NEW YORK YANKEES NOTES:
AT A GLANCE: The Yankees continue their six-game road trip tonight with the first game of a three-game set at Los Angeles-NL (through Sun.)…are 2-1 on the road trip after winning two-of-three at Seattle…after this road trip, will return home for a six-game homestand vs. Chicago-AL (Tues.-Thurs.) and Boston (6/9-11).
At 34-24 (.586), have the fifth-best record in the AL.
Have won four of their last five games, nine of their last 13 games, 11 of their last 16 games, 13 of their last 19 games and 16 of their last 23 games.
Are 19-9 (.679) in their last 28 games (since 5/2), the best record in the Majors in that span.
Have won or split six of their last seven series (since 5/8), seven of their last nine series (since 5/1) and 13 of their 18 series this season (going 11-5-2).
WHERE WE LEFT OFF: The Yankees fell to the Mariners in a 1-0 “walk-off” loss in 10 innings on Wednesday…Yankees batters were shut out for the third time this season…RHP Clarke Schmidt (5.2IP, 3H, 0R, 1BB, 7K) did not record a decision despite tossing 5.2 scoreless innings…2B Gleyber Torres (1-for-4), 3B DJ LeMahieu (1-for-4) and C Kyle Higashioka (1-for-3) were the only Yankees to record a hit…DH Aaron Judge (0-for-3, 1IBB) was intentionally walked in the ninth to extend his on-base streak to 18 games…LHP Wandy Peralta (2.0IP, 1H, 3K) and RHP Clay Holmes (1.1IP, 3K) were both scoreless in relief…RHP Ron Marinaccio (0.0IP, 1H, 1R/0ER) took the loss after allowing the automatic runner in the 10th
inning to score.
CALENDAR DAYS: The Yankees hit 53 home runs in 29 games during the month of May, the most home runs in the Majors in that span…matched their most HR in the month of May in franchise history (also 53HR in May 2002)…also matched their fifth-most home runs in a single calendar month in
franchise history, trailing their 74HR in August 2019, 58HR in June 2022, and 54HR in August 1998 and July 1940 (also had 53HR in August 2018, May 2002 and June 1961). During the month of May, also ranked third in SLG (.463), runs scored (157) and runs per game (5.41), and fourth in
OPS (.782) and extra-base hits (98).
The Yankees led the Majors with 19 wins and ranked second with a 19-10 (.655) record, trailing only Texas’ 18-9 (.667) record…it marked just the seventh time in the last 11 seasons (since 2013) the Yankees have recorded at least 19 wins in a single calendar month…also went 22-6 in June 2022, 19-9 in May 2022, 21-8 in August 2021, 21-9 in August 2019, 20-7 in May 2019 and 20-8 in September 2017.
NATIONAL TREASURE: The Yankees are 9-3 in 12 Interleague games this season…have won each of their four series vs. NL opponents this season.
Their current three-game set vs. the Dodgers marks their first series against Los Angeles-NL since 8/23-25/19…are 8-8 all-time vs. the Dodgers in the regular season and 6-5 at Dodger Stadium.
HAWAIIAN PUNCH: INF/OF Isiah Kiner-Falefa is batting .342/.375/.684 (13-for-38) with 10R, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 3HR, 12RBI, 2BB and 1SB in his last 12G (since 5/16).
PITCH PERFECT: Yankees pitchers have posted a 3.67 ERA (519.2IP, 212ER) this season, the fifth-lowest ERA in the Majors… rank second in the Majors in opponents’ BA (.225), fourth in strikeouts (531), fifth in opponents’ OPS (.683), and sixth in opponents’ OBP (.306), opponents’ SLG (.378) and WHIP (1.22).
Yankees relievers have posted a Major League-best 2.86 ERA (223.2IP, 71ER) and .214 opponents’ BA this season… the Yankees are the only Major League bullpen that has an ERA below 3.00 this year.
GLEYBER DAY: INF Gleyber Torres owns a season-high 11-game hitting streak (since 5/20), batting .333/.360/.521 (16-for-48) with 10R, 3HR, 4RBI, 1BB and 1HP in that span… matches the second-longest streak of his career, trailing only a 12-game streak from 4/23-5/7/19 (also had 11-game streaks from 7/17-29/21 and 5/9-22/19).
