The New York Yankees defeated their sworn rival Boston Red Sox on Friday night, 9-6, taking advantage of a five-run first inning which kept Boston at bay for the duration of the game. While the Yankees' win on Friday was smooth-sailing for the most part, it did not come without its fair share of trouble. Everyday shortstop Anthony Volpe ended up leaving the game in just the second inning after he was hit by a pitch from Walker Buehler.
The injury Volpe suffered was deemed to be an elbow contusion, and it was at least viewed as a serious enough injury that he had to be replaced by Oswaldo Peraza. But Yankees fans can at least breathe a sigh of relief, as it doesn't look as though their starting shortstop will be missing plenty of time, if any. Manager Aaron Boone gave an incredibly positive update on Volpe's status, which should at least put him day to day for now.
“Good news, out negative on the X-rays and CT scans. So he's back in there. That [elbow contusion], I used to get in the minor leagues a lot. A little stiff and sore but hopefully nothing that keeps him out for very long,” Boone said in his postgame presser, via Yankees Videos on SNY.
It was an 88-mph changeup that clipped Volpe on the left elbow, and it was clear that Buehler did not mean any harm when the pitch left his hand. It was a bases loaded situation for the Yankees and the Red Sox had to do whatever it took to escape another jam, and Volpe was in a 2-2 count when the pitch hit him.
Volpe looked like his way to a big game after hitting a two-run shot in the first inning to give the Yankees a 5-0 lead, but now, he'll have to get in the trainer's room to make sure he's healthy enough to return to the lineup as soon as possible.
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Yankees continue strong start to the season
The Yankees' win on Friday night puts them at 39-23 on the year, and they sit atop the AL East with a comfortable 5.5-game lead over both the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays. Their lineup continues to produce; they rank third in the entire MLB in runs scored per game, weathering the loss of Juan Soto from their lineup quite well.
They will look to win their third straight game on Saturday when they face the Red Sox once more, with the first pitch being around 7:35 PM E.T.
