The Yankees added five players over the last week, and Giancarlo Stanton played left field (his first time in the outfield since 2019) and Aaron Judge played center in the Yankees’ series opener in Miami on Friday…and that may not be the weirdest thing that happened.
Gleyber Torres was ejected for arguing balls and strikes after striking out looking to end the Yankees’ half of the seventh inning, so when the team came out defensively, DJ LeMahieu – who was not in the original starting lineup due to a sore triceps – came out to play second, with Rougned Odor moving from second to third – his first-ever appearance in a game that counted at the hot corner – and starting third baseman Tyler Wade moved over to shortstop to replace Torres.
Then, in the eighth inning, cleanup hitter Anthony Rizzo singled to put two on with one out for…the pitcher’s spot, as Giancarlo Stanton (the original No. 5 hitter) was double-switched out in that bottom of the seventh inning, with Greg Allen going to left field and into the No. 9 spot in the order.
Gio Urshela, who also was held out of the starting lineup due to a balky hamstring that caused him to leave Thursday’s game early, pinch-hit and singled to load the bases – and with Urshela unable to run, the Yankees pinch-ran with…Nestor Cortes, the fifth starter (at least until Andrew Heaney arrives) who would be due to take the ball on Monday, when Heaney would also be on turn for HIS next start.
ACE/PINCH RUNNER NESTOR CORTES JR. pic.twitter.com/TTddhPAscT
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 31, 2021
All’s well that ends well, apparently, as the next hitter, Rougned Odor, rapped a two-run single, and Cortes ended up stranded on the bases by a Gary Sanchez double play – but it also led to the question as to where Brett Gardner, who should have been on the bench but was not listed on the YES Network’s graphic as available when Allen checked in, was.
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