The Yankees nine-game winning streak was snapped in Houston last night but there was some tremendous baseball being played during the last nine games.
But it’s a long baseball season and there will be highs and lows so let’s cover some now.
1 Up- Didi Gregorius
No list of the ups in the past week of Yankee baseball would be accurate without the inclusion of Didi Gregorius. Didi has been on fire and was named AL Player of the Week last week, and rightly so in my opinion.
Congrats to @DidiG18 on his first career AL Player of the Week award! The numbers speak for themselves. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/lf9aAwiKl1
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 30, 2018
1 Down- Neil Walker
Neil Walker has always been known for having professional at-bats at the dish. However, this season with the Yankees he looks utterly lost in the batter’s box. Walker had an opportunity to win back some playing time as Tyler Austin was serving out his four-game suspension for his part in the fight at Fenway. But Walker hasn’t taken advantage and with several players on the mend and Tyler Austin being back from the suspension, Walker isn’t long for pinstripes.
2 Up- Dellin Betances
Dellin has not looked like the Dellin of 2015 or 2016, over the last season plus. However, Dellin has found something in his recent side work because over his last few outings Betances has been good. Throwing his fastball with more confidence being aggressive and getting strike one, which is the most important. Yes, it is still early as we are only entering May first today but if the Yankees can get Dellin figures out there bullpen can become even scarier.
2 Down- Jacoby Ellsbury
While all of the other members of the New York Yankees DL Brigade are making progress towards rejoining the team nothing has been mentioned of Jacoby. Now that’s not to say that he isn’t trying to come back but it is to say that he may not have a place on this team if he can not stay healthy. While Jacoby is not the kind of player that his contract would dictate that he should be, he can still be a productive part of a Major League team…just, maybe not the New York Yankees.
3 Up- Aaron Judge
Aaron Judge has been the talk of baseball since his hot start last April and it has continued. But has somehow slipped under the radar this season. Whether it be from the acquisition and struggles of Giancarlo Stanton to Didi Gregorius’s setting the world on fire, Judge has quietly put together a nice first month of the season. Judge is poised to have another stellar campaign as it seems that he has developed another skill to add to his already impressive repertoire and that is consistency.
3 Down- Aaron Hicks
Hicks has a hot start in the game in Detroit when he came off of the DL but since he hasn’t been quite as productive as one would hope from their everyday center fielder. Over his last seven games, Hicks has a slash line of .143/.333/.286. The good news for Hicks and the Yankees is that Aaron is still working counts and taking his walks as he has seven walks over the last seven games.
B.O.L.O- Sonny Gray
Sonny had a very good outing against the World Champion Houston Astros last night. That is not an easy lineup to navigate and Gray did a terrific job of it. The first inning balk call cost the Yankees a run in the first but Sonny didn’t allow it to shake him he was able to regroup and pitched very well. Sonny pitched aggressively getting ahead of most batters he faced. Ultimately, the Yankees still lost but it was an intense game that finished in a 2-1 defeat reminiscent of the 2017 ALCS. These two ball clubs along with the Boston Red Sox will be at or near the top of the American League all season long.