Has reached base in each of his last 13 games and 25 of his last 26 games (since 5/5), batting .299 (32-for-107) with 21R, 4 doubles, 5HR, 15RBI, 8BB, 1HP and 2SF in that 26-game span…has also reached base in 35 of his last 39 games (since 4/20) and 38 of his last 43 games (since 4/15).
BASEBALL IS THE BEST: Earlier today, the Yankees announced that they will honor Sarah Langs as their HOPE Week honoree on Tuesday, July 4 — the 84th anniversary of Lou Gehrig making his famous “Luckiest Man” speech…earlier this week, Sarah learned about the honor via a surprise Zoom with Yankees Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Cashman, Senior Advisor Omar Minaya, Manager Aaron Boone, Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole, Director of Community Outreach Julia Steinbrenner and journalist/colleague Buster Olney…on Tuesday, July 4, Langs and other women from the ALS community will be honored in a pregame ceremony, which will include a video of Lou Gehrig’s “Luckiest Man” speech being read by Yankees players, Sarah and other women of the ALS community…Sarah and her fellow honorees will also take the field with the team prior to first pitch and be guests of the Yankees for their 1:05 p.m. game vs. Baltimore.
ALL RISE: OF Aaron Judge batted .342/.474/.882 (26-for76) with 23R, 5 doubles, 12HR, 25RBI, 20BB/3IBB, 1SB and 1SF in 21 games during the month of May…led the Majors in May in SLG and OPS (1.356) and was tied for the Major League lead in HR (first in AL)…also ranked second in the Majors in OBP (first in AL), tied for second in RBI (tied for first in AL) and extra-base hits (17, tied for first in AL), tied for fifth in walks (tied for second in AL) and tied for sixth in runs scored (tied for first in AL)…also ranked sixth in the AL in BA…his 12HR during May matched his third-most in a single calendar month, trailing only his 15HR in September 2017 and 13HR in July 2022 (also hit 12HR in May 2022).
According to OptaSTATS, his 1.917 OPS on the road in May was the highest mark by any Major League player in a single calendar month on the road in the Modern Era (min. 30PA), surpassing Babe Ruth’s 1.838 OPS in August 1924. Has 4HR in his last four games, 7HR in his last 12 games and 12HR in his last 17 games (since 5/13).
Has reached base in 10-of-18PA (6H, 4BB/1IBB) over his last four games.
Has reached base safely in each of his last 18 games (since 5/12), batting .354/.494/.969 (23-for-65) with 20R, 4 doubles, 12HR, 23RBI, 18BB/3IBB and 1SB in that span.
Has 23RBI in his last 17 games…has recorded 25RBI in 21 games since returning from the I.L. (since 5/9).
Has hit 4HR in five career games against the Dodgers… has homered in each of his three career games at Dodger Stadium.
Is batting .388/.500/.940 (26-for-67) with 19R, 7 doubles, 10HR, 21RBI, 16BB, 1SF and 2SB in 19 road games this season…has reached base in 18-of-19 games on the road this year (did not reach base in 2PA on 4/27 at Texas after exiting the game due to injury).
Leads the Majors in SLG (.679), OPS (1.088), AB/HR (9.33) and game-winning RBI (9), is second in HR (18, first in AL), tied for third in extra-base hits (28, tied for second in AL), tied for fifth in OBP (.410, tied for second in AL), sixth in total bases (114, third in AL), eighth in runs scored (41, third in AL) and tied for eighth in walks (34, third in AL)…is also tied for seventh in the AL in RBI (39) and ranks eighth in BA (.298).
Is batting .298/.410/.679 (50-for-168) with 41R, 10 doubles, 18HR, 39RBI, 34BB, 3SB and a 1.088 OPS in his first 47 games this season…in 2022, hit .303/.371/.657 (54-for-178) with 39R, 9 doubles, 18HR, 38RBI, 21BB, 3SB and a 1.029 OPS in his first 47 games.
