The Yankees spent much of the trade deadline acquiring international pool money and after signing Cuban right-hander Osiel Rodriguez to a $600,000 deal, they spent a reported $2.5 million to add 16-year-old shortstop Alexander Vargas — also from Cuba.
The switch-hitting Vargas has impressed with his speed and his glove. As a comparison, Gary Sanchez signed for $3 million in 2009.
They also signed outfielder Kevin Alcantara, 16, to a $1 million deal last month.
The loss of Aaron Judge to a fractured wrist has forced Giancarlo Stanton to play more outfield lately, so Boone started Stanton at DH during the Yankees’ 7-5 loss to the woeful Orioles Wednesday and kept Neil Walker out of the starting lineup.
Walker pinch hit for Shane Robinson in the eighth and with the bases loaded, hit into an inning-ending double play. Robinson went 0-for-3 in right, in the lineup again after the Yankees didn’t acquire an outfielder before Tuesday’s non-waiver trade deadline. Walker also made his second career appearance in the outfield.
The Yankees will miss Chris Sale in the Boston series because the left-hander is on the DL.
Asked if he thought the Yankees caught a break in not having to face Sale, manager Aaron Boone said: “Major league baseball players, we never feel like we catch a break. And especially with our rainouts and stuff, we always feel like we’ve been up against it, so there are so many things over the course of a season that break against you, break for you. It’s all a challenge, it’s all a grind.”
Miguel Andujar had his 32nd multi-hit game of the year.
“It’s probably not fair to say he doesn’t get talked about, but I think he does get a little bit, sometimes, that second-billing [to Gleyber Torres] which I guess is fine,’’ Boone said. “But he’s a really good player. He’s been an important player and we’re having the kind of season we are right now with him being in the mix and being right in the middle of it and we’ve hit him a lot of difference places in the order. We’ve seen him really continue to grow and evolve in the position and I think we’re seeing the emergence of a really good player in this league for a long time.”
Joe Hogarty, Baltimore’s strength and conditioning coach, was hit in the face by an Adam Jones foul ball in the sixth.
— Additional reporting by Fred Kerber
