TORONTO — Yankees catcher Austin Wells rejoined the lineup on Wednesday after being sidelined for three games, making an entrance as a pinch runner during the eighth inning in New York’s 11-9 defeat to Toronto.
The Yankees have a record of 13-18 since the 28th of May, having fallen in six out of their last ten series.
“We’ve got to play better,” emphasized slugger Aaron Judge. “If we improve our gameplay, we’ll certainly be placing ourselves in a stronger stance moving forward.”
Trent Grisham, the outfielder, also made his return, stepping in to pinch-hit for DJ LeMahieu earlier in the eighth and later handling duties in center field. Grisham exited Monday’s clash after getting his cleat snagged on the turf.
Wells had been absent since Saturday as he was recovering from an invasive test related to a circulatory issue in his left index finger, as per the Yankees’ manager, Aaron Boone. He replaced Giancarlo Stanton on the bases following Stanton’s walk.
Ben Rice was the starting catcher against Toronto, having taken his second and third starts behind the plate the previous weekend against the Athletics. During the bottom of the eighth, Rice was unable to catch a wild pitch by Devin Williams, which enabled George Springer to advance and score the go-ahead run.
“That one’s on me,” Rice admitted. “I need to find a way to block it.”
However, Devin Williams absolved Rice of blame.
“I should have executed a better pitch,” Williams said. “It wasn’t the simplest for Ben to block.”
Right-hander Luis Gil missed a scheduled throwing session on Tuesday after his wife went into labor, according to manager Boone’s remarks before the game. The 2024 AL Rookie of the Year now plans to pitch on Thursday.
Gil has not participated in any games for the Yankees this season due to a severe lat strain in his pitching shoulder.
The team called up right-hander Clayton Beeter from their Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, while righty Geoff Hartlieb was designated for assignment.
An impressive performance at Triple-A saw Beeter maintain a 0-0 record with a 1.02 ERA across 16 games, achieving 29 strikeouts over 17 2/3 innings, along with two saves from three opportunities.
“He’s been on our radar for several years now, continually pushing toward the major league roster,” Boone said. “His talent is evident, and hopefully, he secures a role in our bullpen.”
Hartlieb made a singular appearance for the Yankees in Tuesday’s 12-5 loss, conceding three runs over one inning.