NEW YORK -- Home-field advantage carries a different meaning this season, with players unable to bank on a crowd's energy to raise their adrenaline levels. Yet the Yankees believe they always have the upper hand in their building, where their fearsome lineup slugs home runs in bunches and they have yet to lose a game in 2020. Luke Voit mashed a three-run homer and Aaron Judge added his Major League-leading ninth long ball, powering the Yankees past the Braves, 9-6, on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. The Bombers have won all five games played in the Bronx this season and have homered in 13 straight contests at home
C.C. Sabathia Jersey, dating back to last year. “We had to get back to having better at-bats,” Voit said. “I think tonight we controlled the zone a lot better. Guys hit with runners in scoring position and put the pressure on the pitchers. We got some better pitches to hit tonight and took advantage of it.” Voit's fifth homer of the season provided an early advantage while Judge continued to impress, pelting an advertising board overlooking the right-field bullpen with a 432-foot blast. Judge's homer came off his bat at 113.1 mph, according to Statcast, and the slugger is also tied for the Major League lead with 20 RBIs. “It's just fun to watch, honestly,” said Mike Ford, who doubled twice and drove in three runs. “It couldn't happen to a better person. His start has been incredible, but he puts that work in. He works just as hard, if not harder, than everyone. It's awesome to see.” There were questions raised when Judge was removed for a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning, with the Yankees leading by five runs. Judge remained in the dugout to watch for a half-inning, then returned to the clubhouse to receive what manager Aaron Boone said was “normal treatment.” Boone said that with what appeared to be a safe lead in hand, he wanted to give Judge a few innings off following four games on the artificial turf at Tropicana Field. The Yankees had an off-day on Monday and will have another on Thursday
Derek Jeter Jersey, but thus far Judge has appeared in all 17 of the club's games. “Coming off of four days on the turf and with a little bit of leverage there, just trying to be smart with these guys,” Boone said. “Judgie hasn't really had that day down. I gave him the DH day [on Aug. 5] and I just want to make sure we're being smart with everyone.” Full Monty Jordan Montgomery pitched well for the second time in three starts, carving through Atlanta's lineup with relative ease. He tossed five scoreless frames before Marcell Ozuna touched him for a three-run homer in the sixth. “I really just went after them,” Montgomery said. “I trusted in my pitches better. I threw my cutter better, executed a lot more fastballs and changeups late. The offense really stepped up and got a lot of runs for me to get comfortable.” Though Montgomery's curveball was absent in his last start, when he was hit hard by the Phillies, it re-emerged as a reliable piece of his 78-pitch effort on Tuesday. Montgomery scattered four hits with a walk, striking out four. “I thought he was very aggressive early in the game and established his fastball,” Boone said. “I thought his changeup was really good. He tired a little bit in the sixth inning, his stuff wasn't quite as sharp. But I thought overall he was dictating some counts.” Ford fiesta With Giancarlo Stanton on the injured list
Don Mattingly Jersey, Ford is making a bid to continue logging at-bats as the designated hitter against right-handed pitching. Ford ripped a two-run double early as the Yanks thumped Touki Toussaint for six runs (five earned) over four innings. He added a run-scoring double in the seventh. “I'm a very confident hitter,” Ford said. “I know I can help this team when given the chance. That's just kind of my personality. I thought I did pretty well proving that last year with consistent at-bats up here. It's a small sample size, so you've got to keep changing as the league changes with you.” Zack attack Zack Britton worked a perfect ninth inning with one strikeout, recording his sixth save in as many opportunities and bouncing back after a tough loss in Sunday's series finale at Tampa Bay. Boone would have preferred not to use his higher-leverage bullpen arms
Gary Sanchez Jersey, but a combination of ineffective relief and key errors by infielders DJ LeMahieu and Gleyber Torres saw the Braves close the gap on what had once been an 8-0 Yankees lead. “We obviously didn't play our best game tonight,” Boone said. “We got a little sloppy there in the second half of the game, but it was a really good start by Monty and we swung the bats really well to give us that lead.” The combination of Giancarlo Stanton's leaner frame and lethal power permitted the Yankees to dream on big numbers, but after missing most of last season, the designated hitter could not avoid the injured list. Stanton was removed from a 5-3 loss to the Rays on Saturday, the second game of a doubleheader at Tropicana Field, after experiencing tightness in his left hamstring. The Yankees placed Stanton on the 10-day IL on Sunday and recalled infielder Thairo Estrada from the alternate site. Manager Aaron Boone announced on Tuesday that Stanton has a Grade 1 strain, which normally takes 3-4 weeks to heal. “I'm hurting for him,” Boone said. “I know what he's done to be here. His play speaks for itself. Hopefully it's something that doesn't end up keeping him down too long.” According to Boone, Stanton experienced the tightness while advancing to second base on a