The Yankees’ record got healthier against the Blue Jays over the weekend, but their players did not.
Didi Gregorius left Sunday’s 10-2 win over Toronto in The Bronx with what was called a bruised left heel, and the Yankees used a six-run first to help finish a three-game sweep. He was taken to Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital for further evaluation.
Greg Bird’s grand slam capped the Yankees’ fast start to the game, as the struggling first baseman hit one into the second deck in right for a second straight at-bat — he did the same thing in his final at-bat Saturday.
Gregorius was replaced in the lineup by Ronald Torreyes, who had three hits. Gleyber Torres shifted to shortstop after Gregorius was removed in the third inning following his first-inning collision with Kendrys Morales at first base.
The Yankees jumped on Toronto left-hander Ryan Borucki early, as the first six batters reached to start the game and J.A. Happ, who allowed a two-out homer to Randal Grichuk in the top of the first, delivered another strong outing.
Happ, facing the team he was acquired from last month, retired the first two batters before Grichuk smoked a homer into the bleachers in left-center to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead in the first. It was the first of three straight hits surrendered by Happ, who was forced to throw 27 pitches in the frame.
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The offense came back in the bottom of the inning, as Aaron Hicks and Giancarlo Stanton led off with walks and then executed a double-steal on the first pitch to the red-hot Miguel Andujar.
Andujar’s hard single through the left side of the infield scored Hicks to tie the game at 1-1. After a visit from pitching coach Pete Walker, Gregorius reached on an infield single to second and stayed down after he was forced to run over Morales at the bag, since Morales was in the baseline.
The hit drove in Stanton to make it 2-1. Gregorius initially remained in the game after a visit by trainer Steve Donohue, but was removed an inning later, adding to the Yankees’ health woes that include Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge both on the disabled list and Stanton hampered by a tight left hamstring.
Torres reached on an infield hit to load the bases for Bird, who followed with his second grand slam of the season and his career.
Happ responded with four consecutive scoreless innings until Morales led off the sixth with a homer. Kevin Pillar doubled down the left-field line and Teoscar Hernandez struck out. Happ was pulled for Jonathan Holder, who got Danny Jansen swinging before Pillar was thrown out trying to steal third.
The Yankees have won all seven games started by Happ and Lance Lynn since they arrived prior to the non-waiver trade deadline.
Holder tossed 1 ²/₃ scoreless innings in relief, as the Yankees responded to losing three of four at home with winning three straight to close out an 11-game homestand 7-4.
And the Yankees’ lineup, which has been without Sanchez and Judge for 23 straight games, has scored four or more runs in 19 of those games.
They tacked on four more runs in the sixth, with Kyle Higashioka adding a two-run single, and Toronto manager John Gibbons was ejected arguing — correctly — that Bird should have been called out at first base.
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