NEW YORK -- Starlin Castro
was at the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday night
when Baltimore finished a 4-0 win at Toronto, eliminating the Yankees
from postseason contention.
Knowing New York had failed to reach the playoffs for the third time in four years, the mind of Yankees manager Joe Girardi immediately shifted attention to 2017. He removed CC Sabathia after one more batter and pinch ran for Brett Gardner in the eighth when Girardi didn't like the way the speedy outfielder was running.
"It's kind of how I'm wired, and you start thinking about, OK, what do we need to do?" Girardi said.
Sabathia (9-12) allowed one run and four hits over a season-high 7 1/3 innings for his first win in a month and finished with a 3.91 ERA, his lowest since 2012. Playing his final game at Yankee Stadium, Boston's David Ortiz was honored in a pregame ceremony, struck out, walked and ended the series 0 for 10 with four strikeouts.
But the Yankees' thoughts were on another subpar season. They have not won a postseason game since Derek Jeter broke an ankle in the 2012 AL Championship Series opener.
After a 9-17 start, the Yankees did not get back above .500 until June 10. They were 53-53 when they brought up rookie catcher Gary Sanchez on Aug. 3 following the trades of Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, Carlos Beltran and Ivan Nova.
Most Yankees fans looked to the future.
"Everybody gave up on us," shortstop Didi Gregorius said. "I think we scared everybody, actually, to be honest, because nobody expected us to be all the way here."
Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin were promoted 10 days later on the morning Alex Rodriguez was released, and they homered back to back in their first big league at-bats. The Baby Bombers began to climb the standings, pulling within one game of a wild-card spot on Sept. 10.
But even with Sanchez hitting 20 home runs in his first 51 big league games, they faded from contention with a 3-11 skid that included a four-game sweep at Fenway Park.
New York (83-76) trails Baltimore and Toronto by four games for the AL's wild cards with three games to play. A final three-game series against the Orioles won't have much significance for the Yankees.
"It's pretty quiet in there, probably the quietest I've ever seen after a win," Girardi said. "There were some good things that happened, but in the end we fell short and we didn't have a successful season."
Sabathia, who struggled to reinvent himself at age 36, left to a loud ovation, ending a six-start winless streak and improving to 2-2 despite a 2.37 ERA in his final eight starts. He compensated for a drop in fastball velocity by developing a cutter this season and pitched with better location using a brace on his surgically repaired right knee.
"That cutter is a game-changer for him," catcher Brian McCann said. "When you're changing identities and who you've always been as a pitcher and to have the success he had was great."
Coming back from a 2015 season that ended with a trip to an alcohol rehabilitation center, Sabathia made 30 starts and stayed healthy except for a short disabled list stint caused by a groin strain. His $25 million option for 2017 becomes guaranteed if he is not on the DL Sunday because of a left shoulder injury.
"The way I was able to pitch and use all my pitches and make this new style work for me is definitely encouraging," Sabathia said. "We used it a lot, had some weak contact, a lot of double plays."
Playing against his former team, Jacoby Ellsbury hit an RBI double in the fifth off Henry Owens (0-2) for a 2-1 lead. The Yankees padded the margin in the sixth on a blustery night when Robby Scott walked Austin with the bases loaded, then threw a wild pitch that scored Chase Headley. Aaron Hicks added an RBI double in the eighth.
Xander Bogaerts hit his 21st homer for Boston (92-67), which is competing with Cleveland (91-67) and Texas (94-65) for the AL's best record and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. A day after clinching the AL East, the Red Sox rested second baseman Dustin Pedroia, first baseman Hanley Ramirez, right fielder Mookie Betts, catcher Sandy Leon and third baseman Brock Holt from their starting lineup.
New York hopes its young players can spark a rebound similar to Boston's.
"Coming into spring training next year, we're expecting to win. We're not expecting to rebuild," McCann said. "These guys are going to play big roles and they're ready for it."
