Yankees might not waltz their way to AL East title after all with ‘flaws' exposed
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Just about three weeks ago, the Yankees had a seven-game lead in the AL East and were the only team in the division with a winning record.
At the time, with the second-place Rays still adjusting to life at Steinbrenner Field and at just .500, the Blue Jays a game under .500, the Red Sox losers of five straight, and the Orioles off to a ghastly start, it seemed like the Yankees might just waltz to another AL East title.
Since winning nine of 10 games, the Yankees have had a little 4-5 hiccup after dropping two in a row to the Red Sox to bring that lead down to 4 ½ games.
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3 Aaron Judge connects on a home run during the Yankees' loss to the Red Sox on June 8.
Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
And as the Yankees visit Kansas City on Tuesday looking to avoid losing three straight for the first time in over a month, maybe they will be tested, after all.
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Fox Sports
34 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Top prospect Roman Anthony goes hitless with RBI groundout in MLB debut for the Red Sox
Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Roman Anthony was in Worcester, waiting for the 275-mile bus ride that would take him to Allentown, Pennsylvania, for his next Triple-A game, when WooSox manager Chad Tracy told the team their departure would be delayed because someone might need to head an hour east to Boston instead. 'I didn't really think anything of it, to be honest,' Anthony told reporters in the Red Sox dugout at Fenway Park before making his major league debut in Boston's 10-8, 11-inning loss to Tampa Bay on Monday night. 'I was just kind of waiting around in the food room with a few of the guys, and then all of a sudden he came out and just said, 'Hey, you're going to the big leagues,'' Anthony said. 'From there on out it's kind of been a little bit of a blur. But it was amazing. You dream of that every single day. So, to finally hear it was definitely awesome.' Anthony, who played right field and batted fifth, received the biggest cheer of all during pregame introductions and then a standing ovation from the crowd of 31,422 when he came to bat in the second inning, with a runner on first and nobody out. He popped up to left field and got another cheer as he returned to the dugout. In the third, he may have been robbed of his first major league hit when he lined a ball up the middle that hit pitcher Shane Baz — at 111 mph. It deflected to the third baseman, who made the throw to first for the out. Anthony also struck out looking with runners on first and second in the third and walked in the seventh. In the ninth, with the crowd again on its feet, he came up with runners on second and third and hit a hard bouncer up the middle for an RBI groundout. He was due to lead off the 11th, but manager Alex Cora pinch-hit for him against left-hander Ian Seymour. 'It was nice to finally take the field, forget about all the outside noise and just be able to take the field with the guys," he told reporters afterward. "Unfortunate we couldn't get a win, but it was a good experience — good to just get the first one over with.' Anthony fielded two balls easily in right field — a pair of singles in the fourth inning — but in the fifth he let a rolling ball go under his glove for a two-base error that led to an unearned run, giving Tampa a 3-0 lead. 'It just can't happen,' he said. 'It's tough when you lose a game like that, you feel like that's the reason we lost — little things like that. Just got to learn from it and be better.' A 21-year-old second-round draft pick who went viral over the weekend when he hit a 497-foot grand slam in Worcester, Anthony was the top-rated prospect in the minors before his call-up. He batted .288 with 10 homers and 29 RBIs in 58 games in Triple-A this season. His accomplishments in the minors had Red Sox fans clamoring for his call-up, especially with the team languishing in fourth place in the AL East, 8 1/2 games behind the rival New York Yankees. But while fellow prospects Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer got the call, the Red Sox remained patient on Anthony until an injury to Wilyer Abreu left them needing another outfielder. 'It's been a long time coming,' said Mayer, who was called up about two weeks ago. 'It's been talked about for a very long time, and it's kind of crazy that today's the day that we're all going to share the field together in the big leagues. I'm super excited. I think we have a really good team, and he's just another great addition to that.' Cora said he noticed something was wrong with Abreu after Sunday's game against the Yankees. When the team realized it would be more than a day or two, they decided to make the move and put Abreu on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain. The Red Sox made room for Anthony on the 40-man roster by designating first baseman/outfielder Ryan Noda for assignment. 'We're trying to win ballgames,' Cora said. 