NEW YORK — A number of classic baseball jerseys hung within the guests clubhouse because the Yankees arrived at Citi Area for Wednesday’s recreation. Gamers would gown like heroes of yesteryear on their flight north of the border, which is smart, since Aaron Decide is certain making it really feel like 2022.
Decide hit his Main League-leading thirtieth residence run within the sixth inning of the Yankees’ 12-2 Subway Sequence loss to the Mets. Very like on the tail finish of a season during which he chased Roger Maris’ single-season American League residence run report of 61, Decide is attempting to energy his workforce out of a skid.
Although supervisor Aaron Boone stated that Decide’s efficiency continues to be “outstanding,” the captain alone couldn’t rescue the Bombers from their ninth defeat in 12 video games, and a fourth consecutive sequence loss.
“You by no means need to lose two video games like that, particularly towards a workforce right here in New York,” Decide stated. “However we’ve received to indicate up tomorrow. That’s the fantastic thing about this recreation. We get a possibility to rewrite the script the subsequent day.”
Luis Gil was knocked for 5 runs in 4 1/3 innings, together with Francisco Alvarez’s two-run homer within the third, a part of a three-hit, three-RBI night time for the Mets catcher.
As such, the sport felt out of hand when Decide linked with a Danny Younger sweeper following an 87-minute rain delay, sending a 400-foot drive into the left-field seats that trimmed the Yanks’ deficit to 5 runs on the time.
“It sucks. You don’t like getting your tooth kicked in,” Boone stated. “It’s been a crappy two weeks for us, however it’s a part of it. Adversity goes to hit you. We received hit with somewhat bit proper now. We now have all the precise items in there.
“We’ve had a lightweight shined on some issues. We have to get higher at issues, and we have to get it going. However [I have] full confidence that we’ll. We’re simply in somewhat little bit of a tough patch proper now.”
Although Decide homered twice in Queens, each blasts got here with lopsided scores, together with a grand slam late in Tuesday’s 9-7 loss. Decide has equaled his tempo from two years in the past, when he hit his thirtieth residence run that season within the workforce’s 82nd recreation, on July 9, 2022, at Boston.
One of many few threats in a lineup racked by accidents and underperformance of late, Decide has 5 homers in his final eight video games (since June 16) and 26 in his final 55 video games (since April 24).
“Simply extra nice at-bats tonight by him,” Boone stated. “I’m working out of adjectives and superlatives. It’s wonderful what he’s doing.”
The homer off Younger was the 287th of Decide’s profession, tying Bernie Williams for seventh place on the franchise’s all-time listing.
“It’s nice, however nothing we’re actually targeted on,” Decide stated. “We’ve received a season forward of us, loads of ballgames forward of us. We’ve received a terrific Toronto workforce for the subsequent 4 days. We’ve received to indicate up and do what we do.”
Decide is the third participant in Main League historical past to hit a minimum of 30 homers previous to an All-Star break thrice in his profession, having additionally achieved it in 2017 (30) and ’22 (33). The others are Mark McGwire (1987, ’97-98, 2000) and Ken Griffey, Jr. (1994, ’97-98).
Tyrone Taylor and Harrison Bader hit late homers off reliever Yoendrys Gómez, and with the Yanks trailing by 9 within the eighth inning, Boone despatched Trent Grisham as much as pinch-hit for Decide within the eighth inning. Decide appeared displeased by the transfer.
“I would like each at-bat,” Decide stated. “The sport is rarely over, so I would like each at-bat. However I’m not the supervisor. He makes the decision. I wasn’t upset in any respect.”
The blowout defeat took a number of the steam out of what was purported to be a enjoyable flight to Toronto, with gamers invited to sport their favourite uniform tops on the flight.
Nonetheless, there have been tributes to Babe Ruth (DJ LeMahieu), Mickey Mantle (Jahmai Jones), Roberto Clemente (Jose Trevino), Willie Mays (Alex Verdugo), Mariano Rivera (Clay Holmes), Garret Anderson (Gerrit Cole), Giancarlo Stanton (Nestor Cortes) and Barry Larkin (Tommy Kahnle).
Decide chosen a Derek Jeter highway jersey, paying homage to his predecessor as captain.
“I had a number of decisions. This was the precise one,” he stated.
