The Yankees are not concerned with Aaron Judge's post-injured list slump.

Though Judge is 0-for-10 with four strikeouts in three games since returning from an oblique strain that sidelined him for two months, manager Aaron Boone knows what Judge is capable of.

"Judge is about the last guy I worry about," Boone told reporters after Sunday's loss to the Astros. "It's truly a matter of time. When he locks it in real good, you know it's gonna be on base and power for days."

The Yankees won their eighth game in a row, beating the Astros 7-5 on Saturday night at Yankee Stadium. >> Box score

Five takeaways from Saturday's game

1) Giancarlo Stanton came up clutch in a pair of huge spots for the Yankees on Saturday. After the Astros tied the game at two on a Josh Reddick two-run homer in the top of the sixth, Stanton grounded a two-run single off Yuli Gurriel's glove to give the Yankees the lead. Later in the game, with the score tied at five in the seventh, Stanton hit an almost identical ball, scoring two again and putting the Yankees up 7-5.

2) With a 4-2 lead in the seventh inning, Aaron Boone turned the ball over to Jonathan Holder, and the reliever couldn't keep the lead. With two on and two outs, Astros rookie Yordan Alvarez blasted a three-run home run to right to give Houston the lead. The Yankees bounced right back, though, as Austin Romine lined an opposite field home run to tie the game. 

It was a picturesque day in the Bronx for the Yankees classic Old Timer's Day. And this one was extra special due to it being Mariano Rivera's first ever Old Timer's Day game. 

While some of the best Yankees in years past were announced before the game took place, the day was dedicated to Rivera with each Old Timer wearing his No. 42 on the back of their jerseys. Rivera is coming off a Hall of Fame vote that made him the first unanimous inductee in history. 

All eyes were on Rivera when he took the mound in the first inning, and of course, Enter Sandman was played over the speakers...

The Yankees (49-27, 5.5 GA in AL East) can collect a sweep against the Astros (48-30, 6.5 GA in AL West) on Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium at 2:20 p.m.

Yankees notes

Old Timer's Day took place before this one, where Mariano Rivera played in his very first one. He had an inside-the-park home run during his at-bat. ...The Yankees would push their win streak to nine games if they can defeat Houston today. ...Gleyber Torres and Gary Sanchez have homered in three consecutive games when they play. They got the day off yesterday, and Gio Urshela and Austin Romine -- their replacements -- both homered. ...Giancarlo Stanton had four, clutch RBI yesterday, including the game-winning hit -- a two-run single to left.

The Yankees have placed OF Cameron Maybin on the 10-day Injured List with a Grade 2 left calf strain, the team announced on Sunday. The move is retroactive to June 22. 

Manager Aaron Boone said after the game Friday night that Maybin had to leave early that the veteran outfielder "felt a pot" in his calf as he rounded the bases following a Gary Sanchez home run. As he made his way to the dugout, he was visibly limping. 

This is a tough blow for Maybin, who has been wonderful for the Yankees since coming on mid-season. He is slashing .314/.391/.500 with five homers, 14 RBI and seven doubles over 42 games this season. He played a vital role in providing quality outfield depth when Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks and Giancarlo Stanton were all on the IL. 

The Yankees won their eighth game in a row, beating the Astros 7-5 on Saturday night at Yankee Stadium. >> Box score

Five takeaways from Saturday's game

1) Giancarlo Stanton came up clutch in a pair of huge spots for the Yankees on Saturday. After the Astros tied the game at two on a Josh Reddick two-run homer in the top of the sixth, Stanton grounded a two-run single off Yuli Gurriel's glove to give the Yankees the lead. Later in the game, with the score tied at five in the seventh, Stanton hit an almost identical ball, scoring two again and putting the Yankees up 7-5.

2) With a 4-2 lead in the seventh inning, Aaron Boone turned the ball over to Jonathan Holder, and the reliever couldn't keep the lead. With two on and two outs, Astros rookie Yordan Alvarez blasted a three-run home run to right to give Houston the lead. The Yankees bounced right back, though, as Austin Romine lined an opposite field home run to tie the game. 

