ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Aaron Judge went from being a late scratch to hitting a tiebreaking single in a two-run 10th inning as the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays for the second straight day, 3-1 on Wednesday night.
Judge was taken out of the lineup about 30 minutes before the scheduled first pitch. Although no announcement was made about why, the All-Star right fielder struck out in the fifth pinch-hitting for Estevan Florial.
Judge returned to the team Tuesday after going on the COVID-19 injured list July 16.
New York also had a big night off the field. The Yankees reached a deal to get All-Star slugger Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers, a person familiar with the trade told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the move had not yet been announced and was subject to approval of medical records of the players involved.
The Yankees began the day nine games behind first-place Boston in the AL East and trailing Tampa Bay, Oakland and Seattle in the race for two wild cards.
Greg Allen was hit by a pitch from Pete Fairbanks (3-4) leading off the 10th, putting runners on first and second. Judge then grounded an RBI single to center field that just got by shortstop Wander Franco.
Fairbanks left with an apparent injury and was replaced by Andrew Kittredge, who threw a wild pitch that allowed another run to score as the Yankees went up 3-1.
Chad Green (4-5) pitched a perfect inning before Aroldis Chapman worked the 10th to get his 20th save in 24 chances. Four relievers combined for five hitless innings to complete a three-hitter for the Yankees.
Randy Arozarena drew a one-out walk from Chapman. Pinch-hitter Nelson Cruz struck out after Yandy Díaz and Arozarena both advanced on a wild pitch.
The game ended when first baseman DJ LeMahieu made a stumbling grab on Francisco Mejía’s infield popup.
Cruz was scratched from the starting lineup due to a bruised foot.
Franco had a leadoff infield single in the fourth and scored to put the Rays up 1-0 on Brandon Lowe’s two-out double off Nestor Cortes.
LeMahieu tied it with a fifth-inning sacrifice fly against Michael Wacha.
Cortes and Wacha both allowed one run and three hits in five innings. Wacha struck out nine, while Cortes whiffed five.
NOT JUST YET
Yankees manager Aaron Boone is leaning toward having DH Giancarlo Stanton possibly make his first appearance in left field this season not against the Rays but during the upcoming weekend interleague series at Miami.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: OF Clint Frazier (vertigo) continues to undergo neurological tests in Michigan and will have his status evaluated by the team’s medical staff this weekend. … RHP Luis Severino (Tommy John surgery) is set to pitch in a simulated game Thursday.
Rays: RHP Chris Archer (right forearm strain) is scheduled to make his next rehab start Sunday. He could be ready to join the rotation in a couple of weeks.
UP NEXT
Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (10-5) and Tampa Bay RHP Luis Patiño (1-2) are the scheduled starters for the series finale Thursday. Cole is 1-5 with a 3.82 ERA in 10 regular-season starts against the Rays.
AP Baseball Writers Stephen Hawkins and Ronald Blum contributed to this report.
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