NEW YORK YANKEES NOTES:
AT A GLANCE: The Yankees continue their three-game road trip to Tampa Bay today (0-1 thus far)…after this series, will return home for a seven-game homestand that includes a three-game series vs. Oakland (Mon.-Wed.) and a four-game set against Tampa Bay (5/11-14).
Have won or split seven of their 10 completed series this season (going 6-3-1).
Are in a stretch of playing 7-of-10 games vs. the Rays (5/5-14).
Are also in a stretch of playing 11-of-14 games (5/5-18) and 14-of-20 games against the AL East (5/5-25).
Are in a 17-day stretch without an off day (5/5-21)…are also in a 34-day stretch with just one off day (4/18-5/21).
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Yankees fell to the Rays, 5-4, in their series opener on Friday at Tropicana Field…RHP Jhony Brito (4.0IP, 6H, 4ER, 1BB, 2K, 2HR) started and did not record a decision…2B Gleyber Torres (1-for-4, 1R, 1 double, 1RBI) hit an RBI double in the sixth inning…CF Harrison Bader (1-for-4, 1R, 1HR, 3RBI) hit a game-tying three-run HR in the sixth inning… 3B DH LeMahieu (2-for-2, 1R, 2BB) reached base a season-high four times…SS Anthony Volpe (2-for-5, 1SB) recorded multiple hits for the second time in his last three games… RHP Albert Abreu tossed 1.1 scoreless innings (1K)…RHP Ian Hamilton (0.2IP, 1K) retired both batters faced…RHP Jimmy Cordero (0.1IP, 1H, 1ER, 1BB) took his first loss of the season… RHP Michael King tossed 1.2 scoreless innings (1K).
ON A ROLL: OF Willie Calhoun has hit .333/.367/.556 (9-for27) with 3R, 2HR, 5RBI, 2BB and 1SF in his last eight starts (since 4/25)…has reached base in 12-of-14 starts this season.
NOBODY BEATS THE RIZZ: INF Anthony Rizzo is batting .295 (28-for-95) with 12R, 4 doubles, 4HR, 10RBI, 6BB and 4HP in his last 25 games (since 4/9). Has reached base in eight of his last nine games and 27 of his first 32 games this season.
BRONX BOMBERS: Yankees batters have hit 6HR in their last four games after going homerless in their previous three games and hitting 4HR over their previous seven games (4/24-30).
LEMACHINE: INF DJ LeMahieu reached base a season-high four times on Friday at Tampa Bay…marked his most times on base since 8/1/22 vs. Seattle (also 4TOB)…has hit .429 (6- for-14) with 1R, 2RBI and 2BB over his last four games.
Has hit .409/.462/.500 (9-for-22) with 2 doubles, 10RBI, 3BB and 1SF with RISP this season.
Has reached base in each of his last five games, reaching base in 9-of-19 plate appearances (6H, 3BB) over that span (.474 OBP).
GETTING HIGGY WITH IT: C Kyle Higashioka hit a pinch-hit double in the eighth inning on Friday at Tampa…since 2022, has hit .333/.357/.593 (9-for-27) with 4R, 1 double, 2HR, 5RBI and 1BB in 10 games vs. the Tampa Bay Rays.
GLEYBER DAY: INF Gleyber Torres hit an RBI double in the sixth inning on Friday…has reached base safely in 11 of his last 14 games.
DARTH BADER: OF Harrison Bader hit his first home run of the season on Friday with a game-tying three-run HR in the sixth inning…including the postseason, has 6HR in his last 12 games (since 2022 ALDS Game 1 on 10/11/22)… four of those six home runs have either tied the game (two) or given the Yankees the lead (two).
His 3RBI on Friday matched his second-most in a game in his career, trailing only 4RBI on 7/2/21 at Colorado with St. Louis.
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK: INF Anthony Volpe is batting .308 (12-for-39) with 5R, 2 doubles, 1HR, 5RBI, 3BB and 3SB over his last 10 starts (since 4/24).
Is 11-for-11 in stolen base attempts this season… according to Elias, he is the second player to begin his Major League career with the Yankees and record his first 11SB without being caught (since 1921, when caught stealing was first recorded in the American League), joining Joe DiMaggio (first 12SB with 0CS from 1936-38).