A-ROD WATCH
Alex Rodriguez is expected to start work as a Yankees instructor at the team's minor league complex, where Orlando Hernandez arrived Thursday.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: RHP Masahiro Tanaka (forearm) threw a bullpen session and said he could start Saturday against Baltimore. Manager Joe Girardi said he had not made a decision. ... 1B Greg Bird (right labrum surgery) had an RBI double and struck out twice in four at-bats against Philadelphia prospects in his first Instructional League game in Tampa, Florida. He went 0 for 2 in an intrasquad game Monday. ... RHP James Kaprielian, selected in the first round of the 2015 amateur draft, is scheduled to pitch in the instructional league against Toronto on Friday, his first outing since he went on Class A Tampa's DL in late April with an elbow flexor strain.
UP NEXT
Yankees: Michael Pineda (6-11) is to start Friday against Baltimore. Rain is possible.
Boston Red Sox
Knowing New York had failed to reach the playoffs for the third time in four years, the mind of Yankees manager Joe Girardi immediately shifted attention to 2017. He removed CC Sabathia after one more batter and pinch ran for Brett Gardner in the eighth when Girardi didn't like the way the speedy outfielder was running.
"It's kind of how I'm wired, and you start thinking about, OK, what do we need to do?" Girardi said.
Sabathia (9-12) allowed one run and four hits over a season-high 7 1/3 innings for his first win in a month and finished with a 3.91 ERA, his lowest since 2012. Playing his final game at Yankee Stadium, Boston's David Ortiz was honored in a pregame ceremony, struck out, walked and ended the series 0 for 10 with four strikeouts.
But the Yankees' thoughts were on another subpar season. They have not won a postseason game since Derek Jeter broke an ankle in the 2012 AL Championship Series opener.
After a 9-17 start, the Yankees did not get back above .500 until June 10. They were 53-53 when they brought up rookie catcher Gary Sanchez on Aug. 3 following the trades of Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, Carlos Beltran and Ivan Nova.
Most Yankees fans looked to the future.
"Everybody gave up on us," shortstop Didi Gregorius said. "I think we scared everybody, actually, to be honest, because nobody expected us to be all the way here."
Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin were promoted 10 days later on the morning Alex Rodriguez was released, and they homered back to back in their first big league at-bats. The Baby Bombers began to climb the standings, pulling within one game of a wild-card spot on Sept. 10.
But even with Sanchez hitting 20 home runs in his first 51 big league games, they faded from contention with a 3-11 skid that included a four-game sweep at Fenway Park.
New York (83-76) trails Baltimore and Toronto by four games for the AL's wild cards with three games to play. A final three-game series against the Orioles won't have much significance for the Yankees.
"It's pretty quiet in there, probably the quietest I've ever seen after a win," Girardi said. "There were some good things that happened, but in the end we fell short and we didn't have a successful season."
Sabathia, who struggled to reinvent himself at age 36, left to a loud ovation, ending a six-start winless streak and improving to 2-2 despite a 2.37 ERA in his final eight starts. He compensated for a drop in fastball velocity by developing a cutter this season and pitched with better location using a brace on his surgically repaired right knee.
"That cutter is a game-changer for him," catcher Brian McCann said. "When you're changing identities and who you've always been as a pitcher and to have the success he had was great."
Coming back from a 2015 season that ended with a trip to an alcohol rehabilitation center, Sabathia made 30 starts and stayed healthy except for a short disabled list stint caused by a groin strain. His $25 million option for 2017 becomes guaranteed if he is not on the DL Sunday because of a left shoulder injury.
"The way I was able to pitch and use all my pitches and make this new style work for me is definitely encouraging," Sabathia said. "We used it a lot, had some weak contact, a lot of double plays."
Playing against his former team, Jacoby Ellsbury hit an RBI double in the fifth off Henry Owens (0-2) for a 2-1 lead. The Yankees padded the margin in the sixth on a blustery night when Robby Scott walked Austin with the bases loaded, then threw a wild pitch that scored Chase Headley. Aaron Hicks added an RBI double in the eighth.