The Yankees (48-27, 4.5 GA in AL East) continue their four-game set with the Astros (48-29, 7.5 GA in AL West) on Saturday night at Yankee Stadium at 7:15 p.m.

Yankees notes

With one home run on Sunday, the Yankees would tie their longest home run streak in franchise history, dating back to 1941. ... The Yankees are averaging over seven runs per game during their current seven-game winning streak. ... The Bombers are a Major League-best 29-3 in games that they hit at least two home runs. 

The return of Aaron Judge to the Yankees' lineup on Friday night marked the final piece to complete the Bronx Bombers' claim as the most powerful lineup in the majors. 

It also meant getting the Yankees' biggest star back, too, but Judge believes that claim belongs to Gleyber Torres. 

The Yankees' 22-year-old infielder homered in his third consecutive game on Friday -- along with Gary Sanchez -- giving him 18 on the season. Torres is hitting .287/.347/.544 on the season and is on pace for 39 home runs this year. 

Cameron Maybin stayed on the Yankees' roster when Aaron Judge was activated, but his stay hit a road bump on Friday.

Starting the game in left field, Maybin left the game against the Astros after the third inning. He had singled earlier in the frame and came around to score on a Gary Sanchez home run.

The Yankees later announced that the veteran left the game with a strained left calf and was going for an MRI.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

The Yankees win their seventh-straight game, beating the Astros 4-1, at Yankee Stadium. >> Box score

Five takeaways from Friday's game

1) James Paxton generated 17 swings and misses, but he couldn't get through the sixth inning. Paxton finished with seven strikeouts, however he walked three batters and was never fully in command of the strike zone. Though he allowed just one run in this one, some of Paxton's efforts simply feel like there is something missing.

The "primary" season is over for the All-Star Game voting and six Yankees have advanced to final round. 

The entire Yankees infield -- Luke Voit, DJ LeMahieu, Gleyber Torres and Gio Urshela have all finished within the top-three voting at their positions to advance. Gary Sanchez also advanced to the final round among AL catchers while Aaron Judge, despite being injured most of the season, is in the final round of nine outfielders. 

Next will be a special "Election Day," where fans will have 28 hours to vote for one of the three finalists at each position (nine for outfield) as the starters on the All-Star Game.

It's no secret that the AL East-leading Yankees will be looking to upgrade their roster prior to the trade deadline on July 31. It was clear before the Edwin Encarnacion trade, but the team's primary focus will be starting pitching. 

We know that the organization will make a move, but when and for whom remain to be seen. The real question is, what type of move(s) can be expected from GM Brian Cashman? 

Each summer, big names are tossed through the rumor mill, and 2019 has been no different. The biggest names circulated thus far range from Madison Bumgarner, Trevor Bauer and potentially Max Scherzer. While the flash and attention of elite names always creates intrigue, it's worth taking a look at similar past opportunities and what the Yankees have done in those situations. 

The Yankees (47-27, 4.5 GA in AL East) continue their four-game set with the Astros (48-28, 7.5 GA in AL West) on Friday night at Yankee Stadium at 7:05 p.m.

Yankees notes

The Yankees have now won six-straight games, their third winning streak of at least six games this season. ... the Bombers have homered in 23 consecutive games. ... Gleyber Torres has homered in two-straight games and has driven in at least three runs in three of his last six games.

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The public obsession with adding an elite starting pitcher isn't going away until a deal gets done at some point, but it shouldn't overshadow the magnificence of what the Yankees are doing these days, playing at a remarkably high level in all areas of the game. 

Consider that while winning six straight games they've outscored their opponents by a whopping 47-17, with the last four of those games against the Rays and the Astros. 

And to think, Giancarlo Stanton has barely been a factor yet since returning earlier this week, and now Aaron Judge is back as well, beginning Friday night. That plus newly-acquired Edwin Encarnacion riding shotgun for the big boys and, oh by the way, Gary Sanchez slugging at an MVP-level once again.

The Yankees have been decimated by injuries this year, with roughly a dozen key players going down. Check back here for the latest updates on the walking wounded. 