Is just the fourth Yankee in franchise history to record at least 11SB through his first 33 career games, joining Fritz Maisel (16SB in 1913), Cozy Dolan (14SB from 1911- 12) and Bert Daniels (12SB in 1910).
His 11SB match the second-most by a Yankee through the club’s first 33 games of a season in the last 22 years (since 2002), trailing only Brett Gardner’s 16SB in 2010 (Jacoby Ellsbury also recorded 11SB in 2015).
Joins Cedric Mullins (11-for-11) as the only two players to go 11-for-11-or-better in stolen base attempts this season.
His 11SB are tied for the second-most in the AL and tied for the fourth-most in the Majors.
Has multiple hits in two of his last three starts and four of his last nine starts.
Has 3SB in his last three games after not recording a stolen base in his previous 12 games from 4/19-5/1.
Has reached base in 18 of his last 21 starts (since 4/12).
WHAT A RELIEF: Yankees relievers have posted a 2.75 ERA (121.0IP, 37ER) this season, the second-lowest ERA in the Majors, trailing only Tampa Bay (2.74)…also rank second in the Majors in opponents’ BA (.197) and fifth in opponents’ SLG (.320), opponents’ OPS (.618) and HR/9.0IP (0.67).
RHP Ian Hamilton has gone 1-0 with a 0.73 ERA (12.1IP, 1ER) and 13K over his last eight games (since 4/13)… has held opponents to a .079/.167/.079 (3-for-38) slash line over that span…his 21K this season are tied for the fourth-most in the AL among relievers.
RHP Ron Marinaccio ranks sixth among Major League relievers with a .089 opponents’ BA (4-for-45)…has struck out 20-of-55 batters faced this season and has posted a 12.86 K/9.0IP (20K/14.0IP)…has recorded multiple strikeouts in eight of his 12 appearances this year.
RHP Michael King has recorded two saves with a 0.52 ERA (17.1IP, 1ER) and 18K over his last nine appearances (since 4/4)…has recorded at least four outs in each of his first 10 relief appearances, tied for the third-longest streak by a Yankees reliever to start a season…trails his own 15-game season-opening streak as a reliever in 2021 and Ron Davis’ 14-game streak in 1980…Stubby Overmire (1951) and Joe Page (1950) also recorded 10-game streaks…his 10 appearances of at least four outs are tied for the most in the Majors…his eight scoreless appearances of at least 1.1IP are the most in the Majors.
RHP Michael King (19.0IP) and RHP Ian Hamilton (18.0IP) have combined to toss 37.0 innings of relief this season without allowing a HR…King’s 19.0 innings are the fourth-most innings among Major League relievers who have not surrendered a HR this year… Hamilton ranks sixth among that group.
FAST AND FURIOUS: Yankees baserunners have 5SB over their last three games after not recording a stolen base in their previous eight games (4/24-5/1)…their 28SB are the fifth-most in the AL…are their second-most through their first 33 games of a season in the last 22 years (since 2002), trailing only their 29SB in 2010.
Did not record their 28th stolen base in 2022 until their 51st game on 6/2/22 (Game 2) vs. Los Angeles-AL.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP DOMINGO GERMÁN (2-2, 4.46 ERA)
RHP Domingo Germán will make his seventh start of the season today at Tampa Bay…the 30-year-old will start on regular four days’ rest…did not record a decision in his last start on Monday vs. Cleveland despite allowing just 1ER over a career-high 8.1 innings (2H, 1BB, 6K)…allowed just three baserunners…is just the fifth Yankees pitcher (sixth time) in the last 22 years (since 2002) to toss at least 8.1IP and allow three-or-fewer baserunners… has allowed 1BB-or-fewer in 11 of his last 17 starts (since 8/6/22 at St. Louis), including 2BB-or-fewer in 15 of those starts…in 2022, went 2-5 with a 3.61 ERA (72.1IP, 65H, 31R/29ER, 19BB, 58K, 11HR) in 15 games (14 starts) with the Yankees…allowed 3R-or-fewer in a career-high 12 consecutive starts from 7/27-9/30/22…missed the first 93 games of the season with right shoulder impingement syndrome…in six seasons with the Yankees, is 28-23 with a 4.38 ERA (448.0IP, 218ER) and 468K in 98 career games (76 starts)…was signed by the Yankees as a minor league free agent on 12/11/15…was originally acquired by the Yankees from the Miami Marlins along with RHP Nathan Eovaldi and INF Garrett Jones in exchange for RHP David Phelps and INF Martín Prado on 12/19/14.
