Yankees get what’s needed in Twins and Blue Jays series’

A recovering Yankees team, still missing its best hitter, could use a break. Losing 2-out-of-3 last week to the Athletics, and coming off a 3-2 loss to the Mariners, the Yankees beat the Twins 7-2 in game one of a three-game series.

The recovering Yankees stars, Didi Gregorius and Gary Sanchez, should hope to regain form and hit well against the under .500 Twins and Blue Jays. Both opposing teams sport ERAs above 4.50 while also being in the bottom-six in BAA.

On the other side of the coin, the newly formed six-man pitching staff of the Yanks will be called upon in this easier stint of games. This will allow each starter, as well as the Yankee bullpen to gain some decisive innings.

Lance Lynn, Luis Severino and C.C. Sabathia all look to bounce back from very poor stretches of outings. Severino will pitch the final game in the Minnesota series; Lynn and Sabathia are throwing the back-end of the Blue Jays series back in New York.

Masahiro Tanaka, J.A. Happ and even Sonny Gray will look to continue their excellent pitching. Gray is facing the Twins on Tuesday while Tanaka takes the mound on Friday, the 14th, against the Jays.

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Happ got things going last night against Kyle Gibson and the Twins. He pitched just as you’d hope: six strong innings while allowing six hits and striking out three. Happ showed his ability to pitch to contact and control at-bats by throwing 67 percent strikes.

As for the Yankees offense, it performed like a machine, but only after they cracked into the weak Minnesota bullpen.

The lone run given up by Twins starter Kyle Gibson came off the bat of Gary Sanchez for a mammoth solo shot. Soon after Gibson was taken out, the runs came pouring in. Seven hits and six runs followed suit, leaving the Yanks with the 7-2 win.

Notes from last night’s win:

• Keep an eye out for a soon to be hot Gary Sanchez. He hit a two-run homer and drew a walk last weekend against the Athletics — and went 3-for-5 last night, a triple shy of the cycle.
• Andrew McCutchen again played well, hitting a single, a sac fly and drawing three walks. The veteran showed his experience and poise at the plate.
• Greg Bird still isn’t hitting his weight. His did, however, draw two walks. At this point, take what you can get.

This week’s slate of games should be a confidence booster for the low hanging Bombers — and can prove to get the entire team going. Stringing a few wins together would be an excellent way to welcome in the playoffs and the return of Aaron Judge to a red-hot team.

Also, mark Sabathia and Tanaka’s starts on your calendars. Both support career heavy doses of strikeouts along with batting averages against under .225 (Tanaka’s being .190) against current Blue Jays’ hitters.