Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers 8/10

And just like that it is game time here in the Bronx between the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers. In the second of this four-game extended weekend set the Yankees will send Masahiro Tanaka to the mound to face off with Mike Minor for the Rangers. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast on WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Follow us on Twitter, @GreedyStripes, and “Like” us on Facebook, The Greedy Pinstripes, to keep up with us and the Yankees all season long. Enjoy the game, it won’t be long until the Judge comes back, and go Yankees!!

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Texas Rangers 8/10

The New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers will continue their four-game weekend set in the Bronx tonight with the second game of the series. In the second game of the series the Yankees will send Masahiro Tanaka to the mound to face off with Mike Minor for the Rangers. While the division looks out of reach the Wild Card is still very much in play. I am in no way conceding the division to the Red Sox at this point, but the division crown will look further and further away with every Yankees loss here going forward… so just win, and let’s get to it here in the Bronx.

Tanaka has been great since returning from the disabled list after straining both his hamstrings running the bases against the New York Mets. Since his return Tanaka has pitched to a 1.78 ERA in 5 starts spanning 30.1 innings with 36 strikeouts and just seven walks.

Minor has also been pitching well lately pitching to a 4-2 record with a 3.26 ERA in his past 10 starts. In his last start Minor allowed just one run in seven innings of work in a victory over the Baltimore Orioles. This will mark the first time that Minor has faced the Yankees since the 2012 season, a lot has changed since then.

The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET inside Yankee Stadium and can be seen on the YES Network. You can also follow along with the game on MLB TV, with the MLB At-Bat app and by tuning into the Yankees radio broadcast on WFAN with John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman on WFAN.

Enjoy the game, Happy Tanaka Day, and go Yankees!!

43 New Free Agents, Any Destined for Pinstripes?

The deadline has come and gone and now all 30 Major League teams have decided whether they are going to tender a contract to their non-tender candidates and players. When the smoke cleared 43 players were added to the free agency pool after being non-tendered and about half as many trades, signing and moves went down before the deadline. 43 more warm bodies for all 30 teams to choose from but will the Yankees take a waiver on any of them?

The field of 43 is highlighted by former Houston Astros slugger Chris Carter, former Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Pedro Alvarez and Kansas City Royals former closer Greg Holland. None of these three likely intrigue the Yankees much, Carter is a first baseman and hit just .199 with 24 home runs last season while Alvarez is a first baseman only out of necessity. He can’t field at third base and he’s barely marginal defensively at first base after falling out of grace with the Pirates. Holland had Tommy John surgery late in the 2015 season and will almost 100% miss the entire 2016 season as well while rehabbing the injury.

Other not-so-notable names to join the free agency frenzy includes Oakland A’s first baseman Ike Davis, former Giants World Series start Yusmeiro Petit, injured Miami Marlins pitchers Henderson Alvarez and Aaron Crow, relief pitcher Cesar Ramos, Padres third baseman and former Boston Red Sox player Will Middlebrooks, Neftali Feliz, Al Albuquerque, catcher Tyler Flowers, Jacob Turner and Atlanta Braves left-handed starter Mike Minor.

Minor league deals could be handed out to many of these players if they were willing to sign, especially Alvarez, Middlebrooks (the Yankees have almost zero insurance at third base for Chase Headley), and Minor (because, duh, he throws left-handed). Nothing really intrigues me on this roster although I do wonder if Cashman is intrigued by Tyler Flowers. Flowers could give Yankees backup catcher Gary Sanchez more time to fine-tune his development in Triple-A. No way to tell so you’re just going to have to stay tuned.