Yankees MILB 5/29: Jared Serna’s Big Night

News:

IF Kevin Smith cleared waivers. Unlike the last time, he could have declined an outright assignment but didn’t do so. He will return to Scranton.

Scranton (33-20) (Avenged last night’s 10-0 loss by crushing Toledo, 11-2)

2B Jorbit Vivas2-for-4, 2 RBI, RS, BB, K
Vivas started 1-for-14 on his second rehab stint. He is 8-for-20 since.
SS Oswald Peraza0-for-2, 3 RS, 3 BB, K
If both are still around, Vivas/Peraza could be a part of a battle for the second base job in 2025. 
1B T.J. Rumfield2-for-5, HR (3), RBI, RS, CS (2), K
Rumfield’s first extra-base hit since May 7th.
DH Jose Rojas1-for-4, HR (10), 2 RBI, RS, BB, 2 K
Rojas’ 7th HR in May. In 2023, it would have earned him a promotion to the full-time MLB LF job.
C Luis Torrens1-for-5, HR (5), 3 RBI, RS
LF Taylor Trammell1-for-4, HR (1), RBI, RS, BB, 2 K
RF Oscar Gonzalez1-for-5, K
3B Josh VanMeter0-for-3, RS, 2 BB
CF Brandon Lockridge2-for-3, 2 RS, SB (18), BB
.262/.392/.350 in 125 PA (7 doubles, 1 triple, 15 RBI, 20 R, 18-for-20 SB). Lockridge is 119-for-142 stealing bases in his 461-game minor league career.

LHP Tanner Tully (W, 1-3): 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, HR
RHP Ron Marinaccio1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
0.75 ERA (12 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 11 K)
LHP Anthony Misiewicz1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
RHP Phil Bickford1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
3.54 ERA (20.1 IP, 19 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 HR, 9 BB, 27 K). 


Somerset (23-24) (Walked it off against Bowie, 2-1)

DH Spencer Jones1-for-4, RBI, BB, K
His RBI single in the bottom of the 9th won the game, and he needed that! This extends his on-base streak to 12, though as I said yesterday, the numbers aren’t eye-popping during this stretch.
CF Jasson Dominguez1-for-2
Dominguez’s first game in the field this season.
   PH-CF Grant Richardson0-for-2, K
The Yankees rarely, if ever, allow a rehabbing player to play a full nine innings the first time they play in the field.
1B Agustin Ramirez1-for-4, 2B (8)
While he hasn’t homered in a while, he is hitting .300/.389/.525 during May. There wasn’t a way he was maintaining the “9 HR a month” thing he did in April. As his HR rate has dropped, his BABIP has normalized and I think we are seeing a clearer picture of who Ramirez can be.
C Ben Rice1-for-4, RS, 2 K
For those who clamor for Rice to play first base, let me ask you this: Anthony Rizzo has been an issue. We don’t know if he will ever be good again. Neither do the Yankees. Yet, the organization continues to put Rice behind the plate rather than giving him extensive reps at first base (14 starts this season). In my world, this tells me that Rice is not seen as a replacement at first base, even as I declared last night that he can be a 2025 option.  Catching increases trade value, but MLB crisis >>> trade value. Do they think a crisis doesn’t exist? Or, is it that Rice wouldn’t solve the crisis?  At the very least, I think it is fair to ask.
3B J.C. Escarra1-for-3, BB
2B-SS Jordan Groshans0-for-4, 2 K
RF Jared Wegner0-for-2, RS, CS (2), 2 BB
LF Aaron Palensky1-for-2, RBI, SB (9), 2 BB
SS Alexander Vargas1-for-3
  2B Anthony Seigler0-for-1, K

RHP Zach Messinger: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K
Messinger sets a new best for strikeouts in a game. Season: 3.56 ERA (55.2 IP, 45 H, 30 R, 22 ER, 4 HR, 18 BB, 66 K). BB/9, by year: 2022: 4.84; 2023: 4.80; 2024: 2.91.  He compiled a 1.95 ERA in 27.2 IP with a 36/8 K/BB during May.
RHP Colby White: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K
RHP Leonardo Pestana2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Since promotion: 0.79 ERA (11.1 IP, 9 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 12 K). Pestana has been with the organization since 2018, but injuries have limited him to 140.2 innings. The Yankees likely threw him into the bullpen in 2024 as a “last ditch” effort and it has worked so far. He will be 26 in July.
RHP Kevin Stevens (W, 3-0): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K


Hudson Valley (22-22) (Defeated Aberdeen, 9-3)