Has reached base safely in each of his last 21 Interleague games (since 8/5/22), batting .429/.500/.833 (36-for-84) with 23R, 7 doubles, 9HR, 22RBI, 12BB/2IBB and 3SB in that span…matches the longest on-base streak by a Yankee in Interleague play in the last eight seasons (since 2016)… Judge also recorded a 21-game streak from 6/12/18-7/23/20.
Has hit .395/.458/.721 (17-for-43) with 11R, 2 doubles, 4HR, 10RBI and 5BB in 11 Interleague games this season…has batted .316/.404/.642 (121-for-383) with 1R, 19 doubles, 2 triples, 34HR, 68RBI, 56BB/4IBB and 9SB in 105 career Interleague games.
His .640 SLG and 1.046 OPS in Interleague play since 2017 are the highest in the Majors.
STANTON ISLAND: OF/DH Giancarlo Stanton has hit .310/.362/.713 (27-for-87) with 13R, 8 doubles, 9HR, 25RBI, 7BB and 1SB in 23 career games at Dodger Stadium. RISPY BUSINESS: Yankees batters are hitting .341/.388/.516 (31-for-91) with 10 doubles, 2HR, 40RBI, 8BB/2IBB, 1HP and 3SF with RISP in their last 12 games (since 5/19).
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP LUIS SEVERINO (0-0, 1.59 ERA)
RHP Luis Severino will make his third start of the season in tonight’s series opener at Dodger Stadium…the 29-year-old will make the start on extended five days’ rest due to Thursday’s team off day…made his second start of the season on Saturday vs. San Diego and did not record a decision despite allowing just 2R/1ER over 6.2IP (1H, 3BB, 5K, 1HR)…surrendered his only hit on a solo HR by Fernando Tatis Jr. in the fourth inning…missed the first 48 games of the season with a right lat strain…went 7-3 with a 3.18 ERA (102.0IP, 72H, 37R/36ER, 30BB, 112K, 14HR) in 19 starts for the Yankees in 2022…allowed 3ER-or-fewer in 15 of his starts, 2ER-or-fewer in 12 of those starts and oneor-zero earned runs in nine of those games…missed 59 team games in 2022 with a low grade right lat strain (7/14-9/20)…the two-time AL All-Star (2017, ’18) ranked third in the Majors in 2018 with 19 wins (19-8), tied for second-most by a Yankee in the last 14 seasons (since 2009) behind CC Sabathia (21-7 in 2010)…has two of the top-eight single-season strikeout totals in Yankees history (230K in 2017, 220K in 2018)…is one of four pitchers in Yankees history with multiple 200-strikeout seasons (also Gerrit Cole from 2021-22, David Cone from 1997-98 and Ron Guidry from 1978-79)…finished third in 2017 AL Cy Young Award voting…was originally signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on 12/26/11…signed to a four-year contract extending through the 2022 season with a club option for the 2023 season on 2/15/19…the Yankees exercised his club option for the 2023 season on 11/7/22.
2023: Will make his third start of the season tonight…did not record a decision in his last start on Saturday vs. San Diego despite allowing just 2R/1ER over 6.2IP (1H, 3BB, 5K, 1HR)…surrendered his only hit on a solo HR by Fernando Tatis Jr. in the fourth inning…exited the game in the seventh inning with two men on base (1BB, 1ROE) and two outs…Michael King entered in relief and allowed one of those inherited runners to score.
Did not record a decision in his first start of the season on 5/21 at Cincinnati (4.2IP, 4H, 1ER, 1BB, 5K, 0HR)…was returned from rehab and reinstated from the 15-day injured list on 5/21 prior to his start.
Dating back to last season, has allowed 1ER-or-fewer in each of his last three starts (since 10/3/22), tied for the second-longest such streak of his career (trails only a five-start streak from 7/15-8/6/17)…has allowed 2ER-or-fewer in each of his last five starts (since 9/21/22), tied for the second-longest such streak of his career (trails only a nine-start streak from 9/12/18-4/20/22)…has allowed 2ER-or-fewer in seven of his last eight starts (since 6/30/22).