Xander Bogaerts hit his 21st homer for Boston (92-67), which is competing with Cleveland (91-67) and Texas (94-65) for the AL's best record and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. A day after clinching the AL East, the Red Sox rested second baseman Dustin Pedroia, first baseman Hanley Ramirez, right fielder Mookie Betts, catcher Sandy Leon and third baseman Brock Holt from their starting lineup.
New York hopes its young players can spark a rebound similar to Boston's.
"Coming into spring training next year, we're expecting to win. We're not expecting to rebuild," McCann said. "These guys are going to play big roles and they're ready for it."
A-ROD WATCH
Alex Rodriguez is expected to start work as a Yankees instructor at the team's minor league complex, where Orlando Hernandez arrived Thursday.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: RHP Masahiro Tanaka (forearm) threw a bullpen session and said he could start Saturday against Baltimore. Manager Joe Girardi said he had not made a decision. ... 1B Greg Bird (right labrum surgery) had an RBI double and struck out twice in four at-bats against Philadelphia prospects in his first Instructional League game in Tampa, Florida. He went 0 for 2 in an intrasquad game Monday. ... RHP James Kaprielian, selected in the first round of the 2015 amateur draft, is scheduled to pitch in the instructional league against Toronto on Friday, his first outing since he went on Class A Tampa's DL in late April with an elbow flexor strain.
UP NEXT
Yankees: Michael Pineda (6-11) is to start Friday against Baltimore. Rain is possible.
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Boston - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | BOS | NYY |
| Hill struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Benintendi struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Bogaerts struck out looking. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Henry Owens pitching for Boston | BOS | NYY |
| Gardner grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| Ellsbury walked. | 0 | 0 |
| Sánchez struck out swinging, Ellsbury stole second. | 0 | 0 |
| Castro doubled to deep left, Ellsbury scored. | 0 | 1 |
| Gregorius flied out to left. | 0 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Boston - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | BOS | NYY |
| Ortiz struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| Young singled to right. | 0 | 1 |
| Bradley Jr. grounded into fielder's choice to second, Young out at second. | 0 | 1 |
| Hanigan grounded out to second. | 0 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Henry Owens pitching for Boston | BOS | NYY |
| Headley grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 1 |
| McCann struck out looking. | 0 | 1 |
| Hicks struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Boston - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | BOS | NYY |
| Shaw grounded out to second. | 0 | 1 |
| Marrero struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| Hill lined out to third. | 0 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Henry Owens pitching for Boston | BOS | NYY |
| Austin singled to left. | 0 | 1 |
| Gardner lined out to center. | 0 | 1 |
| Austin to second on wild pitch by Owens. | 0 | 1 |
| Ellsbury grounded out to second, Austin to third. | 0 | 1 |
| Sánchez struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Boston - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | BOS | NYY |
| Benintendi grounded out to second. | 0 | 1 |
| Bogaerts homered to left (397 feet). | 1 | 1 |
| Ortiz walked. | 1 | 1 |
| Holt ran for Ortiz. | 1 | 1 |
| Young grounded into double play, third to second to first, Holt out at second. | 1 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Henry Owens pitching for Boston | BOS | NYY |
| Castro lined out to right. | 1 | 1 |
| Gregorius fouled out to third. | 1 | 1 |
| Headley walked. | 1 | 1 |
| Headley stole second. | 1 | 1 |
| McCann struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Boston - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | BOS | NYY |
| Bradley Jr. grounded out to shortstop. | 1 | 1 |
| Hanigan singled to center. | 1 | 1 |
| Shaw grounded into double play, first to shortstop, Hanigan out at second. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Henry Owens pitching for Boston | BOS | NYY |
| Hicks reached on bunt single to pitcher. | 1 | 1 |
| Austin struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| Gardner popped out to shortstop. | 1 | 1 |
| Ellsbury doubled to center, Hicks scored. | 1 | 2 |
| Hembree relieved Owens. | 1 | 2 |
