before the Yankees opened their series against the Rays at Tropicana Field.

Judge, Kyle Higashioka and Luke Voit all took batting practice at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa on Monday.

Judge and Higashioka were activated off the COVID IL Tuesday, and Boone said Voit, who has been on the IL with left knee inflammation, isn’t far behind.

“I would say very close,’’ Boone said when asked of Voit’s status. “We’ll have a decision in the next day or so if he’s potentially back for this series [against Tampa Bay]. Miami, for sure.”

That would make the lineup pretty close to whole by Friday, as Voit ran the bases Tuesday. He may need to get some live at-bats, which he could get with the team’s Florida Complex League team in Tampa on Thursday.

For players like Voit and Gleyber Torres — and to a lesser extent Giancarlo Stanton and Gary Sanchez — who won’t be able to get to their typical offensive numbers this season due to injuries, poor performance or both, Boone said he’s not worried about them trying to do too much.

“The really good thing about this group is … it’s about winning,’’ Boone said. “We understand we’re at the point of the season where we’re a little behind the eight-ball. It’s all about winning.”

As of Tuesday, the Yankees had yet to make a significant addition with Friday afternoon’s trade deadline approaching.

For now, they’re banking on Judge picking up where he left off before the All-Star break and Voit shaking off what was a dismal first half, when he was impacted by injuries and ineffectiveness.

Voit underwent surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus in his left knee during spring training and was then out with a strained oblique before his current left knee inflammation.

Even when healthy enough to be on the field, Voit has struggled, with just three homers a year after leading the majors with 22 in last year’s COVID-shortened 60-game schedule.

The lack of power from Voit and others has been among the reasons the Yankees’ offense has been inept at times this year.

On Tuesday, even with Judge back in the fold, the Yankees started journeymen Ryan LaMarre and Greg Allen in a key game.

Judge, though, changes the dynamics of the entire lineup, leading the team in virtually every offensive category.

He’s had trouble playing on the hard turf at Tropicana Field over the years, so it remains to be seen if he starts all three games of this series in right field.

But after losing three of four to the Red Sox in Fenway Park over the weekend and facing a Rays team that just acquired slugger Nelson Cruz from Minnesota, the Yankees are counting on Judge — and, later, Voit — to potentially save their season.

Boone said Tuesday he’s seen some encouraging signs from other players, pointing to Torres’ recent resurgence, but overall, the offense is far off what the team expected it to be prior to the season.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin

Following a thrilling comeback win Saturday, German took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, with the Yankees seemingly ahead comfortably by four runs.

But after Alex Verdugo’s leadoff double to right ended German’s outing, Jonathan Loaisiga allowed all four batters he faced to reach and left with runners on second and third and no one out.

Zack Britton entered to face pinch-hitter Kevin Plawecki.

With the infield in, Plawecki grounded out slowly to short, allowing Franchy Cordero to score the tying run and Kiké Hernandez to move to third.

Xander Bogaerts, again with the infield in, hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Hernandez with the go-ahead run.

Giancarlo Stanton singled with two outs in the ninth off Matt Barnes and pinch-runner Tyler Wade stole second before Rougned Odor popped out to end it.

The collapse meant the Yankees lost three of four in the series and fell back to nine games behind Boston in the AL East.

The result seemed hard to imagine given how well German pitched.

He gave up just a walk and struck out 10 before Verdugo’s double, with the Red Sox overmatched for much of the day.

And again, the Yankees’ offense was unable to tack on more runs when they had the chance.

The Yankees wasted a leadoff double by DJ LeMahieu in the first, with Stanton and Odor striking out and Gary Sanchez lining out to left.

They broke through in the third, as Greg Allen walked with one out and Stanton drew a two-out walk. Odor then flared a single to center to score Allen for the game’s first run. Sanchez whiffed to end the inning.

German retired the first six batters he faced before a leadoff walk to Hunter Renfroe in the bottom of the third.

Gleyber Torres started the fourth with a double to left, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Brett Gardner and scored on a single off the Green Monster by Gio Urshela to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead.

As German cruised, Odor continued to hurt Boston pitching, hitting his 12th homer to lead off the sixth to make it 3-0.

Yacksel Rios replaced lefty Martin Perez to start the seventh and the Yankees loaded the bases with one out before the Red Sox went to lefty Josh Taylor to face Stanton, who whiffed again as his woes against Boston continued. Odor flied to right and the Yankees failed to pad their lead.

German retired 12 straight batters following that third-inning walk to Renfroe before Bogaerts reached on a passed ball, when Sanchez let a third strike get by him with one out in the seventh.

German then fanned Devers.

J.D. Martinez came up and lined an 0-2 pitch down the left-field line that went just foul before striking out swinging on German’s 90th pitch of the afternoon — nine short of his season-high. He hadn’t thrown more than 72 pitches in a game since June 19.

Sanchez tripled for the second time in his career to lead off the eighth and Torres drove him in with a single up the middle. Torres then swiped his fourth bag in three games.

Torres was picked off second base and the Yankees didn’t score again in the inning.

Verdugo led off the bottom of the inning by drilling a line drive over Allen in right. Allen initially came in on the ball and then got turned around, but it would have been a tough play regardless.

Aaron Boone immediately went to Loaisiga, who gave up an RBI double to Renfroe for the Red Sox’ first run.

Christian Vazquez followed with a bloop hit to center to drive in Renfroe and cut the Yankees’ lead to 4-2.

Franchy Cordero followed with a line shot up the middle before pitching coach Matt Blake went to the mound as Britton warmed in the bullpen. Hernandez belted a double to left to get the Red Sox to within a run.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Dan Martin