Missed the first 48 games of the season with a right lat strain…combined to make two rehab starts with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Double-A Somerset, posting a 4.05 ERA (6.2IP, 8H, 3ER, 2BB, 6K, 1HR).
Posted a 9.00 ERA (15.0IP, 15ER) and 23K in five spring starts before being his scratched from his final spring start due to injury.
VS. LOS ANGELES-NL/INTERLEAGUE: Will make his second career appearance and first career start vs. the Dodgers tonight…tossed 2.0 scoreless innings in relief on 9/14/16 vs. Los Angeles-NL at Yankee Stadium (1H, 1K).
Both of his starts this season have come against NL clubs (5/21 at Cincinnati and 5/27 vs. San Diego).
Went 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA (19.0IP, 17H, 6ER, 4BB, 20K, 4HR) in four starts against NL opponents in 2022, with the Yankees going 4-0 in those games.
In 17 career appearances (15 starts) vs. NL teams, is 8-2 with a 1.76 ERA (92.0IP, 64H, 23R/18ER, 24BB, 108K, 10HR, 1HP, 4WP)…has tossed 6.0-or-more innings with at least 8K in seven of his 15 career Interleague starts…has allowed 3R-or-fewer in 13 of his 15 starts…has not allowed more than 4R in any of his 15 career Interleague starts.
The Yankees are 13-2 all-time in Interleague games that he has started…have won each of his last six Interleague starts (since 2022).
ROAD RULES: Will make his second road start of the season…did not record a decision in his first road start of the year (also his season debut) on 5/21 at Cincinnati (4.2IP, 4H, 1ER, 1BB, 5K, 0HR).
In 64 career games (54 starts) on the road, is 23-15 with a 3.29 ERA (325.1IP, 119ER) and 349K.
Has surrendered 3ER-or-fewer in 42-of-54 career starts on the road and 2ER-or-fewer in 33 of those starts.
From 4/7/17-6/26/18, recorded at least 6K in 23 consecutive road starts…at the time, was the fourth-longest streak in Major League history (Randy Johnson-33GS from 8/22/98-8/14/00; Pedro Martinez-28GS from 8/24/99-6/21/01 and Randy Johnson-25GS from 8/30/00-5/11/02)…was later surpassed by Shane Bieber (28GS from 4/27/19-5/27/21).
START ME UP: The Yankees are 61-26 in his 87 starts since 2017…has allowed 1ER-or-fewer in 42-of-87 starts (48.3%) since the beginning of 2017.
From 7/8/17-7/12/18, the Yankees went 31-4 in his 35 starts, the first time the Yankees won at least 31 games in a pitcher’s 35-start span since going 31-4 over 35 Ron Guidry starts from 8/10/77-8/15/78 (Elias).
LOS ANGELES DODGERS NOTES:
TITANS OF INDUSTRY: The Dodgers dropped the finale of their three-game set with the Nationals on Wednesday and tonight continue their homestand (2-1) against an unfamiliar opponent as the American League East’s New York Yankees visit Chavez Ravine for just the fifth time ever in the regular season. Of course, the two squads met 11 times in the World Series from 1941-81 with Dodger Stadium involved in four of them (1963, 1977-78, ’81). While tonight’s contest is being broadcast by SNLA, the two teams are going national this weekend as FOX will feature the 4:15 p.m. start tomorrow and ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball comes to town for the 4:08 p.m. start on Sunday. Following the series and homestand closer on Sunday, the Boys in Blue will hit the road for a six-game trip on Monday afternoon that has stops in Cincinnati (June 6-8) and Philadelphia (June 9-11). Los Angeles (.596) and Arizona are tied atop the NL West and co-own the best record in the National League and the fourth-best mark in the big leagues, trailing Tampa Bay (.690), Texas (.636) and Baltimore (.625). The Dodgers have the best home record in the National League (19-8, .704) and have won 13 of their last 15 contests at the Ravine.