LAST TIME OUT: Did not record a decision in his last start on Monday vs. Cleveland despite allowing just 1ER over a career-high 8.1 innings (2H, 1BB, 6K)… allowed just three baserunners: a one-out single to Amed Rosario in the first inning, a leadoff walk in the fifth inning to Josh Bell and a one-out single in the ninth inning to Steven Kwan…after allowing a one-out single to Rosario in the first, did not allow a hit to his next 25BF (1BB) before allowing the single to Kwan in the ninth…retired 11 straight batters between Rosario’s single in the first inning and Bell’s walk in the fifth and 13 straight batters between Bell’s walk and Kwan’s single in the ninth…is just the fifth Yankees pitcher (sixth time) in the last 22 years (since 2002) to toss at least 8.1IP and allow three-orfewer baserunners…joined Gerrit Cole (2H and 1BB in 9.0IP on 4/16/23 vs. Minnesota), Corey Kluber (1BB in 9.0IP on 5/19/21 at Texas), Masahiro Tanaka (twice: 2H and 1BB in 9.0IP on 6/17/19 vs. Tampa Bay and 3H in 9.0IP on 4/27/17 at Boston) and Chien-Ming Wang (2H in 9.0IP on 4/11/08 at Boston).
VS. TAMPA BAY: Is 3-2 with a 5.64 ERA (44.2IP, 28ER) in 11 career games (nine starts) vs. Tampa Bay.
Made three starts vs. Tampa Bay in 2022, going 0-1 with a 3.65 ERA (12.1IP, 5ER).
Is 1-2 with a 6.53 ERA (20.2IP, 15ER) in five career appearances (four starts) at Tropicana Field.
Tossed his first career double-digit strikeout game vs. Tampa Bay on 6/14/18 at Yankee Stadium (10K).
ON THE ROAD:
In 50 career games (39 starts) on the road, is 15-13 with a 4.93 ERA (228.1IP, 125ER) and 223K.
Will make his third road start of the season…is 1-0 with a 7.00 ERA (9.0IP, 7ER) in two road starts this season…in 2022, went 0-4 with a 3.46 ERA (39.0IP, 37H, 16R/15ER, 9BB, 30K, 6HR) in eight road appearances (seven starts).
Is 7-4 with a 3.95 ERA (86.2IP, 38ER) and 82K in 18 career games (16 starts) on the road vs. AL East opponents.
Allowed 2R-or-fewer in a career high four consecutive road starts from 7/27-8/27/22… allowed 1R-or-fewer in three consecutive road starts from 8/6-8/27/22, tied for the longest such streak of his career (also recorded three such starts from 4/28-5/20/21). 2023: Will make his seventh start of the season…is 2-2 with a 4.46 ERA (34.1IP, 17ER) and 39K in six starts this season…has recorded at least 8K in three starts…has recorded at least 8K with 0BB in two starts.
His 39K are the most strikeouts he’s recorded through his first six starts of a season in his career.
Is tied for fifth in the Majors in opponents’ BA (.171), ranks sixth in opponents’ OBP (.237) and eighth in WHIP (0.90).
Earned his second win of the season on 4/26 at Minnesota despite allowing a season-high 6ER in 6.0IP (5H, 2BB, 8K, 1HP, 3HR)…recorded at least 8K for a third time this season…marked his most ER allowed in a game since 6/13/21 at Philadelphia (7ER).
Allowed 1ER-or-fewer in back-to-back starts on 4/10 at Cleveland and 4/15 vs. Minnesota, tying the longest such streak of his career…marked the sixth time in his career he’s recorded consecutive such starts.