10-day IL: Domingo German, Kendrys Morales

60-day IL: Jacoby Ellsbury, Luis Severino, Dellin Betances, Greg Bird, Jordan Montgomery, Miguel Andujar, Jonathan Loaisiga, Troy Tulowitzki

Cameron Maybin lives to see another day in pinstripes. 

The Yankees announced that Nestor Cortes Jr. was optioned to Triple-A Scranton after Thursday's 10-6 win over the Astros as they open up a roster spot to welcome Aaron Judge back from the IL on Friday. 

By keeping Maybin, the Yankees will carry four bench players and 12 pitchers, which includes two extra outfielders. 

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

The Yankees use four homers to beat the Astros, 10-6, Yankee Stadium. >> Box score

Six takeaways from Thursday's game

1) The Yankees tandem of Chad Green as opener and Nestor Cortes Jr. as follower can only be derailed by a rain delay at this point. Green tossed two scoreless innings to start the game and Cortes followed with two scoreless of his own. After the delay, Cortes came back out for the fifth inning and got two quick outs. The scoreless string ended there as the left-hander allowed back to back home runs before retiring the final batter of the inning. The duo has been terrific for the Yankees, making it realistic to believe the club will stick with them until the wheels fall off.

Aaron Judge is set to return to the Yankees' lineup on Friday, and the 27-year-old is more than ready to return.

Coming off of his rehab assignment, Judge was back in the Yankees' clubhouse on Thursday.

"It's about time," Judge told reporters on Thursday.

The Yankees (45-27, lead AL East +2.5 games) are looking for a series sweep against the Rays (43-30, 2.5 games back in AL East) in a Wednesday matinee at 1:10 p.m. at Yankee Stadium.

Yankees notes

In his return to the Yankees lineup for the first time since the opening series of the season, Giancarlo Stanton went 0-for-4 against the Rays on Tuesday night. ...Edwin Encarnacion hammered his first homer of his Yankees career last night -- a bomb to right-center field to pad the Yankees' lead. ...The Yankees have won their last three games. ...Cameron Maybin continues to show off his power, hitting a home run in each of his last four games.

The Yankees are already active in trade talks with other teams, but have not yet been able to agree on a deal for their top priority, a starting pitcher. It's clear to rivals, though, that Brian Cashman will not move Clint Frazier for a free-agent-to-be like Madison Bumgarner or Zack Wheeler.

As SNY has reported, the Yankees like Wheeler, understanding that his season has been better than some of his statistics suggest. The rumor mill has linked the Yanks to Bumgarner, though the club's actual interest in the San Francisco lefty has been lukewarm so far.

The Yanks are also willing to deal Frazier in the right situation, but will be very careful in doing so. He is an above-average major league hitter with five years of team control remaining before free agency. Simply put, the Yankees will not move years of Frazier for a few months of a Wheeler or Bumgarner, according to multiple major league sources.

Yankees LHP CC Sabathia became the 48th pitcher in MLB history to reach 250 wins when he helped beat the Tampa Bay Rays 12-1 on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium.

Earlier this year, he became the 17th pitcher to record 3,000 strikeouts.

Is he destined for Cooperstown? His teammates think so.

The Yankees completed their sweep of the Rays, 12-1, at Yankee Stadium on Thursday. >> Box score

Six takeaways from Wednesday's game...

1) CC Sabathia fared better this time out compared to his last outing against the White Sox. The veteran lefty went six innings, allowing just one run on a bloop single in the top of the sixth inning. That was only one of three hits he allowed, while striking out seven and walking three. 

It may have only been the middle of June, but 20-year-old Yankees pitching prospect Deivi Garcia showed Tuesday night that he knows how to win big games in style.

Garcia struck out 15 batters over six one-hit innings for the Double-A Trenton Thunder -- clinching a playoff spot with the win. The Thunder are the first-half division champions in the Eastern League, which automatically guarantees them a playoff spot at season's end.

Of the 18 batters Garcia got out Tuesday night, he struck out 15 of them -- a ridiculous 83.3 percent.

After years spent trying to get under the luxury tax and an offseason where they didn't pounce on Manny Machado or Bryce Harper, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said Tuesday that they are willing to go over the highest penalty luxury tax threshold if necessary in order to prove the 2019 team. 

