It was disappointing that, due to weather and health concerns, it was decided that no game featuring the vets of yesteryear would be played on Old Timers’ Day in the Bronx on July 30, 2022. Once the stars were announced and feted, the Yanks came out and beat the visiting Royals 8-2 in the game that followed. Nestor Cortes went five for the win; and DJ LeMahieu, Aaron Judge, and Matt Carpenter homered.
If the Baltimore Orioles felt manhandled by a Yankee 8-3 win in the day portion of a double-entry doubleheader in Yankee Stadium on July 30, 2011, they would have been well advised to skip the nightcap. Brett Gardner drove in two, and Nick Swisher had three hits, but that was nothing compared to the 17-3 onslaught that was to come. A 12-run first inning against Zach Britton and Jason Berken settled matters, and Robinson Cano had five rbi’s.
The Yankees fell to the visiting D’backs 4-2 in the Stadium on July 30, 2019, as old friend from his Baltimore days Adam Jones knocked in the first Arizona run and scored tally No. three after a fourth-inning double. Although he didn’t pitch badly, J.A. Happ was reached for another long ball, as Christian Walker homered off him, also in the fourth. In at third in the fifth as Gio Urshela took Luke Voit‘s place at first base (Urshela’s lone first base appearance on the year), Tyler Wade delivered a late homer in a failed comeback attempt. Voit left the game on what would be revealed to be a sports hernia, and was on the injured list the next day.
On July 30, 2021, the Yankees traded minor leaguers Janson Junk and Elvis Peguero to the Angels for lefthander Andrew Heaney. The club then optioned center fielder Estevan Florial and righthander Albert Abreu to the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders; activated first baseman Anthony Rizzo, outfielder Joey Gallo, and lefthander Joely Rodriguez. The team also designated left fielder Ryan LaMarre for assignment.
Although the Yankees spotted J.A. Happ a five-run lead in the first inning of a game in Baltimore on July 30, 2020, it would take late lightning to pull out an 8-6 win. Happ was reached for four runs almost right away, and the O’s reached Jonathan Loaisiga for a two-run homer and a lead in the eighth. But it was Aaron Judge to the rescue, with a three-run bomb in the ninth.
Jordan Montgomery followed up a strong outing days before with a stinker on July 30, 2017, a 5-3 loss to Tampa in which he failed to go three innings. Luis Cessa had a strong game in relief, holding the visitors in check through 3.33 frames, featuring strike outs of the first four batters he faced. But it was for naught, as the home team failed to muster enough offense to overcome the early deficit. Tampa righty Jacob Faria only went four on this, his 23rd birthday, so he did not get the win.
Chuck Knoblauch led the way with five hits, including a double and a home run, as the Yanks overwhelmed the Red Sox 13-3 on July 30, 1999.
Back-to-back seventh-inning home runs by Eric Chavez and Ichiro Suzuki on July 30, 2012, failed to make up for a seventh-inning bullpen failure by the Yankees, as Boone Logan and David Phelps allowed two runs despite striking out the side between them in a 5-4 loss to Baltimore.
A nice 7-0 Yankee win over Oakland on July 30, 1997, featured big days by Yankee stars and perhaps one surprise player. David Wells was helped in his three-hit shutout (one an infield topper by Izzy Molina) by the quick three-run cushion given to him by Tino Martinez‘s first-inning home run in Yankee Stadium. The losing pitcher was Steve Karsay. Derek Jeter reached safely and scored his first three times at bat. Crowd favorite Luis Sojo had four hits including a homer to left.
The best that can be said about a July 30, 2005, Yankee 8-7 victory in Anaheim was that it was ragged. Both pens failed mightily, with guys with the last name of Rodriguez doing almost all of the damage. Felix Rodriguez came on for Shawn Chacon to start the seventh with the Yanks up 5-1 on a Derek Jeter two run-double and homers from Bernie Williams and Jason Giambi. But Rodriguez started a Halo’s four-run rally by walking the leadoff guy, and ex-Yank Juan Rivera homered for a 7-5 Angels lead in the eighth. Finally, Francisco Rodriguez walked four Yanks in the ninth and Hideki Matsui stroked a two-run double for the win.
