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Game 1 Recap: ‘Do it. Throw it into the runner’s back’

Masahiro Tanaka warmed up a sellout crowd in the frigid Bronx for a short while, but 47,000-plus ultimately left the ballpark with their arms outstretched and their heaviest insults directed toward the day’s umpiring crew. Tanaka lasted 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out four, but he was once again out-dueled by […]

MLB: AL Wild Card Game-Houston Astros at New York Yankees

Yankee Purgatory

NEW YORK — That’s why the Yankees wanted, and needed, the AL East so badly. At times, home plate umpire Eric Cooper’s strike zone was forgiving to Dallas Keuchel. Other times, the Astros’ defense was menacing; in the fourth, George Springer ranged to his left to rob Alex Rodriguez of a double, and in the […]

MLB: AL Wild Card Game-Houston Astros at New York Yankees

AL Wild Card Game Recap: Astros 3 Yankees 0 – Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx is Booing

The joy of baseball lies in its unpredictability. The g**damn frustrating joy of baseball lies in its predictability. In 2015, when opposing batters swung at the first pitch off Masahiro Tanaka, they slugged .508 with four home runs. In September/October, the Yankees offense ranked last or second-to-last in the AL in batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS. […]

MLB: New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays

Recap: Yankees 3 Rays 6

One night after an unlikely source delivered perhaps the biggest Yankees hit of the season, New York came up short against the Rays in Tampa. There was some excitement when a two-base error brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning with two outs, but Brett Gardner flied out to left field […]

MLB: Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees

Recap: Yankees 2, Red Sox 1

Top Play (WPA): Eduardo Rodriguez had been cruising for Boston, pitching six innings of one-run ball. The young righty just punched out Brendan Ryan, leading him to face the struggling Jacoby Ellsbury. The speedster launched the ball into the second deck beyond the right field wall, giving the Yankees a 2-1 lead to increase their chances […]

MLB: Seattle Mariners at New York Yankees

Recap: Yankees 3, Mariners 4

Top Play (WPA): Down 2-0, it looked as if New York would be held scoreless for the fourth straight inning by the cruising Hisashi Iwakuma. Mark Teixeira delivered the Yankees’ second hit of the game with two outs in the fourth. Brian McCann made Iwakuma pay, knocking a two-run, game tying shot, increasing New York’s chances […]