That number is $246 million, with the Yankees roughly $15 million below it, according to Newsday's David Lennon. 

In need of starting rotation help, the Yankees were recently out-bid by the Braves for Dallas Keuchel, meaning they still have some wiggle room when it comes to potentially eclipsing the highest luxury tax figure this season.

The Yankees (45-27, lead AL East +2.5 games) are looking for a series sweep against the Rays (43-30, 2.5 games back in AL East) in a Wednesday matinee at 1:10 p.m. at Yankee Stadium.

Yankees notes

In his return to the Yankees lineup for the first time since the opening series of the season, Giancarlo Stanton went 0-for-4 against the Rays on Tuesday night. ...Edwin Encarnacion hammered his first homer of his Yankees career last night -- a bomb to right-center field to pad the Yankees' lead. ...The Yankees have won their last three games. ...Cameron Maybin continues to show off his power, hitting a home run in each of his last four games.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

The Yankees beat the Rays, 6-3, at Yankee Stadium. >> Box score

Six takeaways from Tuesday's game

1) J.A. Happ managed to navigate five innings after enduring a rain delay of nearly one and a half hours. Happ allowed two runs on seven hits, while striking out three batters and walking zero batters to move to 7-3 on the season.

Giancarlo Stanton is back in the Yankees' lineup as the Bombers (44-27, 1.5 GA in AL East) host the Tampa Bay Rays (43-29, 1.5 GB in AL East) on Tuesday, at 7:05 p.m. at Yankee Stadium. 

Yankees notes

Edwin Encarnacion is batting sixth after going 0-for-4 in his Yankees debut on Monday. ...Cameron Maybin's home run on Monday marked the first time in his career he has homered in three consecutive games. He is hitting .364/.382/.697 with three home runs, four RBI and 10 runs scored in 10 games the month of June ... DJ LeMahieu hit his eighth home run on Monday and his .311 batting average leads all second baseman in the MLB. 

Another day, another power bat rejoins the Yankees lineup. 

After welcoming Edwin Encarnacion on Monday, the Yankees added Giancarlo Stanton back to the lineup, batting fifth and playing right field against the Rays, on Tuesday. 

It is Stanton's first game since March 31. 

The Yankees made it official on Tuesday, activating Giancarlo Stanton to join the team for the first time since the opening days of the 2019 season. And the corresponding move for his arrival was OF Mike Tauchman being sent back down to Triple-A, which was made last night following the win over the Rays. 

So two roster moves have been made for the Yankees, which includes Clint Frazier being sent down in correspondence with Edwin Encarnacion joining the team via trade. Now the final puzzle piece will be put into place when Aaron Judge is finally activated after rehabbing his oblique injury. 

But who will be purged to allow him room on the 25-man roster? 

Masahiro Tanaka struck out 10 batters in Monday's two-hit shutout over the Rays, increasing New York's lead in the AL East standings to 1.5 games.

Manager Aaron Boone called it a "big-time performance to kick off this series for us," and Tanaka dominated from the get-go.

He retired the first nine hitters he faced, the first hit he allowed an Austin Meadows fourth-inning single. He retired the last 10 batters he faced, needing 111 pitches for his first shutout since July 24, 2018 ... also against the Rays.

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

The Yankees rode Masahiro Tanaka's shutout as they beat the Rays 3-0 at Yankee Stadium on Monday. >> Box score

Four takeaways from Monday's game

1) Tanaka has dominated the Rays this season, and Monday's complete-game shutout came at a perfect time. Tanaka allowed just two hits and a walk, while striking out 10 batters in what was his longest -- and by far his best -- outing of the season. As the Yankees' rotation has struggled for much of the last couple of weeks, Tanaka followed up James Paxton's solid effort and might slow down some of the doom and gloom thoughts about the current Yankees rotation.

The Yankees' trade for Edwin Encarnacion was certainly a surprise, but what may have been a bigger surprise was the demotion of Clint Frazier to Triple-A. 

Frazier vocalized his disappointment on Sunday, saying it was a "tough pill to swallow," and it raised many eyebrows as a possible precursor of a trade involving the 24-year-old outfielder. 