In a move rumored to be on the horizon for weeks, the Yankees shipped four minor leaguers, shortstop C.J. Henry, southpaw Matt Smith, catcher Jesus Sanchez, and righty Carlos Monasterios to Philadelphia for Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle on July 30, 2006.
On July 30, 1990, Commissioner Fay Vincent banned George Steinbrenner from the day-to-day operations of the Yankees, a censure resulting from Steinbrenner’s association with, and payment to, confessed gambler Howie Spira during George’s feud with Dave Winfield.
The 2004 Yankee phenomenon known as “Quan-gor-mo” would struggle down the stretch, but they proved they still had it going in a 2-1 win over the Orioles on July 30. Alex Rodriguez‘s fourth-inning homer off Daniel Cabrera evened things after B.J. Surhoff had given the visiting O’s the lead with a dinger off Kevin Brown. In the fifth, Alex’s sac fly knocked in Derek Jeter for the lead. Paul Quantrill struck out Brian Roberts to close the top of the seventh, Tom Gordon struck out the side in the eighth, and Mariano Rivera finished it, with help from a fabulous play by Jeter, who started a double play on Rafael Palmeiro‘s grounder up the middle.
On July 30, 2023, the Yankees signed lefthander Brady Rose. The team also sent righthander Jonathan Loáisiga on a rehab assignment to the Tampa Tarpons.
Righthander Lance Lynn was traded, along with cash, by the Twins to the Yankees for minor leaguer Luis Rijo and Tyler Austin on July 30, 2018.
The Yanks have made a lot of trade deadline moves on July 30. They sent pitcher Eddie Lopat to the Orioles for hurler Jim McDonald in 1955; they shipped Ron Hassey to Chicago for DH Ron Kittle (I was never happy with him in Pinstripes), catcher Joel Skinner, and shortstop Wayne Tolleson in 1986; lefty reliever Paul Assenmacher was the prize for sending righty John Habyan and outfielder Karl Rhodes to the Cubs in 1993; and they sent two minor leaguers, pitcher Brett Jodie and outfielder Darren Blakely, to San Diego to reacquire Sterling Hitchcock in 2001.
Yankee righthander Mike Mussina slipped past Anaheim’s Chuck Finley into eighth place all-time in American League strike outs when he fanned Tampa’s Josh Paul in the fourth inning of a Yankee 4-2 win on July 30, 2006. All the hometown damage was done by the top of the Bombers’ order as Derek Jeter homered following a Johnny Damon single in the third and Damon stroked singleton home runs his next two times up.
Pick your July 30, 1966 Gary Peters White Sox highlight. First the southpaw shut the Yankees out, 7-0. And he did it while facing just 29 guys. Lastly, it only took him 75 pitches to do it.
Jason Giambi was the Yankee standard bearer in a complete game Roger Clemens victory in Anaheim on July 30, 2003. Clemens allowed five hits and struck out five in shutting out the Angels 8-0 while Giambi homered, doubled twice, walked twice, scored three runs, and drove in three.
Jake Powell replaced the injured Myril Hoag in center field in a 5-4 loss to the Tigers on July 30, 1936, as young Joe DiMaggio would not be shifted to center field for the first time until August 1. Charlie Gehringer‘s two-run eighth-inning home run tied the score, and Detroit won the game on a Bill Dickey passed ball in the 10th. Schoolboy Rowe got the win, while Johnny Broaca took the loss.
The Yankees’ signing of Don Gullett appeared to be working out when he notched his 10th win, 9-3 over the A’s, on July 30, 1977, but it was his last victory of the year, as he injured his shoulder.
On July 30, 2018, the Yankees traded righty reliever Adam Warren to Seattle for future considerations.
On July 30, 2017, the Yankees reassigned lefthander Chasen Shreve to the minor leagues, and then recalled him to New York from the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. The club created roster space by optioning lefty Caleb Smith to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
On July 30, 2015, the Yankees added two arms to their roster by recalling righthanders Bryan Mitchell and Nick Goody from the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. These positions were available because the club had optioned righty Caleb Cotham to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre; and placed righty Michael Pineda on the 15-day disabled list, with a right flexor forearm muscle strain.
