Giancarlo Stanton hit three massive bombs and Aaron Judge reached base twice in his return from an abdominal strain to help lift the Yankees to a 12-0 win over the Pirates on Wednesday night in Tampa.
Here are the takeaways….
-The Yankees’ bats were alive in the first inning. After a one-out walk by Juan Soto — after falling behind in the count, 0-2 — Judge laced a double that split the outfielders in right field to score Soto from first base.
Stanton followed with a 110 mph blast that went over the batter’s eye in center field at Steinbrenner Field at 455 feet to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead. Anthony Volpe laced a rocket over the right-field wall to pick up his first homer of the spring.
That first inning saw the Yankees score four runs on four hits and one walk off of Pirates starter Marco Gonzales.
– Stanton’s second homer came on an eight-pitch at-bat when he took a Gonzales cutter over the scoreboard in right field with the bases loaded. His third and final homer of the night came in the fourth inning after digging out a changeup out of the zone and planting it 426 feet over the center field wall. The slugger finished 3-for-3. Stanton’s three home runs went a total of 1334 feet.
Stanton’s fourth at-bat came with the bases loaded again but he got underneath a pitch and had to settle for a sac fly and his eighth RBI of the game.
– Luke Weaver was on the mound Wednesday and had his best start of the spring. Weaver is likely making the Opening Day roster but will he start the season as the starter who temporarily replaces Gerrit Cole in the rotation or as the “long guy” in the bullpen is unclear.
But Weaver showed the Yankees a lot on Wednesday. The right-hander pitched 3.1 innings (74 pitches) giving up two hits, and one walk without giving up a run. He also struck out two batters.
In four games (two starts) this spring, Weaver has given up four runs in 8.1 innings (4.15 ERA) while striking out five batters.
– Judge’s return to the lineup and the outfield was a success. He seemed pain-free while running down fly balls in center field and looked comfortable swinging a bat at the plate. Judge finished 1-for-2 with a walk, an RBI and two runs.
Manager Aaron Boone said on the YES broadcast that the slugger will have Thursday off but is penciled in for Friday and Saturday before being off again on Sunday. Judge has had a rough spring, picking up just three hits in seven spring games.
– Wednesday’s lineup will be very close to the Yankees’ Opening Day lineup. All of the starters were in except for at third base where Kevin Smith manned the hot corner.
Gleyber Torres led off and went 2-for-3 with a walk. Soto had the same line while Alex Verdugo and Anthony Rizzo finished with one hit each. Jose Trevino went hitless.
– Smith is auditioning for a spot on the Opening Day roster with DJ LeMahieu questionable to be available and Oswald Peraza down with an injury. Smith has had a solid spring. The veteran infielder went 1-for-3 on Wednesday and is hitting .250 in parts of 18 spring games.
Oswaldo Cabrera came in as Volpe’s replacement in the middle innings and had just two at-bats. In the first he struck out looking on a questionable call, then he popped out to third base in his second AB.
Highlights
What’s Next
The Yankees hit the road to take on the Atlanta Braves on Thursday at 1:05 p.m.
Nestor Cortes will take the mound and will be opposed by Charlie Morton.
Source Agencies