Yankees GM Brian Cashman explained the rationale of demoting Frazier instead of Mike Tauchman or waiving Cameron Maybin in a conversation with Joel Sherman of The Post. 

The Yankees' acquisition of Edwin Encarnacion was fraught with analysis, hot takes and question marks. The number one thing that Yankees fans want to know is simple: How can Edwin Encarnacion help the Yankees this year?

Encarnacion has been around the block awhile at 36 years old, but that doesn't mean he's toast. In fact, quite the opposite. The right-handed slugger leads the American League in home runs this year with 21, and has more RBI than any member of the Yankees.

In fact, Encarnacion's dominance stretches back longer than some may realize. Nobody has more home runs this decade than Encarnacion (322), and nobody has more RBI (813) than him since 2012. 

The Yankees' lineup is on the verge of returning to full health. Let that sink in for a second, as you simultaneously look at their 43-27, AL East-leading record that shows how well they've persevered through the plethora of injuries that have plagued them all season. 

Giancarlo Stanton will be the latest Yankee to return on Tuesday, with Aaron Judge targeting a comeback at some point during this week's homestand. 

And if those power bats weren't enough, GM Brian Cashman added another slugger to the group in Edwin Encarnacion, the AL leader in homers (21) that the Mariners traded away during their sell-off.

The Yankees introduced yet another slugger to their lineup on Monday night, as Edwin Encarnacion addressed the New York media for the first time since his trade over from the Mariners. 

Seattle was selling off their top assets, and the Yankees jumped on the opportunity to add another big bat to their lineup. In turn, the 36-year-old Encarnacion finds himself in pinstripes, something he is very excited for considering he's going from worst in the AL West to first in the Al East.

"Definitely a surprise when it happened, but at the same time, I got super excited knowing that I was coming to this city," he said.

Edwin Encarnacion is making his Yankees debut as New York (43-27, 0.5 GA in AL East) begins a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays (43-28, 0.5 GB in AL East) on Monday at 7:05 p.m. at Yankee Stadium.

Yankees notes

The Yankees acquired Encarnacion, 36, in a trade with the Mariners over the weekend. In 65 games this year, he is slashing .241/.356/.531 with an American League-high 21 home runs. ... Yankees relievers have a 5.70 ERA in the month of June, which ranks 21st in the majors in that span. ... In seven games since returning from Tommy John surgery, shortstop Didi Gregorius is hitting .385/.407/.538 with one home run and three RBIs.

Doesn't look like Clint Frazier is taking his demotion very well. 

With Edwin Encarnacion joining the Yankees, the corresponding move was sending Frazier back down to Triple-A. Frazier admitted after the team's win that the demotion came as a surprise. 

"It's a tough pill to swallow," he told reporters. "It's never fun, especially with how much I've felt like I've contributed to this team."

With four days left in The Primaries for 2019 MLB All-Star Game voting, the Yankees are still represented very well. 

Gary Sanchez and Luke Voit are sitting in first for their respective positions. Sanchez is a lock for the final catcher vote with 1,357,340 votes, and James McCann -- his closest competition -- second with 580,394 votes. Voit is at the top with 696,164 votes compared to C.J. Cron's 586,303 votes in second place.

Just like the last update, Gio Urshela and DJ LeMahieu are also at the top of the list. Urshela, who many would view as a surprising vote, is second in third base voting behind Alex Bregman. The Astros' third baseman is well in the lead with 1.3 million votes compared to Urshela's 502,614 votes. 

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Yankees' top prospects (their MLB.com Yankees Top-30 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Estevan Florial, OF, High-A Tampa (No. 1, MLB No. 47) -- ETA 2021

The Yankees are in need of starting pitching help -- especially a true ace who can help them navigate their way through October. Enter Max Scherzer?

While Nationals GM Mike Rizzo said the team isn't thinking about dealing Scherzer "right now," he didn't come close to shutting down the possibility of dealing his ace -- and even outlined what it would take for him to consider trading the 34-year-old.

After discussing how well-priced Scherzer is, Rizzo told the Athletic's Ken Rosenthal he "would have to command something that would be franchise-altering to consider moving him."