On July 30, 2013, the Yankees sent center fielder Curtis Granderson on a rehab assignment to the AA Trenton Thunder.
The Yankees signed free agent righthander Charlie Short om July 30, 2012.
On July 30, 2011, the Yankees optioned outfielder Chris Dickerson to AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and used the spot to recall righthander Ivan Nova from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The Orioles outdrew the best attendance the Browns ever got in St. Louis their very first year in Baltimore when they used Bob Kennedy‘s grand slam on July 30, 1954, to delight 27,000-plus fans in a 10-0 win over the Yankees.
George Kell took advantage of one of the very rare Joe DiMaggio mental miscues to score from second as Joe trotted in with a caught fly, making the score 4-2 in the eighth. But the Yanks would pull out the victory in the ninth, with Joe knocking in the decider in a 5-4 win on July 30, 1951.
Chicago’s Lou Kretlow, a journeyman hurler on a hot streak, threw his second consecutive two-hitter on July 30, 1952, shutting out the Yankees, 7-0.
After outdueling Cleveland for their first American League Pennant victory in 1921, the Yanks squared off against the St. Louis Browns in 1922. On July 30 of the year, the Browns moved to a 1.5-game lead by beating the Red Sox 4-1, while the Palehose were taking the Yankees in Chicago, 6-5.
Similarly, the Yanks suffered a serious blow to even earlier pennant hopes on July 30, 1916, when Carl Mays and the Red Sox were beating the Tigers 9-3 as the Browns swept the Yankee in two, 2-0 and 2-1.
Current Yankee star third baseman Alex Rodriguez was playing shortstop for the Mariners on July 30, 1998, when he stole his 30th base of the season in an extra-inning loss to Cleveland. Combined with his 31 homers, Alex became the sixth 30-30 man in American League history.
Casey Stengel was the toast of the New York town often during his long playing and managing career. Baseball writers gave Stengel a birthday (see below) dinner in Mama Leone’s on West 48th Street on July 30, 1936, after his Dodgers had fallen 4-0 to the Cardinals.
On July 30, 2019, the Yankees sent righthander Jonathan Loaisiga on a rehab assignment to the AA Trenton Thunder.
Jim Bibby of the Rangers threw a no-hitter when he beat the Oakland A’s 6-0 on July 30, 1973.
Washington shortstop Ron Hansen turned in an unassisted triple play against Cleveland on this day in 1968, but the hapless Senators lost, 10-1, anyway. Hansen would play in the Yankee infield in 1970 and 1971.
Discussions with AL founder Ban Johnson on July 30, 1901, indicated that there would be an American League team in St. Louis in 1902. The placement of a franchise in New York was also discussed, with the Baltimore and Cleveland teams being the most likely to be moved.
The drama that had been unfolding during the 1980 season in Houston reached its tragic climax on July 30, as hurler J.R. Richard suffered a stroke while trying to throw for the first time since undergoing tests the week before. Richard’s condition had been an ongoing problem all season, with some sadly assuming he was just malingering when he complained of weakness. He would never pitch again.
The 11 runs the Astros scored in the ninth inning in Shea Stadium in a July 30, 1969, 16-3 win over the Mets were largely the result of two grand slams, by Jimmy Wynn and Denis Menke. It represented the first time in the century two slams were hit in the same inning in the National League.
Nolan Ryan joined the 300-win club with an 11-3 Texas spanking of the Milwaukee Brewers on July 30, 1990.
Playing first base for the Philadelphia Phillies on July 30, 1937, Dolph Camilli registered no putouts.
In an additional July 30 highlight involving a one-time Yankee player, Jack Clark hit his 300th career home run in a 4-3 San Diego loss to the Braves on this day in 1990.
On July 30, 1995, Mike Schmidt, Richie Ashburn, Negro Leagues star Leon Day, former NL President William A. Hubert and Vic Willis were inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Players Who Have Died This Day
Utility player Howie Shanks (1941), who ended his 14-year career by playing 66 games for the 1925 Yankees, is one of two Yankee players to have died on July 30. His one home run with 18 rbi’s brought the totals he had accumulated with the 1912-1922 Senators and the 1923-1924 Red Sox to 25 and 620. Second baseman/shortstop Joe Lucey (1980) debuted by playing three games with the 1920 Yankees, with no home runs and three rbi’s. He then switched to pitcher with the 1925 Red Sox, where he threw in seven games (two starts) to an 0-1 record with no saves.