Earned his first win of the season on 4/15 vs. Minnesota after recording a career-high 11K (6.1IP, 3H, 1ER, 0BB)…marked his third career double-digit strikeout game (also 10K on 7/25/21 at Boston and 6/14/18 vs. Tampa Bay)…marked the first time in his career he’s recorded at least 10K without surrendering a walk…marked his fifth career start with at least 8K and 0BB allowed, including his second this season (8K and 0BB on 4/4 vs. Philadelphia)……is the first Yankee to record at least 10K and 0BB in a game this season and the first since Gerrit Cole did so on 7/17/22 vs. Boston (12K and 0BB)…tossed 5.1 perfect innings before allowing a one-out single to Christian Vázquez in the sixth inning…his 11K matched the most by a Yankees pitcher this season (also Gerrit Cole on Opening Day vs. San Francisco)
Did not record a decision on 4/10 at Cleveland after allowing 2R/1ER over 3.0IP (2H, 5BB, 0K)…his 5BB allowed tied a career high (also 5BB on 4/1/19 vs. Detroit)…also marked his first career start with 0K.
Made his season debut on 4/4 vs. Philadelphia and took the loss, allowing 4ER over 4.2IP (4H, 0BB, 8K, 2HR)…his 8K were his most in a game since recording 10K on 7/25/21 at Boston.
TAMPA BAY RAYS NOTES:
STARTING OFF STRONG — Tampa Bay extended its winning streak to four games with last night’s 5-4 series-opening win against New York…LF Randy Arozarena (1-for-2, HR, RBI, R, 2HBP) opened the scoring with a solo homer in the first inning…1B Yandy Díaz (1-for-3, HR, RBI, 2R) registered his ninth homer of the season with a solo shot in the third inning…SS Wander Franco (2-for-4, 2 2B, RBI, R) broke a 4-4 tie in the seventh frame with an RBI-double after Harrison Bader tied the game in the sixth inning with a three-run homer…the Rays improved to 6-1 in one-run games, the second-best record in one-run games in the majors behind Miami (10-0).
Wander Franco has an MLB-best four games with 2+ doubles this season, ahead of TOR Matt Chapman (3) and STL Paul Goldschmidt (3)…Franco had four such performances in 153 games entering the 2023 season.
Yandy Díaz and Randy Arozarena each have nine home runs, tied for the third most in the AL and tied for the sixth most in the majors…Díaz has already matched his home run output from last season (137G).
Tampa Bay is one of six teams since 1901 to win at least 27 of its first 33 games overall, joining the 1984 Detroit Tigers (28-5), 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates (28-5), 1939 New York Yankees (27-6), 1928 New York Yankees (27-6) and 1911 Detroit Tigers (27-6).
FIRST THINGS FIRST — The Rays are now 22-0 when plating the game’s opening run, tying the 1884 St. Louis Maroons of the Union Association for the longest winning streak when scoring first to open a season in MLB history, according to Elias…last season, Tampa Bay went 66-24 when scoring first.
SUPER SMASH BROS. — The Rays have hit a major league-best 69 home runs, the second-most long balls through a club’s first 33 games in MLB history (since 1901), trailing only the 2000 St. Louis Cardinals (73HR)…Tampa Bay has out-homered opponents, 69-21 (+48)…its 21 homers allowed are the fewest in the majors, ahead of Seattle (24HR).
The Rays homered in each of their first 22 games, the longest streak to open a season in MLB history…marked the longest home run streak at any point in a single season since the 2019 Houston Astros (25G, 9/1-29, 2019).
Tampa Bay has an MLB-best 19 games this season with 2+ HR, ahead of Los Angeles-NL (16).
The Rays have an MLB-best seven players with six or more homers, including Randy Arozarena (9), Yandy Díaz (9), Brandon Lowe (7), Luke Raley (7), Wander Franco (7), Josh Lowe (6) and Harold Ramírez (6)…the next closest team is Atlanta with five players.
HANDY RANDY — Randy Arozarena is riding a 16-game on-base streak dating back to 4/17, slashing .361/.437/.721 (22-for-61) with two doubles, one triple, 6 HR and 13 RBI in that span…it matches the second-longest on-base streak of his career (also: 9/17/21- 4/9/22), trailing only his career-best run of 19 games from 7/23-8/20, 2021…it marks the longest on-base streak by a Rays hitter since Yandy Díaz (18G) from 8/23-9/13, 2022.
Arozarena’s 30 RBI are tied with HOU Yordan Alvarez for the third most in the majors, trailing only BOS Rafael Devers (32) and TEX Adolis García (32)…he ranks among qualified MLB outfielders in homers (2nd, 9), SLG (2nd, .613), total bases (2nd, 73), batting average (3rd, .328), hits (4th, 39), OPS (4th, 1.015), fWAR (4th, 1.6) and multi-hit games (T5th, 11).