COMING UP SHORT: The Dodgers scored at least six runs for the fifth consecutive game, but were unable to keep the Nationals off the board and fell, 10-6, on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. The club ripped 11 hits, including five extra-base hits and three home runs. Mookie Betts hit two homers, including the 40th leadoff blast of his career (20th with Los Angeles). His four leadoff homers in 2023 lead the Majors and his 40 career leadoff blasts are tied with Charlie Blackmon for ninth all-time, four shy of Brady Anderson. The two home run game was the 24th multi-homer contest of Betts’ career. The Dodgers lead the National League in runs per game (5.60), runs scored (319), home runs (96), extra-base hits (215), slugging percentage (.460) and walks (245).
RIVALRY RESTARTED: The Dodgers and Yankees haven’t met since August 2019 and the clubs have met just 16 times since the start of Interleague play in 1997, with each team winning eight games. The Yankees took two of three from the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in that 2019 three-game series and overall Los Angeles is 6-6 vs. the Bronx Bombers at Chavez Ravine. Despite posting a 1.67 ERA (5 ER/27.0 IP) in four career starts vs. the Yankees, Dodger starter Clayton Kershaw has never beaten the Bombers, going 0-1. In his career, the Yankees are the only team Kershaw has pitched against and not beaten. He has never faced the Orioles or Red Sox in the regular season. Kershaw has a 1.13 ERA (3 ER/24.0 IP) at Dodger Stadium this season.
INTERLEAGUING: The Dodgers are 3-3 in interleague play this season after going 15-5 last year against the other league, including a 7-3 record at home. Since the start of the 2019 season, Los Angeles is 56-30 in interleague play and their .651 winning percentage in that span is second best in the Majors, trailing only the Tampa Bay Rays, who have a .673 Interleague winning percentage in that span.
LOCKED IN: Dodger designated hitter J.D. Martinez went 1-for-3 with a double and two walks on Wednesday, extending his hitting streak to 15
games in the process. Martinez has been on fire since returning from the injured list on May 12, hitting safely in 17 of 18 games while batting .311 (23-for-74) with four doubles, eight homers and a Major League leading 24 RBI during that span. He is three games shy of matching his career best hitting streak of 18 games (April 20-May 17, 2022).
THE GLUE: Dodger catcher Will Smith went 2-for-4 and belted his eighth homer of the year on Wednesday. He batted .318 (27-for-85) with three doubles and five homers during the month of May to go along with a .963 OPS. The Dodgers are 25-13 (.658) when Smith has appeared in a game and 25-10 (.714) when he starts.
LONG BALLS: The Dodgers hit three more home runs Wednesday afternoon and have 96 on the season, which ranks second in the Majors, trailing only the Tampa Bay Rays (103). Los Angeles recorded their 17th 3+ homer game on Wednesday, which leads the Majors. The Dodgers also rank second in the Majors with 46 games with at least one homer, behind the Rays (49), who have homered in all but nine games this season.
TONIGHT’S STARTER vs YANKEES: LHP CLAYTON KERSHAW (6-4, 3.32 ERA in 11 GS)
2023 SEASON NOTES:
- Over 11 starts, the Texas native owns a 6-4 record with a 3.32 ERA (23 ER/62.1 IP) with 75 strikeouts against 16 walks and has generated a
1.14 WHIP - Notched his 200th career win in his start on April 18 against the Mets, making him the only Los Angeles Dodger to win 200 games with the same franchise…joins Don Sutton (233) and Don Drysdale (209) on the Dodger all-time list…
- Currently 21st all-time on the Major League strikeout list with 2,882…he needs 118 more to become the 20th player in Major League history
with 3,000 strikeouts - Has fired 6.0+ innings in seven out of his 11 starts this season
- He was named the National League Pitcher of the Month for April after posting a 5-1 record with a 1.89 ERA (8 ER/38.0 IP) and 41 strikeouts and a 0.76 WHIP
VS. YANKEES:
- Will face New York for the fifth time in his career…is 0-1 with a 1.67 ERA (5 ER/27.0 IP) and 27 strikeouts against zero walks
- Last faced the club on August 25, 2019, tossing 7.0 innings while giving up four hits, three runs, no walks and 12 punchouts while allowing three homers in the loss
