Game Thread: New York Yankees vs. Seattle Mariners 7/17

Has it really been four days already since we’ve seen baseball that actually counts? Sorry Commissioner Manfred but the All-Star Game doesn’t count, home field advantage in the World Series or not. That’s another discussion for another blog post though as this one will showcase the contest tonight between the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners inside Yankee Stadium. The Yankees will send their ace Masahiro Tanaka to the mound tonight to face off with the Mariners star rookie Mike Montgomery. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

The Yankees are home for two more games this weekend in the Bronx before an off day on Monday and the beginning of a road trip on Tuesday. Get your Yankees tickets now for this series while you still can by clicking the Yankees Tickets link at the top of the blog. If you can’t make it live then simply jump on Twitter and give @GreedyStripes a follow and together we’ll root for the Yankees like we’re sitting next to Bald Vinny.

It’s been far too long without baseball so let’s get to it. Go Yankees!

Game Preview: New York Yankees vs. Seattle Mariners 7/17

Welcome back ladies and gentleman, the second half of the Major League Baseball season is set to begin tonight with a matchup between the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners inside Yankee Stadium. The Yankees come off the All-Star break in first place in the American League East Division and will send Masahiro Tanaka to the mound looking to keep that lead healthy. Meanwhile the Seattle Mariners are in the midst of a struggle in the American League West Division and are likely sending Mike Montgomery to the mound tonight looking to keep them in the Wildcard discussion. The game will be played at 7:05 pm ET and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV.

• Tanaka will lead the Yankees charge after the All-Star break looking to build on his last start against the Oakland Athletics. Tanaka snapped a four game winless streak in that start allowing just two runs and two hits in 7.2 IP against the A’s. The Yankees need Tanaka to be the ace they paid for tonight against a tough Mariners offense.

• Montgomery has had a great start to his major league career this season posting a 4-3 record with a 2.29 ERA and has thrown back-to-back shutouts entering this start. Montgomery shut out the Kansas City Royals and the San Diego Padres before the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hit the rookie around a bit collecting eight hits and five runs in five innings of work before the break.

The Yankees are home for two more games with the Seattle Cano’s in what should be another big series for both clubs. Both teams expect to be in the playoffs discussion when the calendar turns to September and games like these three this weekend in the Bronx can go a long way to that. Playoff berths cannot necessarily be clinched in July but they sure can be lost in July but I don’t think the Yankees will have to worry about falling into any sort of trap tonight inside Yankee Stadium, let’s hope not anyway. Go Yankees!

Add Dellin Betances & Mike Montgomery To The AFL List

Earlier this week we learned that Yankees prospects Austin Romine, Danny Burawa, Zach Nuding, Slade Heathcott, and David Adams to the Arizona Fall league after the season. Late yesterday we learned that we can add Dellin Betances and Mike Montgomery to that list. All of these guys are here for very specific reasons whether it be to make up for time lost to injury (Romine, Burawa, Nuding), make up for lost confidence (Betances), learn a new position (Adams), or just fine tune some things (Heathcott, Montgomery). Should be fun to watch!