A trio of righthanded pitchers comprise the list of noteworthy nonYankee players to die this day. Hall of Famer Mickey Welch (1941) won 307 games, lost 210, and saved four with the Trojans, the Gothams, and the Giants from 1880-1892. Ed Seward (1947) posted an 89-72 mark with no saves mostly for the A’s from 1885-1891; and Flint Rhem (1969) won 105, lost 97, and saved 10 games from 1924-1936, mostly with the Cardinals, but also with the Phillies and the Braves.
Players Born This Day
Although he did not wear the Pinstripes as a player, late former Manager Casey Stengel (1890) is the first of four Yankee July 30 birthdays. He hit 60 home runs with 535 rbi’s playing from 1912 to 1925. And as Yankee manager for 12 seasons, Casey won 10 AL Pennants, and seven Championships.
First baseman/catcher Gus Triandos (1930) played much of his 11-year career in Baltimore, but he did contribute a home run and six rbi’s to the 1953 and 1954 Yanks. A 1948 Yankees amateur free agent signing, Gus was sent to Baltimore in the November 1954 blockbuster that sent Harry Byrd, Willy Miranda, Gene Woodling, and others south for players including Bob Turley, Don Larsen, and Billy Hunter.
Lefthanded first baseman Jim Spencer (1947) added 45 sometimes crucial homers and 124 rbi’s to the mix in his 1978-1981 stint in the Bronx (of 15 big-league years all told). The Yanks sent Stan Thomas, minor-leaguer Ed Ricks, and cash to the Chicago White Sox for Spencer, minor-leaguer Bob Polinsky, and Tommy Cruz in December 1977. In May 1981, Jim was shipped with Tom Underwood to the Oakland Athletics for Dave Revering, Mike Patterson, and minor-leaguer Chuck Dougherty.
It would be hard to find a more disastrous acquisition than that of Cubs’ 10-year veteran lefty Steve Trout (1957), who went 0-4 with what seemed like 100 wild pitches for the 1987 Yankee team before Seattle miraculously took him away in a trade. In that deal, Trout was packaged with Henry Cotto for Lee Guetterman, Clay Parker, and Wade Taylor. Sadly, earlier the Bombers had spent young righty Bob Tewksbury and two other players in acquiring Trout from the Cubs in July 1987.
Righthander Steve Peek‘s (1914) 17 games (eight starts) for the 1941 Yanks was his only big-league service; he posted a 4-2 mark. And Oswaldo Mairena (1975), an August 1996 Yankees amateur free agent signing, won two while losing three with the Marlins in 2002, his only year in the majors. The Yanks sent Mairena with Ben Ford to the Cubs for Glenallen Hill in July 2000.
A 2015 draftee by Miami, righthander Cody Poteet (1994) went 2-4 in 19 games (nine starts) with the Marlins in 2021 and 2022, then was released, and signed by Kansa City. Released yet again, he became a valuable cog in the Yankee rotation after being signed in January 2024. He went 3-0 in four games (all starts), but has since succumbed to an injury.
Other birthdays: Joe Coleman (1922); Joe Nuxhall (1928), at one time the youngest player to ever appear in the bigs; Doug Rader (1944); Ellis Valentine (1954); Clint Hurdle (1957); Scott Fletcher (1958), who stroked 34 homers with 510 rbi’s mostly for the White Sox and the Rangers from 1981-1995; Cardinal catcher Tom Pagnozzi (1962), who spent all of spring training with the Yanks a few years back vying for the backup job to Jorge Posada; Calvin Murray (1971); Edwin Moreno (1980); Dylan Axelrod (1985); Scott Diamond (1986); Matt Skole (1989); Jesse Hahn (1989); Jared Walsh (1993); Jacob Faria (1993); Josh Palacios (1995); Steele Walker (1996); Jake McCarthy (1997); Javier Assad (1997); and Justin Martinez (2001).