The Yankees optioned outfielder Clint Frazier to the minors to make room for Edwin Encarnacion.

Frazier, 24, was slashing .283/.330/.513 with 11 home runs and 34 RBIs, taking on a starting role after the Yankees dealt with injuries to Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Hicks in the first month of the season.

"It's a tough pill to swallow," Frazier told reporters after Sunday's game. "It's never fun, especially with how much I've felt like I've felt like I've contributed to this team."

Chris Carelli, SNY.TV  Twitter | About Me | Archives

The Yankees beat the White Sox 10-3 on Sunday to split the four-game series at Guaranteed Rate Field.

5 takeaways from Sunday's game

1) Yankees backup catcher Austin Romine drove in four runs with a two-run double and a two-run single, raising his season total to 15. Romine is now a career .290 hitter with runners in scoring position in 224 at-bats in such situations.

The Yankees are finally getting Giancarlo Stanton back in the lineup. 

Aaron Boone told reporters before their game against the White Sox on Sunday that Stanton will be activated on Tuesday. 

Stanton has had a whirlwind start to his 2019 season, with multiple injuries plaguing him. It started with a biceps strain on April 1 that put him on the IL to begin with, and during his rehab, a shoulder strain came about as well.

The Yankees (42-27, 0.5 game lead over Rays in AL East) try to make it two in a row in Chicago against the White Sox (34-35, 13.0 GB in AL Central) on Sunday at 2:10 p.m. 

Yankees notes

Mike Tauchman is playing for the third time in four days. He has one hit in five at-bats since rejoining the club Thursday. ... With the looming returns of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton from the injured list, along with the acquisition of Edwin Encarnacion on Saturday, Tauchman's days are numbered. It may also mean Clint Frazier and Brett Gardner will receive less playing time going forward, but both are in the starting lineup Sunday. ... Gleyber Torres has three multi-hit efforts in his last four games and has increased his slash line to .288/.340/.527 on the season. 

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The first blush reaction to the Yankees' trade for slugger Edwin Encarnacion was that if felt like the first move in a trade to upgrade the rotation by moving Clint Frazier - but that is not the case, according to major league sources.

With this deal, the Yanks simply saw an opportunity to upgrade their offense, courtesy of Seattle's sell-off. They traded for Encarnacion without having any other deals lined up. It was simply an isolated opportunity that arose, and they seized.

A game-worn Babe Ruth Yankees jersey from the late 1920s became the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever on Saturday when it fetched $5.64 million during an auction at Yankee Stadium, according to the Associated Press. 

A Ruth jersey from 1920 held the previous record at $4,415,658, according to Hunt Auctions, which handled the sale. 

The Yankees snapped their three-game losing streak by beating the White Sox, 8-4, at Guaranteed Rate Field. >> Box score

Five takeaways from Saturday's game...

1) Yankees starters have performed poorly of late, but the club's opener, Chad Green, has been doing his part when he starts a game. Green struck out six batters, all six outs he generated in his two innings of work and allowed just a single. In Green's last 11.1 innings he's racked up 19 strikeouts, walked just one hitter and owns a 1.59 ERA.

The Yankees were already set to get a boost to the lineup when Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge return, and now the lineup will be even more potent.

The Yankees have acquired Edwin Encarnacion in a trade with the Seattle Mariners, sources confirmed to SNY Insider Andy Martino Saturday night before the Yankees announced the deal early Sunday.

Martino has also noted that this move makes it easier for the Yankees to now trade Clint Frazier for a starting pitcher, and that the team has been looking at Trevor Bauer and Marcus Stroman.

The Yankees (41-27, tied atop AL East) try to bounce back in Chicago against the White Sox (34-34, 12.0 GB in AL Central) on Saturday at 7:10 p.m.

Yankees notes

There will be a lot of pressure on the Yankees' bullpen Saturday with Chad Green starting as an "opener." The Yanks gave up 10 runs on Friday and have lost the first two games of this four-game set. ... Cameron Maybin comes back into the lineup with Gio Urshela going to the bench. DJ LeMahieu slides back to third. ... Over his last five games, Luke Voit is 6-for-18 with two homers, a double, five walks and six RBI.