| Sánchez popped out to second. | 1 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Boston - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | BOS | NYY |
| Marrero grounded out to second. | 1 | 2 |
| Hill walked. | 1 | 2 |
| Benintendi struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
| Bogaerts struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Heath Hembree pitching for Boston | BOS | NYY |
| Castro singled to right center. | 1 | 2 |
| Gregorius flied out to right. | 1 | 2 |
| Headley walked, Castro to second. | 1 | 2 |
| Scott relieved Hembree. | 1 | 2 |
| McCann singled to center, Castro to third, Headley to second. | 1 | 2 |
| Hicks flied out to right. | 1 | 2 |
| Austin walked, Castro scored, Headley to third, McCann to second. | 1 | 3 |
| Headley scored, McCann to third, Austin to second on wild pitch by Scott. | 1 | 4 |
| Gardner flied out to left. | 1 | 4 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Boston - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | BOS | NYY |
| Holt struck out swinging. | 1 | 4 |
| Young lined out to right. | 1 | 4 |
| Bradley Jr. singled to left. | 1 | 4 |
| Hanigan grounded into fielder's choice to third, Bradley Jr. out at second. | 1 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Junichi Tazawa pitching for Boston | BOS | NYY |
| Tazawa relieved Scott. | 1 | 4 |
| Ellsbury singled to left. | 1 | 4 |
| Sánchez struck out swinging. | 1 | 4 |
| Castro popped out to shortstop. | 1 | 4 |
| Gregorius grounded out to second. | 1 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Boston - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| CC Sabathia pitching for New York | BOS | NYY |
| Torreyes at second base. | 1 | 4 |
| Shaw grounded out to first. | 1 | 4 |
| Clippard relieved Sabathia. | 1 | 4 |
| Hernández hit for Marrero. | 1 | 4 |
| Hernández struck out swinging. | 1 | 4 |
| Hill flied out to left. | 1 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| New York - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Robbie Ross Jr. pitching for Boston | BOS | NYY |
| Hernández at second base. | 1 | 4 |
| Ross Jr. relieved Tazawa. | 1 | 4 |
| Headley grounded out to third. | 1 | 4 |
| McCann walked. | 1 | 4 |
| Hicks doubled to deep center, McCann scored. | 1 | 5 |
| Austin struck out swinging. | 1 | 5 |
| Hicks to third on wild pitch by Ross Jr.. | 1 | 5 |
| Gardner walked. | 1 | 5 |
| Williams ran for Gardner. | 1 | 5 |
| Ellsbury walked, Williams to second. | 1 | 5 |
| N. Ramirez relieved Ross Jr.. | 1 | 5 |
| Sánchez struck out swinging. | 1 | 5 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Boston - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Richard Bleier pitching for New York | BOS | NYY |
| Williams in left field. | 1 | 5 |
| Bleier relieved Clippard. | 1 | 5 |
| Benintendi flied out to left. | 1 | 5 |
| Bogaerts flied out to left. | 1 | 5 |
| Holt struck out swinging. | 1 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Boston Red Sox
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hill 3B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | .223 | .293 | .298 |
| Benintendi LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18 | .296 | .358 | .480 |
| Bogaerts SS | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 16 | .294 | .355 | .445 |
| Ortiz DH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | .315 | .402 | .620 |
Holt PR-DH
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | .262 | .328 | .394 |
| Young RF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | .271 | .350 | .497 |
| Bradley Jr. CF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | .272 | .354 | .495 |
| Hanigan C | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | .171 | .230 | .238 |
| Shaw 1B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | .242 | .306 | .422 |
| Marrero 2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | .083 | .214 | .083 |
a-Hernández PH-2B
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .300 | .364 | .380 |
| Totals | 29 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 124 | |||
| a-struck out swinging for D Marrero in the 8th | ||||||||||
| BATTING HR: Bogaerts (21, 4th inning off Sabathia 0 on, 1 Out) RBI: Bogaerts (89) GIDP: Young, Shaw Team LOB: 3 | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Yankee Stadium, New York, NY |
| Attendance | 41,597 (83.8% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 3:17 |
| Weather | 62 degrees, cloudy |
| Wind | 8 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Alan Porter, First Base - Brian O'Nora, Second Base - Jeff Kellogg, Third Base - John Tumpane |
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