'The kid has done an amazing job getting ready for this moment. We're excited. It's a big day for the organization.' Anthony was perhaps known only to the most dedicated fans before his homer on Saturday that was the longest measured this year by Statcast, which tracks the major leagues, Triple-A and the Class A Florida State League. Since Statcast started tracking in the majors in 2015, only five home runs have gone farther, including Nomar Mazara's 505-foot shot in 2019 for the Rangers. After getting the promotion, Anthony had time to call his parents and siblings and an old baseball coach and gather most of his equipment — his own glove, a single bat and a borrowed pair of cleats — before driving down the MassPike to Boston. He arrived in Boston a few hours before game time and by 7:30 p.m. he was taking aim at the historic red seat that marks Ted Williams' 502-foot homer that is the longest ever at Fenway Park. 'It happened quick. I think no matter when that call comes, nobody's really expecting it," he said before the game. 'Obviously a little bit of a short notice. But, you know, better than being on the bus to Lehigh Valley right now.' ___ AP MLB: recommended
CBS News
44 minutes ago
- CBS News
Rays beat Red Sox 10-8 in 11 innings, spoil top prospect Roman Anthony's MLB debut
By JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports Writer Jake Mangum had four hits, and Junior Caminero drew a bases-loaded walk in the 11th inning on Monday night as the Tampa Bay Rays took advantage of Boston mistakes to win 10-8 and spoil the debut of top Red Sox prospect Roman Anthony. Tampa loaded the bases off Zack Kelly in the 11th and Caminero took a 3-2 pitch for a walk. Mangum followed with a chopper to the right side that was fielded by first baseman Romy Gonzalez, but his throw to Kelly (1-3) was awkward and late. Ian Seymour pitched two innings in his major league debut for the victory as Tampa won for the sixth time in seven games. Anthony was hitless in four at-bats, with one walk and an RBI groundout in the ninth that cut the deficit to 7-6. Kristian Campbell followed by hitting a high chopper over the mound and beating the throw to first for a game-tying single. Anthony also let a single roll under his glove in right field for an error that led to an unearned run in the fifth - one of two official errors to go with a run-scoring wild pitch, a hit batsman and a botched infield fly. Anthony was due to lead off the bottom half of the 11th, but Rob Refsnyder pinch hit for him and walked. With two on and two out, Gonzalez took a 3-2 pitch for a third strike and was ejected for arguing the call; the Red Sox had no other batters to replace him. No matter, Ceddanne Rafaela lined the next pitch to short for the third out. Key moment Taylor Walls hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to give Tampa an 8-7 lead. Boston tied it in the bottom half when first baseman Jonathan Aranda dropper a grounder that would have been the final out, then threw wide of Seymour for a second error, this one allowing the tying run to score. Key stat Anthony's line was 0 for 4 with one RBI, one walk, one strikeout and one fielding error. Up next Tampa RHP Ryan Pepiot (3-5) faces Boston RHP Lucas Giolito on Tuesday in the second of three games in the series.
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Rays beat Red Sox 10-8 in 11 innings, spoil top prospect Roman Anthony's MLB debut
BOSTON (AP) — Jake Mangum had four hits, and Junior Caminero drew a bases-loaded walk in the 11th inning on Monday night as the Tampa Bay Rays took advantage of Boston mistakes to win 10-8 and spoil the debut of top Red Sox prospect Roman Anthony. Tampa loaded the bases off Zack Kelly in the 11th and Caminero took a 3-2 pitch for a walk. Mangum followed with a chopper to the right side that was fielded by first baseman Romy Gonzalez, but his throw to Kelly (1-3) was awkward and late. Ian Seymour pitched two innings in his major league debut for the victory as Tampa won for the sixth time in seven games. Anthony was hitless in four at-bats, with one walk and an RBI groundout in the ninth that cut the deficit to 7-6. Kristian Campbell followed by hitting a high chopper over the mound and beating the throw to first for a game-tying single. Anthony also let a single roll under his glove in right field for an error that led to an unearned run in the fifth — one of two official errors to go with a run-scoring wild pitch, a hit batsman and a botched infield fly. Anthony was due to lead off the bottom half of the 11th, but Rob Refsnyder pinch hit for him and walked. With two on and two out, Gonzalez took a 3-2 pitch for a third strike and was ejected for arguing the call; the Red Sox had no other batters to replace him. No matter, Ceddanne Rafaela lined the next pitch to short for the third out. Key moment Taylor Walls hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to give Tampa an 8-7 lead. Boston tied it in the bottom half when first baseman Jonathan Aranda dropper a grounder that would have been the final out, then threw wide of Seymour for a second error, this one allowing the tying run to score. Key stat Anthony's line was 0 for 4 with one RBI, one walk, one strikeout and one fielding error. Up next Tampa RHP Ryan Pepiot (3-5) faces Boston RHP Lucas Giolito on Tuesday in the second of three games in the series. ___ AP MLB:
