Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton made his first start in left field this season in the opener of a three-game series against the Astros on Tuesday and finished 0-for-4 in New York’s 7-1 win.
Starting Stanton in left was a pivot from previous decisions from Yankees manager Aaron Boone. The Yankees have used Aaron Judge, who started 80 games in right field before an elbow injury landed him on the injured list, exclusively as their designated hitter following his return from the 10-day injured list on Aug. 5. Stanton has started 12 games in right field since that date.
“We just kind of talked through it,” Boone said of Stanton. “The reason I wasn’t initially is just because of the short work that he’s done the last few weeks preparing to play right. I didn’t want to throw that off for a place … I don’t view this place (Houston’s Daikin Park) like Fenway (Park), where Fenway obviously is very big in left. Right here is kind of small, too. Left obviously is.
“He and I just talking about it, really, Sunday after the game, and he didn’t think it would be a big deal. It’s as simple as he and I had a conversation about it.”
Right-hander Will Warren (8-6, 4.30 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Yankees (77-61) on Wednesday. He allowed four unearned runs on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts over five innings in a 10-4 win over the host Chicago White Sox on Thursday.
Warren has alternated wins and losses over his last 10 starts (3-2, 3.14 ERA). With 19 starts of two earned runs or fewer allowed, he has the second-most such starts by a Yankees rookie, trailing Stan Bahnsen (25 in 1968), per the Elias Sports Bureau.
Warren will make his first career start against Houston.
Right-hander Jason Alexander (4-1, 4.61) is the scheduled starter for the Astros. He was exceptional in August, going 3-0 with a 2.17 ERA over five starts last month. Alexander did not factor into the decision of a 4-3 home win over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday after he allowed three runs on seven hits and one walk with a career-high eight strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings.
Alexander is 1-0 with a 2.79 ERA in two career starts against the Yankees. That victory came on Aug. 10 when he worked six scoreless innings and allowed one hit and three walks while notching three strikeouts in a 7-1 road win.
The Astros (76-63) maintained their three-game lead in the American League West despite the loss on Tuesday, as the second-place Seattle Mariners fell to the Tampa Bay Rays. The series opener against the Yankees offered a playoff feel, with both teams in pursuit of division championships.
“We live for moments like this, at least as a manager or a coach,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “You want to be in this position here. I’ve been on the other side of the spectrum, where I’ve been (out of contention) as early as July or August, and it’s tough to go to work when your team is out of the race.
“But I’ve been blessed to be here for eight years now, and we’re in the race to the end. This is what we play for. This is why I come to work.”
–Field Level Media
