This week will be the first full week of the newcomers playing for their new teams… kind of like the first full week at a new school. With the Rays and Red Sox not really making much-needed moves at the deadline, we should see if that affects the standings greatly. The standings have slightly changed for now. Let’s see what happened over the weekend and what is to come this week in the MLB American League East.
TAMPA BAY RAYS
After losing the series against the Yankees, the Rays had to reset and fight for the division. Josh Fleming went five innings and gave up three runs. Nelson Cruz went 2-for-5 and Yandy Diaz went 3-for-4. Home runs by Diaz, Mike Zunino, and Randy Arozarena helped seal the deal on the win against the Sox.
Ryan Yarbrough started for the Rays. He went five innings and gave up five runs. He left the game tied when Andrew Kittredge and co took over. Ji-Man Choi went 2-for-5 and Wander Franco went 2-for-4. Francisco Mejia also went 2-for-4 with a home run in the 4th inning. Choi hit his 8th home run in the first inning. The Rays clinched the series with a 9-5 win.
Shane McClanahan went six innings and only gave up one run. Brandon Lowe hit his 23rd home run of the season in the 3rd inning. Franco went 2-for-3. The Rays swept the Red Sox and are up 1.5 games in first place now.
Dawg's got pop 💥 pic.twitter.com/jnJ4gV7oec — Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) August 2, 2021
Next series for the Rays is against the Mariners. Michael Wacha, Luis Patino, and Josh Fleming are scheduled to pitch. The Rays then head to Baltimore to face the O’s over the weekend.
BOSTON RED SOX
The Red Sox faced the Rays over the weekend for the fight for first place. Martin Perez went four innings and gave up six runs. I can’t remember the last time Perez went deep into a game. Short outings like this in July are what can tire out a bullpen by October. The Sox have enough arms to spread the workaround but it can add up. J.D. Martinez looks lost at the plate but there is no doubt he will figure out what is going on. Xander Bogaerts went 2-for-5 and Christian Vazquez went 2-for-4. The Sox lost 7-3.
Nathan Eovaldi was the starter for game two. He pitched 5.1 innings and gave up six runs but five of them earned. Jonathan Arauz had two errors in the game that costed a run. Enrique Hernandez went 2-for-5 and Bogaerts hit his 16th home run of the season. Adam Ottavino didn’t help by giving up three more runs. They lost 9-5.
Nick Pivetta went 4.2 innings and gave up three runs. Hunter Renfroe hit his 16th home run of the year to put the Sox on the board. Hernandez went 3-for-5 and Rafael Devers went 2-for-4. Leading all of MLB in comebacks with 33, the offense tried to come back in the 9th but it ended with Martinez flying out.
The Sox get a much-needed day off today before facing the Tigers for three games. Garrett Richards, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Martin Perez are scheduled to pitch. The Sox then head to Canada to play the Jays for four games.
NEW YORK YANKEES
The Yankees entered Miami with new additions to the team. Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo were in the lineup for the first game in loanDepot Park. Giancarlo Stanton played left field for the first time this season as well. Jameson Taillon went 5.2 scoreless innings. The only run given up was by Zack Britton. Rizzo went 2-for-3 with a walk and a home run, his 15th of the year. Noticeably out of the lineup this weekend was DJ LeMahieu and Gio Urshela.
LeMahieu is dealing with sore triceps while Urshela is dealing with a hamstring issue. LeMahieu did pinch-hit during the series and had to play second base due to Gleyber Torres being ejected on a very bad call by the home plate umpire. Urshela also pinched hit and once he got on base, Nestor Cortes pinch ran for him. The Yankees ended up winning 3-1.
The best in the Rizz. pic.twitter.com/ACO6LKcOVy — New York Yankees (@Yankees)