EARNING HIS PINSTRIPES — Yandy Díaz has reached base safely in 12 straight games against the Yankees since 6/21/22, batting .319 (15-for-47) with three doubles, one home run and 9 RBI during the 12-game run…it is the second-longest active on-base streak by any player in the majors against the Yankees, trailing only LAA Hunter Renfroe (15G)… Díaz is one game shy of matching his career-long on-base streak of 13 games against the Yankees (8/20/20-6/1/21).
LEADING THE PACK — The Rays pace the majors in runs scored (215) while surrendering the fewest runs (100)…Tampa Bay’s +115 run differential is the second-best mark through the first 33 games of a season in MLB history (since 1901), trailing only the 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates (+124)…the 1902 Pirates also hold the record through 34 games (+125). APRIL SHOWERS—The Rays 22 wins in April tied the club record for most victories in a single month (also: 22-6 in May 2021)…their +99 run differential (191-92) was the best in a calendar month in club history, and best by any MLB team since Oakland in Sept. 2000 (+110)…per Elias, the Rays out-homered opponents 59-19 (+40) in April, the highest HR differential in a single month in MLB history, ahead of Toronto in May 2010 (+37, 54-17).
Tampa Bay’s 59 April homers were the most in a calendar month in franchise history, ahead of May 2017 (52HR), and marked the most by any major league club since New York-AL (74HR) and Minnesota (59HR) in August 2019.
Tampa Bay’s 191 runs scored were its most in a calendar month in franchise history, ahead of May 2009 (184R)…it marked the most runs in a month by any team since Houston in August 2019 (200R).
TOUGH ROAD AHEAD — All 29 of Tampa Bay’s games during the month of May are against clubs that currently have a .500 record or better…Tampa Bay is 10-4 (.714) against teams that have a .500 or better record, the best winning pct. in MLB, ahead of Milwaukee (12-7, .632).
ON THE MOUND — Tampa Bay’s 2.90 ERA is the best mark in the majors, ahead of Houston (3.22)…this includes the best starter ERA (3.05) and the best bullpen ERA (2.74)… Rays pitchers pace the majors in opponents’ OPS (.606), opponents’ average (.206), fewest pitches per IP (15.6) and WHIP (1.09)…Tampa Bay’s 100 runs are the fewest allowed through 33 games in franchise history, ahead of the 2010 club (101R).
This success comes despite the Rays using 23 different pitchers, tied with New York-NL for the second most in MLB behind Oakland (25).
IN THE BOX — Rays hitters lead MLB in OPS (.877), OBP (.349), SLG (.528), batting average (.277), extra-base hits (139), total bases (591), runs/game (6.52) and home runs/game (2.09).
HOW SWEET IT IS — Tampa Bay is 240-133 (.643) at Tropicana Field since 2018, the fourth-best home winning percentage in the majors behind Los Angeles-NL (252-121, .676), New York-AL (246-128, .658) and Houston (240-131, .647).
YANKEE DOODLES — The Rays and Yankees meet for the second of 13 matchups this season, seven of which will be played over the next 10 days. Ê The Rays went 8-11 against the Yankees last season (5-5 at home, 3-6 on the road), losing the season series for the first time since 2019 (7-12)
TODAY’S STARTER: RHP DREW RASMUSSEN (3-2, 3.66)
DREW DAY — Rasmussen takes the ball this afternoon for his seventh start of the season, including his third at home…has allowed a career-high nine hits in each of his last two starts, pitching to a 7.45 ERA (9.2IP, 8ER) while allowing opponents to hit .409 (18-for-44)…has not permitted a run in two career games against the Yankees (8.1IP).
LAST TIME OUT — Rasmussen worked 5.0 frames in Tampa Bay’s 12-9 setback at Chicago-AL on 4/30 (5.0IP, 9H, 3ER, 3SO)…yielded a two-run homer to the final batter he faced, Yasmani Grandal, before giving way to the bullpen in the sixth inning…matched his career highs in hits (3x, last: 4/25/23 vs. HOU) and pitches (97, 3x, last: 8/25/22 vs. LAA) in the outing.
It marked his first start with zero walks since 4/9 vs. Oakland… entering the game, Rasmussen had walked multiple batters in each of his last three outings, matching the longest streak of his career (also 6/10-7/9, 2022).
