The New York Yankees met up with the Toronto Blue Jays for game 2 of a three-game set to start the Yankee Stadium season. The Yankees lost the first game as the Yankee bat remained mostly silent except for a two-run homer by catcher Gary Sanchez. Yesterday was a totally different story as the Yankees beat the Jays 5-3. The Yankee bats came alive with 11 hits and 6 walks. The pitching was also great in the game. Corey Kluber started the game making his Yankee major league debut.
Corey Kluber made his Yankee major league debut
Yesterday in the Bronx, Corey Kluber made his major league debut for the New York Yankees. It wasn’t the first time Kluber pitched at Yankee Stadium; as a Cleveland Indian, he pitched at Yankee Stadium with a 3-1 record before becoming a New York Yankee. Over the offseason, the Yankees took the risk to hire a two-time Cy Young Award winner that hadn’t pitched in almost two years due to injury.
After watching Kluber’s rehab with Yankee training head Eric Cressey over the winter and being satisfied that he was ready to pitch again, the Yankee hired him to be their number two starter after losing Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, and J.A. Happ to free agency. The Yankees did not attempt to hold any of their pitching free agents. After re-signing DJ LeMahieu, the Yankees immediately signed Kluber to an $11 million one-year contract, betting he could return to his Cy Young form.
So far, the Yankees have been happy with Kluber’s spring training performance and his start yesterday. In the game against the Blue Jays, Kluber got in and out of trouble, as any good veteran pitcher should do. Kluber, in four innings of work, allowed 5 hits while striking out 5 Jays. He allowed one earned run while walking 3. His earned run average sits at 2.25. If Kluber can remain with that ERA throughout the season, the Yankees will be more than happy with their $11 million investment.
Jonathan Loaisiga still amazing
Jonathan Loaisiga was one of the best New York Yankee pitchers in spring training. Yesterday he was called in to replace Cory Kluber in the fifth inning. What did he do in two innings of work? He went six up and six down for another brilliant performance.
The Yankees have been thrilled with Loaisiga’s performance since the beginning of spring training. In spring training, he pitched in seven games with an ERA of zero. So far in the regular season, he has pitched in two games for a total of 3 innings and still has an ERA of zero. Loaisiga, in his career with the Yankees, has been both a starter and a reliever. The Yankees feel that he can be best used as a reliever, but if there is a starter injury, you can be sure the Yankees will look to Loaisiga.
Gary Sanchez repeats his Opening Day performance
Over the offseason, the New York Yankees again put their faith in the struggling Yankee catcher Gary Sanchez. They did it because they thought he could still be the Yankee pitcher of the future, despite the horrid season he had last year. Last season he had a batting average of just .147 and lacked starts at the end of the season and in the postseason to the better catching and hitting Kyle Higashioka.
The Yankees tendered him an offer and hoped that he could return to the form he had in 2019 when he hit 34 home runs. As the regular season started, Sanchez needed to get off to a good start on the season. In-game one against the Jays, he had a single, a walk, and a massive home run driving in two runs for a great start on the season. Today against the Jays, he hit another home run and appears to be on his way to a rebound.