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New York Yankees: 3 takeaways from weekend split with Minnesota Twins

By Scott Roche |
Oct 14, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts after striking out against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in game two of the ALDS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 14, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts after striking out against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in game two of the ALDS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
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After going 4-2 on a six-game road trip against the Baltimore Orioles and the Cleveland Guardians, the New York Yankees returned home to kick off a homestand against two teams that will give Aaron Boone’s team their toughest tests early in 2023.

The Minnesota Twins entered Yankee Stadium for a four-game series, to be followed by Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, and the Los Angeles Angels. Before the Twins series started, the Yankees found themselves already in a hole in the American League East standings behind the impressive Tampa Bay Rays, who started 13-0 before dropping two out of three over the weekend against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

It’s not a secret that the Yankees have had a lot of success against the Twins, not only in the regular season, but also in the playoffs. Minnesota landed in New York in first place in the American League Central early in the season and they are expected to be near or even at the top of the standings when the regular season ends in October.

The series didn’t start out well for the Yankees as the Twins flexed their muscle in the first two games, winning 11-2 and 4-3 in two different ways. They jumped out with nine first-inning runs in the first game, before rallying for a late win in the second game. The Yankees were able to earn a split by winning the final two games.

With a series split done, here are three takeaways from the weekend in the Bronx.

Aug 13, 2022; Anaheim, California, USA; Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (4) is greeted by a teammate after hitting a home run in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 13, 2022; Anaheim, California, USA; Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (4) is greeted by a teammate after hitting a home run in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports /

Carlos Correa continues to be a thorn in the Yankees’ side

When Carlos Correa was with the Houston Astros, he was a thorn in the side of the Yankees. It has been the same with the Twins and, this past weekend, the 28-year-old shortstop once again continued to haunt New York.

In the opening game on Thursday night, the Twins rolled to an 11-2 victory with a nine-run first inning. Correa wasted little time making his presence felt. He singled in his first at-bat and scored on Jose Miranda’s double. He wasn’t finished in the inning. In fact, he ended the first-inning onslaught of pitchers Jhony Brito and Colton Brewer by hitting the third of three straight home runs for a 9-0 lead.

Correa wasn’t done as he single-handily brought Minnesota back from a 2-0 deficit on Friday night. After Anthony Volpe and Aaron Judge hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, Correa homered off of Nestor Cortes, then saved his best for last in the eighth inning. Down 3-2, he delivered a two-run double for a 4-3 lead that turned into the final.

What Correa did was not a surprise, but the biggest surprise was Yankees manager Aaron Boone bringing in closer Clay Holmes for what looked like a six-out save. It didn’t work and Correa once again hurt the Bombers with a two-run game-winning hit.

It’s more than likely that the Twins will make the playoff in October and if the Yankees get in, despite their dominance over Minnesota in the postseason, Correa is an X-factor that can be the difference in a series should the two teams meet. They will meet for one more regular season series from April 24-26 in the Twin Cities but, for now, the less that Boone and the Yankees see Correa, the better.

Oct 23, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (48) hits an hits an RBI double in the second inning against the Houston Astros during game four of the ALCS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo (48) hits an hits an RBI double in the second inning against the Houston Astros during game four of the ALCS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports /

Yankees’ bats heating up with home runs

They aren’t called the Bronx Bombers for nothing.

Anthony Rizzo got the home runs started in the first game and accounted for the only two New York runs with homers off of Joe Ryan and Cole Sands. One night later, Volpe and Judge both went deep off of Louis Varland in the opening inning before Giancarlo Stanton hit one in the sixth inning off the Twins’ starting pitcher.

In the Yankees’ 6-1 win on Saturday, Kyle Higashioka hit one in the fourth inning off of Tyler Mahle, then Rizzo hit his third of the series in the sixth inning. Of course, they closed the series with a home run for the fourth consecutive game when DJ LeMahieu went opposite field in the sixth inning on Sunday.

It’s no secret that playing 81 games in Yankees Stadium helps the Yankees with the short porches, but when they struggle to score runs, they struggle to hit the long ball. You know what you’re going to get from Judge and Stanton, who is the type of player that either it’s a home run or nothing. Getting Rizzo hot is another key at home with the short right field and Franchy Cordero has been a pleasant surprise in his early New York career.

Before the series final on Sunday, Boone announced that Stanton was being placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained hamstring. That will put more pressure on Judge, Rizzo, and company to pick up the slack in his absence.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 07: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees in action against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on September 07, 2022 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees defeated the Twins 7-1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 07: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees in action against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on September 07, 2022 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees defeated the Twins 7-1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

Gerrit Cole continues early-season dominance for Yankees

Gerrit Cole is the Yankees ace and, so far in 2023, he’s pitching like one. His best performance to date was Sunday in a masterpiece.

Cole was dominant from the start. He was able to throw any pitch in any count for a strike. He went the distance, allowing two hits and striking out 10. His curveball was very good, he was able to spot his fastball, which was his best pitch and, with Jose Trevino behind the plate, the two had a connection on each pitch. In the ninth inning, Cole started the inning with a change-up for a strike. He was feeling it.

Cole needed just 109 pitches for the complete game. He didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning as he improved to 4-0 this season with a 0.95 ERA in five starts. Cole and Nestor Cortes have been far and away the Yankees’ two best starters so far this season.

Given the way the series started with the first two games, the Bombers were able to battle back and get a split. The home run ball played a big part in the series, Cole was dominating in the series finale and they held Correa down after the first two games.

If you’re the Yankees, take the split and get ready for the Angels, who have started their road trip losing three games at Fenway Park to the last-place Boston Red Sox.

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