About Last Night: Tigers 10, Yankees 3
by Paul Semendinger
September 8, 2023
***
The Tigers, a team that the Yankees had fun defeating time and again, once again won the last game of a series against the Yankees.
Last night the game was over almost as quickly as it started.
In the end, the Tigers won 10-3.
Quick Stats:
Carlos Rodon: 3.2 innings, 7 runs
Aaron Judge: 0-for 4
Jasson: 0-for 3
Gleyber Torres: 2 for 3, 2 runs, 25th homer of 2023
Giancarlo Stanton: 0-for 3
Anthony Volpe: 1-for-3
Randy Vasquez: 1 run in 2.1 innings
Albert Abreu: 2 runs in 2 innings
Matt Krook: 1 inning
Big Stories:
Carlos Rodon didn't look good, again.
Spencer Torkelson blasted two home runs for the Tigers. Matt Vierling had four hits of his own.
Eduardo Rodriguez earned the win for the Tigers allowing three runs in six innings.
Of note, home plate umpire Alan Porter did not seem to have a good game. (I was hoping to link to m umpire scorecard, but could not find one.) He called out Jasson Dominguez on a strike three that clearly wasn't a strike. As the Yankees bench got on his, he threw out Anthony Rizzo, who, of course, is on the IL.
(Of note, Rizzo won't play again this year. If that is not an inditement about how the Yankees handled his head trauma (and player injuries in general) nothing is. The fact that they played Rizzo for nine weeks after the head injury, along with the fact that once he finally came out of the lineup, he couldn't play again - for the rest of the year - is a huge problem. If Hal Steinbrenner wants to do a deep dive of the team, he should start there. I can't imagine there is a good answer for the way the Yankees handled the Anthony Rizzo situation. That, alone, should be grounds for dismissal for all involved.)
The Tigers' two wins against the Yankees in 2023 both were the final games of a series to prevent a Yankees' sweep.
The Yankees are now at 70-70 for the season. They have just 22 games remaining. It seems like the Wild Card is a distant (and fading) goal. The question will be if the Yankees can finish at, or above .500.
Player(s) of the Game:
Spencer Torkelson (two homers will do that)
My Take:
I don't care about wins and losses in 2023 at this point. Sure, it would be great for the young players to taste what a pennant race feels like, but the goal should be simply to give them at bats and repetitions to see what they can do. The Yankees need to determine which of these young players demonstrates enough to head into Spring Training 2024 as the favorites to win a starting job.
At this point, the only lock for me, and that too can change, is Jasson Dominguez.
One cannot tell a lot from September at bats, but one can see a player's poise and maturity and approach. Dominguez, so far at least, seems strong in those areas. If the only two starters to come out of this crop of minor leaguers are Anthony Volpe and Dominguez, the Yankees will have done alright. But, if they are the only two, the Yankees have a lot of decisions to make this winter.
Regarding the graphic on the home page. A long time ago I sold my old comic books. (You just can't keep everything.) But, I did save a few including the Shazam comic where he plays with the Detroit Tigers.
Next Up:
Luis Severino takes the mound tonight for the Yankees against the Brewers. The Brewers are in first place in the National League Central Division. This won't be a picnic for the Yankees.
