Just the luck to which the Cashman Era Yankees have become accustomed: On the day that Aaron Hicks, who had been designated for assignment, got picked up by a Divisional opponent, the Baltimore Orioles, the center fielder who replaced him, Harrison Bader, went on the Injured List.
Fortunately, for last night's middle game of a series away to the Seattle Mariners, catcher Jose Trevino was activated from said Injured List. He went 0-for-4, but did draw a walk.
Nestor Cortés started. Over the 1st 4 innings, he allowed no runs on 3 hits and a walk. But in the 5th, he allowed 2 runs on 2 hits and 2 walks. After the 4th inning this season, his ERA is 14.67.
Fortunately, the Yankees gave him some run support, early and often. The game began with Gleyber Torres singling, Aaron Judge drawing a walk, Willie Calhoun flying out, DJ LeMahieu reaching on an error, Isiah Kiner-Falefa singling Torres and Judge home, and Jake Bauers hitting a sacrifice fly that scored LeMahieu. It was 3-0 Yankees.
In the 3rd, Calhoun and IKF singled, and Anthony Volpe hit a home run, to make it 6-0. In the 4th, Greg Allen hit a solo home run, so it was 7-0 before Cortés faltered and made it 7-2. Judge led off the 7th with a home run. IKF singled home 2 runs in the 9th. On the night, he went 4-for-5 with 4 RBIs. His batting average, long under his weight, is now up to .243. Michael King and Ryan Weber each pitched 2 scoreless innings.
Yankees 10, Mariners 2. WP: Cortés (5-2). No save. LP: Logan Gilbert (3-3).
The series concludes tonight. Clarke Schmidt starts against George Kirby. Then the Yankees have tomorrow off. Then they start a series away to the Los Angeles Baseball Team. (I like to call the Dodgers that, in reference to the fact that they left Brooklyn in 1957, and should have given the name up.)