CLEVELAND – This was a Judge-less three-game sweep of the AL Central-leading Guardians at Progressive Field, and that was an encouraging sign for these Yankees.
“We miss our captain. We miss the best player in the league,’’ said Jazz Chisholm Jr., but ultimately “we have…a lot of super talented players.’’
Aaron Judge’s absence presents a challenge, and that first road hurdle was met, concluding with Wednesday afternoon’s 8-4 victory.
On the Life Without Judge scoreboard, the Yanks are 5-3, but winners of four straight as they head to Toronto for a weekend series against the bruised (but dangerous) defending AL champs.
When Judge, the two-time defending AL MVP, is in their lineup, “we were trying to help him more than anything,’’ said Chisholm.
Now, with Judge sidelined for at least two months due to a right rib stress fracture, “we’ve just got to try to do our own part and make up for what we’re missing with him.’’
Yankees’ all-hands-on deck approach
After the Guards won two of three at the Stadium last week, the Yanks took the season series with a lot of all-hands-on-deck stuff.
They survived an extra-inning win on Monday, as Cody Bellinger came through in the 10th.
Trent Grisham stayed hot, veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt played some outstanding defense and went 5-for-12 with a homer vs. Cleveland and Yanks’ pitching held Cleveland to a .107 average (3-for-28) with runners in scoring position.
The bullpen held it together again in Tuesday’s one-run win, when Gerrit Cole lasted just four innings and Chisholm – fueled by some audible, derisive chants – launched a go-ahead, eighth-inning homer.
“I think everybody talks about it on the outside,” Grisham said of the Yankees’ look without Judge. “On the inside, it’s business as usual. We’re competing, regardless.”
Wednesday was a bit of a struggle for starter Carlos Rodon, and manager Aaron Boone was prepared to buy an inning or two from Ryan Weathers – Friday’s scheduled starter at Toronto – until Rodon produced a 1-2-3 fifth inning, and a 1-2-3 sixth.
Due to a rainout last Saturday and Thursday’s team off day, Weathers “was in play today; he was ready to go if we needed him,’’ said Boone, ultimately glad to keep his rotation intact for Toronto.
But Weathers “could’ve factored…in a big way’’ on Wednesday, which is part of the “Win Today. Finish’’ narrative.
Those words were sketched on an eraser board Wednesday, leading from the clubhouse to the field.
Now, the Yankees move on to Toronto, and maybe they’ll have Jasson Dominguez this weekend – as a right field option.
Jasson Dominguez in Toronto?
Dominguez (shoulder strain) started Tuesday and Wednesday at Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in right field, “and he was really comfortable doing it,’’ Boone said of the reports from Tuesday.
In that game, Dominguez also went 3-for-3 with a homer and a walk.
Once he’s ready for activation, will the Yankees promote him immediately?
“We’ll see,’’ said Boone, who has also seen better at-bats lately from Spencer Jones, who destroyed his first career homer on Tuesday night – a 443-foot shot.
There weren’t any Yankee home runs on Wednesday, but “I thought the guys did a little bit of everything today offensively,’’ said Boone, including a key double steal.
“You take the best player in the world out, that’s going to have an impact,’’ said Boone. “We have capable people stepping in
“Seems like the entire roster is really contributing in meaningful ways in winning scenarios.’’
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees’ all-in approach leads to sweep at Cleveland
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