Yanks reward Encarnacion plush parrot after 30th HR

MINNEAPOLIS — Almost two hours earlier than the primary pitch Wednesday evening, New York Yankees infielders Gleyber Torres and Gio Urshela had been sitting in entrance of their neighboring Goal Area lockers, busting out in random, transient bursts of laughter.

On the time, Urshela was holding a cardboard field, delivered to the ballpark from Amazon. It had been opened simply sufficient for him to see that the suitable contents had been inside. He was happy they had been there.

Later within the night, as fellow Yankees slugger Edwin Encarnacion completed rounding the bases following his milestone 30th homer of the season, the plush piece that was inside that field was lastly shared with the world.

“I have been ready for that,” Encarnacion stated, smiling. “It appeared good.”

“It” was a stuffed animal — a red-, white-, yellow- and blue-colored parrot, to be exact — that had been gifted to Encarnacion close to the Yankees on-deck circle on the finish of his ninth-inning round-tripper.

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That is now the eighth straight season the 36-year-old Encarnacion has hit at the least 30 homers.

“Thanks God for blessing me,” Encarnacion stated of reaching the milestone once more. “However I do the onerous work each offseason, and attempting to be constant yearly, it is not simple to do it. However thank God I have been doing it the previous [eight] years, and I really feel blessed.”

Encarnacion began the streak when he was 29. However amongst gamers past the age of 30 to have had 30 or extra homers in consecutive seasons, his seven such years rank fifth all time. Solely Barry Bonds (10 straight 30-homer seasons), Rafael Palmeiro (9), Mike Schmidt and Babe Ruth (eight) have had extra consecutive 30-homer seasons previous the age of 30 in baseball historical past.

“That is wonderful in itself, and to have the ability to do this persistently and be a man that is very productive, it is superior to see,” Yankees middle fielder Aaron Hicks stated. “He is a terrific hitter, and he does what he has to do to have the ability to put barrel on the ball and clearly be capable to hit the ball out of the ballpark.”

The 385-foot solo shot that Encarnacion deposited into the Yankees bullpen prolonged New York’s lead over the Minnesota Twins, giving the Yankees a 10-7 benefit that they held onto within the backside half of the ninth. With the Wednesday’s victory, they Yankees additionally received the essential collection in Minnesota, taking two of three from the Twins earlier than visiting the rival Boston Pink Sox for 4 video games starting Thursday.

Encarnacion’s lengthy ball additionally was the 20th and ultimate dwelling run that the Yankees and Twins had hit in a collection that doubled as a veritable two-team House Run Derby. At 7,875 ft, the groups’ mixed blasts traveled a distance that’s practically the equal of 1.5 miles. That is roughly the identical distance because the Empire State Constructing (at 34th Avenue) is from Columbus Circle (at 59th Avenue) in Manhattan.

Edwin Encarnacion grimaces whereas rounding the bases after hitting his 30th homer of the season Wednesday evening. He fouled a pitch off his left foot earlier within the at-bat and stated afterward that his foot was simply sore. Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports activities

“Just like us, they do a extremely good job of constructing [a pitcher] come into the strike zone,” Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone stated of the Twins. “They’ve guys that, if you make a mistake, they do not simply get hits, they get it out of the ballpark.”

Encarnacion’s homer, which adopted one other he had Tuesday, additionally got here on the identical at-bat during which he drilled an off-speed pitch onto the highest of his left foot. In apparent ache after the foul ball, he walked again away from the batter’s field and towards the on-deck circle, the place Boone and head athletic coach Steve Donohue chatted with him.

The designated hitter instructed them he was OK and walked again to the field to complete his at-bat. All of the sudden, he unloaded on an 83 mph changeup that was down within the zone, sending it over the wall in left-center discipline.

“It is simply sore,” stated Encarnacion, who additionally fouled a pitch off the identical foot on Monday. “It acquired me good. It is simply been somewhat sore.

“We’ll see [Thursday] how I am feeling, however I am fairly good proper now.”

As soon as the Yankees get a greater deal with on how Encarnacion feels when he wakes up in Boston, they may have a greater concept of methods to proceed following the damage.

As he started his dwelling run trot, Encarnacion’s jog turned shortly right into a noticeable limp. Even his typical dwelling run celebration with a single raised arm appeared hindered. Usually, he holds his arm up as he lets his imaginary parrot journey there on the first-to-third portion of his trot. However by the point he acquired midway between second and third base, Encarnacion dropped his proper arm and proceeded to gingerly run the remainder of the best way.

“Once you hit one off the bunion like that, it is all the time powerful to have the ability to come again and get it,” Hicks stated.

It was when he started high-fiving teammates whereas getting into the dugout that Torres handed Encarnacion the toy parrot that had arrived on the Yankees clubhouse earlier within the afternoon. Beginning pitcher Domingo German then took Encarnacion’s helmet and the parrot from him, and positioned them each on the bench subsequent to the place the veteran energy hitter sat down.

Urshela stated the thought behind the toy parrot simply got here to him as he wished to have somewhat enjoyable along with his older teammate.