Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

If Gio Urshela and Miguel Andujar are both hitting to start the season, I mean really hitting, how do you keep both on the field? ~ @MJTorres1230

Back when the world was normal, the Yankees planned to name Gio Urshela their starting third baseman and either make Miguel Andujar an OF/3B/maybe 1B or option him to Triple-A with the expectation that he'd be back soon.

If there's a season, we presume that the plan would remain the same. If Andujar ends up hitting enough to force his way into the everyday lineup -- and that's not hard to imagine, given how good he is -- then the situation will work itself out in the standard ways.

As I write this, there was supposed to be just six days until Opening Day. However, the coronavirus pandemic has suspended the season indefinitely. 

MLB is doing what the rest of us are (hopefully) doing in taking the right precautions to counteract the spread of the virus. The league's latest guildelines allows players to remain at their spring facilities if they'd like, but only use of the gym and training facilites are allowed. No more organizated workouts can take place. 

Players like Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and others are in still there to stay active and prepare for the season, while manager Aaron Boone is among those that drove home. It's a very sensitive and surreal situation, but it's what we all have to deal with at the moment. 

The Yankees offense couldn't get much going and a late two-run shot from Philadelphia broke a 1-1 tie to give the Phillies a 3-1 win Monday >> Box score

5 things to know from Monday's game...

1) J.A. Happ got the start for the Yankees on the mound and put together a decent outing. Happ went 4.0 innings and allowed three hits -- including a solo home run from Mikie Mahtook that tied the game up in the third inning. But that would be the only run Happ would allow on the day, and he added five strikeouts to his final tallies.

The Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves 1-0 in Sunday afternoon's split-squad game as Masahiro Tanaka threw 3.2 scoreless innings. >> Box score

5 things to know from Sunday's game...

1) Tanaka threw 3.2 scoreless innings, striking out four Braves batters and allowing just one hit. The righty continued to look good, after throwing three perfect innings in his last start against the Boston Red Sox on March 3.

Scott Thompson, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Welp. 

That's exactly how Yankee fans feel when hearing GM Brian Cashman say that two of the team's best hitters in Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are both "unlikely" for Opening Day. Judge's situation began as a "minor right shoulder problem," and now Cashman is saying it's two separate injuries in his shoulder and pec. 

Cashman said he's "responding well" to his multitude of tests, but there still isn't a timeline for his return, making his status for Opening Day the way it is.

The Yankees got off to a hot start and never looked back, as they took down the Red Sox, 9-1, in Tampa on Tuesday. >> Box score

5 things to know from Tuesday's game...

1) Masahiro Tanaka went three innings in his latest start, and he was perfect by not allowing a hit or a walk. He also struck out five batters. The Yankees love to see that from their now-No. 2 starter with Luis Severino and James Paxton out. 

The Yankees' starting rotation is already reeling ahead of Opening Day, with Luis Severino (Tommy John surgery) out for the season and James Paxton (back surgery to remove cyst) absent for the start of the 2020 season. Because of that, GM Brian Cashman is already looking to discuss trades with teams to add another rotation piece. 

According to The Post's Ken Davidoff and Mike Puma, the Yankees have contacted the Mets about potentially trading for LHP Steven Matz, and the Mets are "willing to listen."

However, SNY's Andy Martino is saying not to hold your breath, as multiple sources are telling him "there is no reason to think it will progress or that anything will happen there."

Deivi Garcia gave up a two-run homer in the second inning, but the Yankees offense came through late to secure a 5-3 win over the Braves on Friday >> Box score

7 things to know from Friday's game...

1) Deivi Garcia got the start, exiting after allowing just one hit, one walk and striking out three. However, his lone hit allowed was a two-run home run to Johan Camargo in the second inning.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Days before Miguel Andujar decided to have season-ending shoulder surgery last May, the team was preparing to option him to Triple-A Scranton.

Andujar had finished in second place the year before in American League Rookie of the Year voting, but was not performing after a return from the disabled list. The Yankees couldn't carry him anymore. 

Everyone involved concluded that the issue was injury, not talent or skill, so Andujar made the difficult decision to shut it down for the year.

Scott Thompson, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Yankees spring training is in full swing down in Tampa, as players gear up for the start of games at the end of the week. It is during these games that position battles will start to heat up, and players on the bubble will fight for roster spots.