fourth-inning wild pitch. Stanton grimaced when he slid into the base, but he was able to move to third base on a Gleyber Torres single before scoring on a Luke Voit hit. “I think he felt it when he got [to second base],” Boone said. “He realized something, and then when he came in, he said, ‘Have somebody ready.' He wanted to go kind of stretch and see what he was feeling.” In 14 games this season, Stanton is batting .293 (12-for-41) with three doubles, three home runs and seven RBIs. He launched his third homer of the season during the Yankees' 8-4 victory in Game 1 of Saturday's twin bill. “It's tough,” Aaron Judge said. “It's a guy that's starting out with MVP numbers, driving the ball, coming up in big situations for us. It's going to be a tough loss however long he's out, but now our motto -- just like last year -- is, ‘Next man up.'” Stanton played in only 18 regular-season contests last year, limited by a left biceps strain, a left shoulder strain, a left calf strain, a strain of his right posterior cruciate ligament and a strain of his right quadriceps. The 2017 National League MVP while with the Marlins, Stanton led the Yankees
Gleyber Torres Jersey with 38 homers and 100 RBIs in 2018. NEW YORK -- Clint Frazier is about to receive another opportunity at the Major League level, and manager Aaron Boone said that he sees the outfielder figuring prominently into the Yankees' plans while Giancarlo Stanton is on the injured list. The 25-year-old Frazier was recalled from the club's alternate training site in Moosic, Pa., prior to Tuesday's game against the Braves. Frazier was part of the Yankees' Opening Day roster, but he was optioned before appearing in a game. Though Frazier was not in Tuesday's lineup, with Boone opting for left-handed-hitting Mike Ford as the designated hitter against Atlanta right-hander Touki Toussaint, Boone said that Frazier should receive turns at DH and in the corner-outfield spots. “I expect he's going to play an important role for us,” Boone said. “It was very difficult having to send him out [on July 26], based on his past performance, his talents, but also how he performed in the spring and the summer. He went down there the next day and got right to work. It's been really good and consistent. I'm excited to have him back.” More so than during Summer Camp, Frazier figures to have a chance to settle in, with Stanton expected to miss three to four weeks after being diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain of his left hamstring. Stanton sustained the injury on Saturday while running the bases at Tropicana Field. “Even last year, it was that ‘next man up' mentality and it seemed like not a beat was missed,” Ford said. “That's kind of just everyone feeding off each other. I think [Frazier] will do a great job when he's in there.” The Yankees acquired Frazier in a July 2016 trade that sent reliever Andrew Miller to the Indians, and general manager Brian Cashman lauded Frazier's “legendary bat speed” in his initial remarks following the trade. Frazier has shown glimpses of that promise at the Major League level, hitting .254/.308/.463 with 16 homers in 429 plate appearances since making his big league debut in 2017. He was among the club's better offensive performers in the first half of last season, though he struggled defensively. “Everyone knows Clint and what he can do with a bat and with the glove,” Ford said. “I love playing alongside him. He's an electric player that has pop, speed, hit ability and obviously great hands at the plate. I think he brings a lot.” Home cooking Eighteen of the Yankees' next 20 games will be played in New York City, including a three-game series against the Mets at Citi Field on Aug. 21-23. Home-field advantage has a different feel without fans, but it can be argued that being on familiar turf is even more important this season. “It's great when you've got 40,000 people screaming for you all game; that's awesome,” Ford said. “But just being able to be in your own bed, in a place where you're comfortable, your routine is much easier -- especially this year. “We know exactly where our testing is going to be, what our protocols are and just kind of being in the comfort of our own clubhouse instead of shifting in and out. I think the real home-field advantage comes from that sense of security. You have your rhythm at home and your daily plan. That makes it a little bit easier.” Comeback trail Aroldis Chapman is continuing to rehab at the Yankees' alternate training site in Moosic, Pa. The left-hander was scheduled to face hitters on Tuesday, marking the first time he has done so since returning from the COVID-19 injured list. “I know he's doing well, so we'll kind of evaluate with him after each and every [live BP session],” Boone said. “I don't have a [return] date for you.” Boone said that catcher Kyle Higashioka, who landed on the injured list on Saturday with an oblique injury, is not expected to resume baseball activities for several days. Bombers bits Right-hander Nick Tropeano was claimed on waivers by the Pirates. Tropeano attended Spring Training and Summer Camp with the Yankees and briefly appeared on the active roster this season, though he did not pitch in a game. Up next The Yankees and Braves will conclude their two-game Interleague series on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. ET, live on MLB.TV. Right-hander Masahiro Tanaka (0-0, 1.17 ERA) is scheduled to make his third start of the season, coming off five scoreless innings against the Rays at Tropicana Field. Atlanta's starting pitcher is listed as TBD.