When DJ LeMahieu and Adam Ottavino left as free agents last winter, the Rockies could probably predict that this weekend they would face the best of their former stars. They probably never expected Mike Tauchman would be the one who got away and would burn them in their visit to the Bronx.
The former Rockies farmhand had a career-high three hits, a great defensive play and scored two runs as the Yankees offense overwhelmed Colorado 8-2 at the Stadium Friday night.
“I am really happy for Tauchman,” said Ottavino, who struck out the side in the sixth. “He played unbelievable against a team that didn’t give him a lot of chances, honestly. He came here tonight and put his best foot forward. I know that meant a lot to him.”
The Yankees “savage” offense was too much for the Rockies. Edwin Encarnacion hit his career 12th grand slam — second only to Albert Pujols among active players — Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer and LeMahieu continued to produce runs for the Bombers.
Playing without manager Aaron Boone, who was serving a one-game suspension for “inappropriate actions, including contact” in an altercation with umpire Brennan Miller in which he called his players “savages” in the batter’s box on Thursday, the Yankees (63-33) did not let up Friday. They won their fourth straight game and improved to a season-high 30 games above .500. With the Rays and Red Sox losing, they continued to create distance in the American League East division race, taking a season-high nine-game lead.
With power bats like Judge and Encarnacion and the consistently reliable run producer LeMahieu, who set a career high with his 67th RBI, in the lineup, it’s not surprising. But it’s the part-time players who have come in to make less glamorous contributions that have made this Yankees run possible through an epidemic of injuries.
Aaron Hicks’ back injury in spring training forced the Yankees to trade a young left-handed pitching prospect for Tauchman, who had been drafted by the Rockies in 2010 and mostly played in the minors. They needed a solid defensive outfielder who could play all three positions.
“Just his overall game, the defensive side of it, he makes great reads in the outfield, great he has a quick first step, he lays out and is always playing hard,” Judge said. “You guys witnessed the arm tonight, a fast runner, Garret Hampson at third. The speed and swinging the bat, power to all fields. Excited to have him over here on our side.”
Tauchman robbed the Rockies of a third run in the second inning when, with a runner on third, he caught Charlie Blackmon’s fly ball and turned it into a double play with a laser to home plate, nailing Hampson.
“That’s a big, big play, shifts the game,” said bench coach Josh Bard, who managed as Boone served his suspension. “He’s really been ready. Put him in spots, facing (Blake) Snell, facing guys who are tough and he’s been productive.”
Tauchman stretched a single into a double and scored the fifth run on LeMahieu’s RBI single in the fourth. Tauchman singled, stole second and advanced to third on the catcher’s throwing error in the sixth. He scored on LeMahieu’s fielder’s choice.
“He’s human. He’s a competitor,” Bard said when asked if he saw some extra motivation in Tauchman facing the Rockies. “His preparation has been unbelievable. He’s been back and forth and we’ve asked him to do a lot of things and he’s been a pro.”
That’s all Tauchman has wanted to be with the Yankees. He said it was a little different facing his former teammates, who he, LeMahieu and Ottavino visited with on the field before the game, but when he stepped between the lines it was just business.
“Every time I am in the lineup I am excited, it’s an opportunity to go out there and try to contribute,” Tauchman said. “Obviously we’ve been playing well, when I am in the lineup I want to keep that going and give an everyday guy a blow.”
And he’s OK with how things worked out.
“I am very excited to be here. Obviously the Rockies drafted me and I made my debut there,” Tauchman said. “I am obviously really excited to be here right now, with the group we have and the goals we have as a team.”