We made a couple of tweaks to our Opening Day roster from our original prediction to the 2.0 version, and after a few developments already at camp, the same can be said for this one.

So, without further ado, let's look at the starting lineup...

Like many Yankees last season, OF Mike Tauchman was called upon to fill in for starters that hit the IL. Between the injuries for Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Hicks, and Aaron Judge, Tauchman had plenty of opportunities to impress in his first season as a Yankee, and he did just that. 

Until the injury bug caught up with him toward the end of the season. 

A Grade 2 calf strain suffered at the beginning of September ended Tauchman's campaign, as the Yankees lost yet another key contributor to their lineup. Stanton, Miguel Andujar, and later on Luke Voit would join that list as well. 

On Friday, SNY's MLB Insider Andy Martino sat down with Yankees manager Aaron Boone for an exclusive interview to talk about the upcoming season.

During the 2019 season, Gio Urshela started 109 games at third base for the Yanks with 24-year-old Miguel Andujar sidelined for most of the season. With Andujar coming back from an injury-filled season, Martino asked Boone if Urshela is locked in as the starter at third base for the Bombers in 2020.

"I think to some degree we're always in competition," Boone said. "We feel like Gio has shown himself to be our third baseman. And what he's able to do on both sides of the ball. He's also got to continue to go out there and earn those regular at-bats. Because we feel, like obviously, we have a lot of capable people that when guys fall off a little bit, there's going to be a fight for playing time."

Scott Thompson, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Yankees pitchers and catchers report to Tampa next week to officially kick off the 2020 season, and there hasn't been much change to our earlier 26-man roster prediction 1.0. 

The Bombers are still very much poised to make a World Series run and capture their 28th title. There are, however, a couple of tweaks that we can still make with the Yankees making some things more clear heading into spring training. 

So, without further ado, let's look at the starting lineup...

With the Yankees entering the 2020 season as the heavy favorites to win the World Series, the ZiPS projections certainly make that seem possible.

The annual projections from Dan Szymborski/FanGraphs see Gleyber Torres hitting more home runs than Aaron Judge, another dominant season from Gerrit Cole and a bounceback season from Giancarlo Stanton.

However, their projections for Gio Urshela and Mike Tauchman see the duo taking a step back from their breakout seasons last year.

The Yankees might have an interesting situation brewing at the hot corner.

Or at least, they might have until general manager Brian Cashman made a definitive statement on Friday. 

That position belongs to Gio Urshela, despite Miguel Andujar returning from injury. 

Yankees third baseman Miguel Andujar has been rehabbing his way back from his torn labrum surgery, and he looks to be right on track for the start of Spring Training.

Manager Aaron Boone said on MLB Network Radio Tuesday that Andujar is throwing and taking ground balls in the Dominican Republic at the moment, and should be good by the time Spring Training rolls around. 

"We believe he's going to be totally healthy as he enters Spring Training and good to go," Boone said. 

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Perhaps the 2010s can be explained simply as the law of averages catching up with the Yankees, a reminder of just how remarkable it was to navigate the postseason so flawlessly while winning four championships in five years two decades ago. 

More likely the teams of this decade simply weren't quite as clutch or complete as those Joe Torre ballclubs that remain the last dynasty we've seen in baseball.

Either way, this decade will be remembered dubiously in the Bronx as the first one in 100 years in which the Yankees didn't make at least one World Series appearance. 

When the Yankees open up spring training in Tampa, Fla. in Febuary, manager Aaron Boone expects to have Miguel Andujar at full capacity. 

"[Andujar] is doing really well,'' Boone said Friday. "I expect him to be ready to go for spring training.'' 

Boone made an offseason trip to the "office" Friday, handling duties for the opening coin toss of the Pinstripe Bowl, played at Yankee Stadium.

Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Gift ideas for the Yankees? Sigh.

So much pressure to make another "Cole in their stocking" joke. But since we used that one every single day of the "12 Days of Christmas" (and then some), Baseball Santa needs new material.

We do, however, have a long list of potential presents for the Yanks for 2020 this holiday season. With a loaded roster, strong front office and manager, and a reservoir of prospects, they seem to be the team that has everything. But, much like the work the Yanks have left to do with their roster, we found spots around the margins of their pinstriped tree to leave some gifts.

