Spencer Jones homer helps Yankees top Blue Jays and inch toward top of AL East
It is possible that Ryan McMahon’s injured list trip, which prompted a possibly short-lived call-up of Max Schuemann, solved the Yankees’ upcoming roster crunch.If Cody Bellinger is activated Sunday as expected, Schuemann likely would be heading back to the minors, and Spencer Jones probably would remain a major leaguer.The Yankees likely will see more of Jones, who is demonstrating why that notion is becoming increasingly appealing.
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.A top prospect with major intrigue and major risk seems to be getting more comfortable with every at-bat.
Yes, there are strikeouts, which has long been the concern, but there are also the eye-popping tools, a ceiling rivaled by the Guggenheim and monster swings.One of those swings — a ferocious hack that sent a pitch to the sky, down the right field line and eventually to the second deck in right field — made the difference in a 3-1, series-opening Yankees victory over the Blue Jays in The Bronx in front of 45,062, who saw Aaron Boone’s bunch make the most of its four hits.On the backs of Jones, solid work from Cam Schlittler and a typically excellent bullpen performance, the Yankees (73-55) narrowed the Rays’ AL East lead to three games, the closest the two have been since Aug.2.The Yankees have won five straight mostly through continued pitching excellence — Schlittler (six innings, one run), Brent Headrick and Paul Blackburn pitching out of jams and David Bednar recording his 30th save kept the trend going — but also with the beginnings of life from their offense, which only needs to have a pulse to win games these days.And when Jones connects, the Yankees have life.In the second inning of a scoreless game, Jones turned on an inside cutter from Spencer Arrighetti and demolished a pitch whose height was far more interesting than its distance.
Still, it no doubt had enough dist...