The New York Yankees handed the Toronto Blue Jays a 8-1 loss at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Wednesday in spring training play. Despite Jesús Sánchez's 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI effort at the plate, the Jays could not overcome a sizable deficit. Eric Lauer worked 3.1 innings on the mound, allowing 4 earned runs on 4 hits. The Yankees out-hit the Jays 10-4 on the day. The loss is a minor bump as the Jays continue fine-tuning ahead of Opening Day. The exhibition season is about preparation, and today provided the kind of reps the coaching staff needs to see.
Key Performers
Jesús Sánchez was the standout at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. His extra-base hit was a key moment in the game. The Jays will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Nathan Lukes added to the attack, going 1-for-2, Sean Keys provided support, going 1-for-3, and Arjun Nimmala also contributed, going 1-for-2. The Jays showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Giancarlo Stanton led the Yankees offense with a 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBI day. Jonathan Ornelas also contributed, going 2-for-2 with a home run and an RBI. Cole Gabrielson added a 1-for-1 with a home run and an RBI effort as well. The Yankees offense proved to be too much for the Jays pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Eric Lauer took the loss after running into trouble, working 3.1 innings while allowing 4 earned runs on 4 hits with three strikeouts. He threw 60 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 3.5 innings of work, allowing 4 earned runs while striking out three. The Jays continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting. Carlos Lagrange recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Chad Dallas stood out with 1.0 innings of 1-run work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Yankees got on the board first with four runs in the third inning. The Jays responded with a run in the fourth. Yankees countered with a run in the sixth. Yankees plated two runs in the seventh. Yankees added a run in the eighth. The Yankees were able to score in four separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Yankees out-hit the Jays 10-4, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 9,835 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
Despite the result, the Jays will take the lessons learned from this game and move forward. Spring training is about preparation and evaluation, not wins and losses, and the coaching staff gained valuable information about the roster today. There is still time to make adjustments before the regular season begins, and games like this one are part of that process.