Scott Thompson, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Yankees couldn't return to the World Series for the first time since 2009, falling to the Astros in the ALCS once again to end their 2019 season. And it's even more disappointing than 2017 because this was supposed to be the year the Bronx Bombers took that leap forward into a new age of championships. 

Instead, GM Brian Cashman found himself heading into an offseason needing to upgrade his roster once again to ensure a World Series would be in his team's future in 2020. He delivered. 

Cashman & Co. landed the league's top free agent in Gerrit Cole with a massive nine-year, $324 million deal to give the Yankees an ace, and potentially the missing piece they needed to capture their 28th world title. And he may not even be done. 

The Yankees had reported interest in Royals LHP Tim Hill late last month, and that seems to still be the case, according to The Post's George A. King III. 

GM Brian Cashman is still inquiring about his availability via trade, as the Yankees could use another lefty reliever in their bullpen. Hill, a submarine pitcher, pitched to a 3.63 ERA over 39.2 innings last season. He is very productive against lefties, and he has allowed 0.8 and 0.9 homers per nine innings in the last two seasons respectively -- always a good number for a small Yankee Stadium. 

One of the Royals' needs is a third baseman, and King has them being interested in Miguel Andujar and Gio Urshela, depending on what the Yankees decide to do with that situation. Urshela has the upper hand after a breakout season, while Andujar is coming back from a torn labrum. 

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Brian Cashman said last week he has received numerous inquiries from teams about trading Miguel Andujar, and while Gio Urshela's emergence makes that idea tempting for the Yankees, the pros and cons of it lean toward such extremes that finding the right deal could be difficult.

Consider, for example, these contrasting points of view from two scouts I talked to this weekend:

"Andujar's ceiling as a hitter is so high that I'm not sure the Yankees could get anywhere near the value they should for him," one scout said. "He's got an innate ability to make contact, square the ball up and hit it hard, which everybody saw in his rookie year, and he'll only get better as he continues to see major-league pitching."

As Yankees GM Brian Cashman assesses his 26-man roster for next season, he'll most likely take a long, hard look at Miguel Andujar. 

Why? Well, where does he truly fit?

He'll be 25 at the start of the season, and his 2018 campaign that saw him as the runner-up for Rookie of the Year made the Yankees very happy to see him trending in the direction of the other young superstars on their team. 

Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Didi Gregorius came to New York nearly five years ago tasked with replacing a pinstriped legend at a high-profile position. He was the shortstop-after-Derek Jeter, but he never seemed to let that looming shadow engulf him and he crafted a strong career as a Yankee.

Now, however, Gregorius is a free agent and it's hard to peg whether his future is in the Bronx. Will the Yankees, who saw the value of depth last season, bring him back even though they have a potential replacement on the roster?

Or is Gregorius, the best free agent shortstop, headed for a nice multi-year deal elsewhere, even after his disappointing return from Tommy John surgery this year? 

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

In trying to predict what the Yankees might do this off-season, only one question really matters for a team that is loaded in so many areas:

Are they ready to open the vault for the best pitcher in baseball at the moment? 

I believe they are, even if it's partly as a response to public pressure to win another championship. Other than that, it looms as a fairly quiet winter for a team coming off back-to-back 100-win seasons. 

Scott Thompson, SNY.tv | Twitter |

With the World Series over (unfortunately without the Yankees starring in it), the hot stove season -- free agency, trades, and all the intrigue -- is officially here.

For the Bombers, they have eight players potentially set to hit free agency. And there's a strong chance that all of them will be playing for new teams in 2020.

The Yankees have a few top players who could hit the market, like Aroldis Chapman, Didi Gregorius, Dellin Betances, and Brett Gardner. So what should the Yanks do? Who should they bring back? 

First of all, I wouldn't blame Yankees fans for not wanting to watch a single ounce of the World Series that kicks off on Tuesday night in Houston. Jose Altuve's walk-off homer in Game 6 of the ALCS still stings, and after what the Yankees accomplished this season, it was hard to watch that all end this past Saturday. 

For those fans that want their last fix of baseball before the offseason, there is a reason to watch. 

A few high-profile free agents will feature in the matchup between the Nationals and Astros, and they could find their way in pinstripes depending on how the Yankees want to structure their free agency pursuit this offseason. 

Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter |

With a strong, young nucleus of stars such as Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres and Luis Severino and others, the Yankees at least have the base of a contender for years to come.

But that doesn't mean there aren't significant questions facing GM Brian Cashman and the Yankee braintrust this offseason after another disappointing exit from the playoffs. And winning windows sometimes close before we think they will, if clubs don't make the right moves. 

Will it be a long, Cole'd -- get it? -- winter? Will Aroldis Chapman opt-out? Who's on first? (No, seriously). 

After the Yankees split Saturday and Sunday at Minute Maid Park in Houston, New York returns home Tuesday to the Bronx at 4:04 p.m. from Yankee Stadium for Game 3 of the ALCS against the Astros.

Yankees notes

Sunday's Game 2 of the ALCS alone made the series live up to the hype. After the Yankees dominated Saturday's 7-0 win to grab Game 1, the Astros got New York back in Game 2 with an 11th-inning leadoff home run by SS Carlos Correa against LHP J.A. Happ. Correa starred for the Astros at the plate and in the field, highlighted by his sixth-inning throw home when he caught 1B DJ LeMahieu rounding third base by three steps.

The Yankees look to extend their series lead in Game 2 of the ALCS against the Astros on Sunday at 8:08 p.m. at Minute Maid Park.

Yankees notes

The Yankees took a 1-0 lead in the series after beating the Astros 7-0 in Game 1 of the ALCS. Gleyber Torres was the star of the night, going 3-for-5 with 5 RBI thanks to a double and home run. Giancarlo Stanton went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, but injured his quad and will not start Game 2. Starter Masahiro Tanaka allowed just one hit over six innings, striking out four batters and walking just one in the win. Gio Urshela put the nail in the coffin with his solo home run in the ninth inning, he finished the game 2-for-4 from the plate.

Gleyber Torres put the Yankees on the board first in Game 1 of the ALCS against the Houston Astros. 

In a tight-knit game that has both Masahiro Tanaka and Zack Greinke dealing early, Torres hit an RBI double with one out in the top of the fourth inning to bring DJ LeMahieu in for the first run of the game.

Gleyber Torres is 22 years old.



(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/DTDTYJyWGU

Tags: DJ LeMahieu, Giancarlo Stanton, Gio Urshela, Gleyber Torres, Masahiro Tanaka

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Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Aaron Boone has always had an elite human touch, but he famously struggled with pitching moves in his playoff managing debut last year against Boston. It's worth noting then, that he remained calm and followed the game plans in this series.

He took a few risks, and made a few moves that could have left his bullpen short, but it's impossible to accuse him of anything close to managing tight or choking. Quite the contrary, he assigned his pitchers to the lanes determined by pregame planning, and didn't make a single move because of passion or panic.

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

In the end, the Yankees overmatched the Twins in every way possible, even adding spectacular defense to their championship resume, but by far the most significant development in this ALDS sweep of the Twins was the official return of Luis Severino.

With four shutout innings in the 5-1 win that featured some gutsy escapes from jams, Severino offered reason to believe he can at least be a third potentially dominant starter the Yankees need in this post-season, and perhaps at most the ace he has been at times in his young career.

Manager Aaron Boone -- along with the rest of the Yankees staff -- still has some decisions to make regarding the ALDS roster. But Boone said on Wednesday that those will come in their final meetings Wedneday night to finalize their best 25-man group in their mind.

Boone, though, has a vision in his mind right now of how his group will shake out. 

"In my head right now, I'm pretty clear about which way we're going to go," he said. "In my mind, it's starting to come together how I pick us lining up our starters, what our roster looks like. Again, it's about us meeting today and kinda finalizing those things. I can certainly envision how it might look and how we might roll it out."

Job one for the Yankees on Sunday was to get out of the regular-season finale with no injuries, but with the way this IL-fest of a year has gone, forget that.

The Yankees lost to the Rangers, 6-1, in the last game ever at Globe Life Park, but the pinstriped headline was Gio Urshela leaving in the fourth inning with what the team is calling a mild left ankle sprain.

The Yankees told reporters in Texas that doctors examined Urshela at the ballpark and there were no further tests planned. The Yankees don't play again until Friday when they open the AL Division Series against the Twins at Yankee Stadium, so Urshela has time to heal.