2B Roc Riggio1-for-4, 2 RS, BB, K
SS Jared Serna: 2-for-4, 2 HR (9), 7 RBI, 2 RS, BB
Serna hit a grand slam and a 3-run blast. He ties his best for RBI in a game (set last July) and has 7 HR in May (five of them in two games). Overall, he is hitting .241 with a .831 OPS in 202 PA (11 doubles, 9 HR, 35 RBI, 32 R, 14.9% BB, 17.8% K)
CF Jace Avina1-for-4, BB, K
C Jesus Rodriguez2-for-4, BB
Rodriguez is hitting .329 with a .913 OPS. In his last three games, he is 8-for-12 with 3 doubles and a pair of walks.  He has 66 games played at this level over the past two seasons, hitting .339. He does all this while playing anywhere they ask him to play. 
DH Tyler Hardman: 1-for-4, 2 K
1B Josh Moylan2-for-4, 2 RS, K
Last 10 games: 11-for-35 (.314) with seven walks.
LF Garrett Martin0-for-3, RS, BB, K
3B Kiko Romero: 1-for-2, 2 RS, HBP, BB
RF Nelson Medina0-for-3, SF, 2 RBI, K

RHP Baron Stuart: (W, 3-1) 5.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Stuart was returned here from Scranton, where he tossed a 7-inning complete game in an emergency start.
RHP Huey Morrill: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
RHP Cole Ayers2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
2.08 ERA (30.1 IP, 21 H, 10 R, 7 ER, 1 HR, 8 BB, 37 K)


Tampa (18-29) (Lost two games to Palm Beach)

Game 1 (Lost, 8-7, in 11 innings. This was the conclusion of yesterday’s suspended game)

2B George Lombard Jr.: 0-for-6
Well, this improves the K%. #Positivity.
SS Roderick Arias0-for-6, RS, SB (12), 5 K
This certainly does not improve the K%. #Reality.
1B Dylan Jasso: 2-for-5, 2B (15), RBI, RS, 2 K
LF Jackson Castillo0-for-3, RS
  LF Daury Arias1-for-2, 2B (4), RBI
3B Hans Montero1-for-4, 2 RS, BB, K
CF Willy Montero1-for-5, 4 K
RF Coby Morales2-for-5, 3 RBI, RS, K
C Manuel Palencia1-for-2, K
  C Edinson Duran1-for-3, 2B (3)
DH Tomas Frick3-for-4, RBI
  PR-DH Brenny Escanio0-for-1, RS

RHP Luis Serna4 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
4.75 ERA (36 IP, 28 H, 19 R, 19 ER, 1 HR, 12 BB, 42 K). May: 24.2 IP, 14 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 HR, 5 BB, 26 K. Serna has allowed 3 home runs in 136.2 career innings. 
RHP Ocean Gabonia0.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, HR
RHP Cade Austin3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
3.31 ERA (32.2 IP, 25 H, 14 R, 12 ER, 5 HR, 7 BB, 37 K). The HR rate is high, but this is a solid debut season. 
RHP Montana Semmel1.2, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
RHP Kris Bow (L, 1-1):  0.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Game 2 (Lost, 5-0, in a 7-inning game)

SS Roderick Arias0-for-3, 2 K
Ouch. These two games didn’t go Arias’ way. He is hitting .200/.314/.320 in 207 PA (13.5% BB, 35.7% K)
1B Dylan Jasso0-for-3, 2 K
2B Hans Montero0-for-3, K
.260/.341/.425 in 82 PA.
CF Willy Montero1-for-3, 2 K
.184/.251/.241 in 175 PA
RF Coby Morales1-for-3
25-for-81 (.309/.406/.383) with 16 RBI in May.
C Tomas Frick1-for-3
.316/.409/.434 in 88 PA (6 doubles, 1 HR, 11 RBI).  Frick isn’t an everyday presence, but he has hit well.
3B Brenny Escanio1-for-2, K
DH Edinson Duran0-for-2, K
LF Daury Arias0-for-1, CS (1), BB, K

RHP Cade Smith: (L, 2-3)  4.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
He generated 14 whiffs with his slider. Season: 3.02 ERA (41.2 IP, 29 H, 19 R, 14 ER, 1 HR, 20 BB, 51 K). So far, his debut season is nothing to complain about.
RHP Osiel Rodriguez1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
1.61 ERA (22.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 HR, 12 BB, 24 K)


FCL (11-7)

Scheduled day off. This is a weird league.


DSL (0-0)

It will be a while before their season starts!