The New York Yankees scratched out a win against the Minnesota Twins on Monday, but it didn’t come easy. With Luis Gil starting on the mound, the Yankees were still waiting for his unfortunate crashing back down to earth after starting his major-league career in such impressive fashion. Gil, who had only allowed three runs in his previous three contests, finally saw the scoreboard crack open, as he gave up seven hits and five runs over 6.0 innings on Monday. He did strike out eight batters, but giving up three homers is what did him in.
Overall, the Yankees played well, mounting a comeback that hopefully will spark a bit of momentum as they take on the Baltimore Orioles in a three-game series starting on Tuesday.
Good news and bad news for the Yankees:
The good news, the bullpen had a strong game against the Twins in a make-up contest from August 22. From Andrew Heaney all the way to Clay Holmes in the 10th inning, they allowed just two hits and struck out five batters. The offense finally stepped up to the plate, as Aaron Judge launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to draw the game tied at five, giving Gary Sanchez an opportunity for a walk-off hit in the bottom of the 10th, in which he singled to left field, driving in Gleyber Torres.
Speaking of Torres, the Yankees decided to officially move him out of the shortstop spot, as he’s been struggling significantly on defense. At SS, Torres hosts a .952 fielding percentage, as the league average sits at .973. He’s racked up 18 errors over 108 games played this season.
Torres will now feature at second base, as the Yankees moved DJ LeMahieu to third base and Gio Urshela to shortstop. Of course, this is a significant change in the infield, but it could prove to be efficient given the quality of both DJ and Gio defensively. The Yankees simply don’t want to lose Torres’s bat. He’s capable of being an elite hitter, especially with a bit more confidence.
The Bombers will host Gerrit Cole on the mound against Baltimore, and Alexander Wells will feature for the Orioles — he hosts a 7.15 ERA this season. The Yankees have a fantastic opportunity to get their offense rolling against a terrible Baltimore team, but the way the Yankees have been playing recently, there’s no guarantee they will walk away victorious.