The Yankees (103-57, 7.0 GA in AL East) look for another win over the Texas Rangers (76-84, 29.0 GB in AL West, 20.0 GB in AL Wild Card), in Arlington on Saturday at 8:05 p.m.

Yankees notes

During their 14-7 win on Friday over the Rangers, Giancarlo Stanton, Cameron Maybin, Brett Gardner, Gio Urshela, Mike Ford and Austin Romine all homered for the Yankees which brought their team total for 2019 to 305, surpassing the Twins' 303 for the league lead, both are currently the highest HR totals for a team in a single season in MLB history. ... DJ LeMahieu had his MLB leading 61st multi-hit game of the season on Friday, he had a double and two singles. ... Following Friday's results, the Yankees will next face the Minnesota Twins in the American League Division Series starting next week. ... The Yankees placed outfielder Aaron Hicks on the 60-day IL on Saturday (elbow). ... LHP James Paxton (left glute tightness) left Friday's game after one inning but Paxton called it a precautionary move. 

The Yankees (102-56, 8.0 GA in AL East) look to rebound from their 2-1 loss in Tampa Bay against the Rays (94-64, 8 GB in AL East, 0.5 GA in Wild Card) on Tuesday as the two teams wrap their brief two-game set on Wednesday at Tropicana Field at 7:10 p.m.

Yankees notes

DJ LeMahieu enters the game on a 10-game hitting streak and during that stretch has 18 total hits, eight RBI, two homers and is hitting at a .391 average. ... Gio Urshela was hit in the hand with a fastball on Tuesday in the sixth inning, ensuing X-rays were negative but he is not in Wednesday's lineup and has a bruised hand. ... Brett Gardner is also having a profitable past 10 games for the Yankees, he's batting .351 over that span with three doubles, four home runs and 11 RBI

The Yankees won their first game their final homestand of the season, coming up victorious over the Angels 8-0 Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. >> Box Score

Five takeaways from Tuesday's game...

1) Facing his first major league batter since the 2018 ALDS, Luis Severino came in expecting to throw about 70 pitches (ended up throwing 67)…he used up 12 of those on the leadoff hitter. Brian Goodwin was caught looking on the first pitch, took two balls on the next couple and then proceeded to foul off the next six pitches. Goodwin held Severino to a full count before walking on the 12th pitch. But, Severino managed to escape the inning with no runs scored and just one hit to go with the walk, but used up 19 pitches.

The Yankees got out to an early lead thanks to an Aaron Judge home run in their 6-4 win over the Tigers in Game 2 of the team's doubleheader. >> Box Score

Five takeaways from Thursday's Game 2...

1) CC Sabathia threw 56 pitches in just 3.1 innings during his first start since returning from the IL. The lefty allowed only two earned runs on three hits, ands struck out five batters. Domingo German then came in and struck out five batters on two hits, as he threw 50 pitches in four innings of work.

After they took their four-game series against the rival Boston Red Sox last Friday through Monday, the Yankees (95-50, 9.0 GA in AL East) hit the middle of their 10-game road trip with Tuesday's 6:40 p.m. start vs. the Detroit Tigers (42-100, 45.5 GB in AL Central, 41.0 GB for second Wild Card) at Comerica Park.

Yankees notes

Since they dropped three straight games in an Aug. 20-22 sweep against the Athletics in Oakland, the Yankees have won their past five series. The Yankees dropped last Friday's series opener to Red Sox but then proceeded to bury their rivals as they won the past three games by a 20-6 margin and eliminated Boston mathematically from AL East contention. They did their damage in Monday's series finale, a 5-0 shutout, behind a pair of solo home runs to get on the board -- Austin Romine's fifth-inning shot down the right-field line and Gio Urshela's seven-inning bomb over the left-field Green Monster -- before DJ LeMahieu and Gleyber Torres tacked on a run apiece in the seventh and Luke Voit added another in the ninth.

James Paxton held the Red Sox off the scoreboard as the Yankees coasted to a 5-0 victory over the Red Sox on Monday night. >> Box Score

Five takeaways from Monday's game

1) James Paxton tossed his second consecutive scoreless outing and won his eighth straight start on Monday with another fantastic performance. He allowed just four hits over 6.2 innings, walking three and striking out seven. He hasn't lost a game since July 26, and in the eight starts since has seen his ERA drop from 4.72 to 3.96. His streak of scoreless innings now stands at 15.

The Yankees (94-50, 8.5 GA in AL East) round out their four-game series against the Red Sox (76-67, 17.5 GB in AL East, 8 GB of second wild card) Monday at 7:10 p.m.

Yankees notes

With three home runs in Sunday's win, the Yankees set a franchise record with 268 homers on the season. They surpassed the mark they set just last season with 18 games remaining on the schedule... Gleyber Torres' hit his 35th homer of the season, breaking a tie with Gary Sanchez for the team lead... The Yankees are 64-12 when hitting multiple home runs this season and 35-4 when they have three or more... Gio Urshela returned to the active roster on Sunday and will re-join the starting lineup in Monday's game.

The Yankees (88-48, 10 GA in AL East) host the Oakland Athletics (78-56, 9 GB in AL West, 1 GA in AL Wild Card) in Game 2 of their three-game set at Yankee Stadium on Saturday at 1:05 p.m.

Yankees notes

The Yankees fell 8-2 on Friday to A's and are now 0-4 head-to-head against Oakland this season. Since 2015, the Yankees have a 12-19 record vs. the A's, their worst record vs. any AL team in that time span. ... The Yankees moved two players to the 10-day IL, putting 3B Gio Urshela (groin) there on Friday, and LHP CC Sabathia (knee) on Saturday morning. ... In a corresponding move, RHP Jonathan Loaisiga was recalled from Triple-A Scranton. ... Luke Voit played in his first game since July 30 on Friday, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. ... Aaron Judge was also 2-for-4 on Friday, his third straight multi-hit game. He's hitting .372 in his last 10 games.

The Yankees have a rich history littered with awards and records. They're not going to be too happy about their latest, though. 

Gio Urshela was placed on the 10-day injured list on Friday. He has a strained groin muscle.

The move was the 29th time this season the Yanks have had a player land on the IL. That's a new single-season MLB record for the number of players a team has sent to the injury list. 

The Yankees put potential batting title champ Gio Urshela on the 10-day injured list on Friday. He's focusing on allowing his strained groin to heal and the playoffs, not a potential run at the batting title. 

Currently batting .331, Urshela might not hit the minimal number required to qualify for the award after going on the IL. But he doesn't care. 

"It's more important to win games," Urshela said to the New York Daily News. 

The Yankees (83-46, 8.0 GA in AL East) take on the Los Angeles Dodgers (85-44, 20.5 GA in NL West) at Dodger Stadium Friday at 10:10 p.m. to begin a three-game series with the two-time defending National League champions.

Yankees notes

Gleyber Torres went 4-for-4 with a pair of homers in Thursday's loss to the A's. He now has 31 home runs on the season... Gio Urshela had a rare down night, going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts... Aaron Judge reached base three times on Thursday, going 2-for-3 with a walk, but the three hitters behind him (Didi Gregorius, Urshela and Gary Sanchez) combined to go 1-for-12 behind him.

A big night from Gleyber Torres at the plate was not enough to prevent the sweep, as the A's topped the Yankees, 5-3, on Thursday night in Oakland. >> Box Score

Five takeaways from Thursday's game

1) While throwing 109 pitches, Masahiro Tanaka only mustered six innings of work while laboring through a few innings, starting right out of the gate in the first. The A's plated three runs in the opening frame, which was helped by two walks from Tanaka, after he did not walk a single batter over his last two starts. Matt Olson grounded into a force out which scored Marcus Semien for the game's first run, then Mark Canha added a two-run single to left field. 

The Yankees dropped their third game in a row with a 6-4 loss to the Athletics on Wednesday night. >> Box Score

Five takeaways from Wednesday's game...

1) J.A. Happ struggled once again, throwing just 4.0 innings and allowing five earned runs including two home runs. Happ struck out four batters, walked just two, and allowed only four hits. His record is now 10-8 on the season.

The Yankees allowed two first inning home runs in Tuesday night's 6-2 loss to the Athletics. >> Box Score

Five takeaways from Tuesday's game...

1) Domingo German had a rough start, giving up three earned runs in the first inning including two home runs. He finished the game after 5.1 innings of work, allowing a total of five earned runs on eight hits. German did strike out seven batters, but it wasn't enough to slow down the A's offense. It was his first loss since June 7 against the Indians, as his record is now 16-3 on the season.