The day after the Yanks retired Jorge Posada‘s number 20 in 2015, they retired Andy Pettitte‘s number 46 on August 23. Unfortunately however, home runs by Cleveland’s Carlos Santana and Francisco Lindor keyed a 4-3 Indians victory. CC Sabathia left this one with an apparent injury in the third. The ceremonial first pitch was what you would figure, Andy throwing to Jorge.

Burying mostly undeserved bad feelings, the Yankees celebrated Joe Torre Day in the Bronx on August 23, 2014, feting the skipper who brought them four championships in five years before the day’s game, and retiring his No. 6 in Monument Park as well. Then it was Martin Prado Day yet again in the game that followed, as the second baseman had three hits, scored a run, and drove in two in the 5-3 win over the White Sox that followed. Hiroki Kuroda got the win, and David Robertson the save with a two-strike-out ninth inning.

On August 23, 2021, the Yankees placed third baseman Miguel Andujar on the 60-day injured list, with a left wrist sprain; and placed lefthander Zack Britton on the 10-day injured list, with a left elbow sprain. In addition, the team recalled center fielder Jonathan Davis from the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders; and activated righthander Clay Holmes from the 10-day injured list.

It was unfortunately the second straight bad day for righty Tommy Kahnle in an August 23, 2023, battle with visiting Washington. The Yanks had pieced together a 3-1 lead into the seventh on the pitching of Michael King, Keynon Middleton, and Jhony Brito. But Kahnle replaced Brito with one on and one out and, although he would strike out two, two home runs and a single in between the whiffs gave the Nats a four-run frame. Washington would hold on for a 6-5 win.

My perspective is admittedly bitter about this aspect of the game, but although the story had a mostly happy ending, the Yanks made a big mistake on August 23, 1996, when they made the decision to deal with Commissioner Bud Selig’s team, the Milwaukee Brewers. They needed a southpaw reliever who could shut down lefty batters. It was decided they could afford to trade righty reliever Bob Wickman and backup center fielder Gerald Williams for the guy they wanted, but only if they could also land another option for backing up Bernie Williams in center too. Graeme Lloyd was the prize and the availability of utility speedster Pat Listach closed the deal. Only Listach had a bad foot and would never play the game again, and Lloyd hadn’t been able to lift his left arm without a cortisone shot for the last several weeks before the trade, two factors the Brewers failed to mention before the swap. Appealing to a league office in which they stood no chance, the Yanks won (?) ineffective righty starter Ricky Bones (who did not back Bernie up in center for even one game, of course) from the Brewers in place of Listach, and watched with concern as Lloyd was routinely hammered through much of September. But Joe Torre picked Graeme to go to the playoffs over the mediocre Dale Polley, and ugly duckling Lloyd blossomed into a beautiful swan against the Braves; the Yanks won themselves a World Series.

The Yanks were in big trouble in Yankee Stadium on August 23, 2005, as pesky Toronto left fielder Reed Johnson‘s ninth-inning single put the home team behind 4-3 with just three outs to go. Hideki Matsui quickly calmed matters when he blasted a 1-2 offering from Blue Jays closer Miguel Battista for the leadoff game-tying home run. Battista then garnered two outs around three walks, but I think few readers would ever guess who then followed with the game-winning base hit. Backup infielder Felix Escalona lashed the first pitch he saw to center for the 5-4 Yankee win.

The only thing noteworthy about the Yankee 6-5 loss to the A’s in the Bronx on August 23, 2011, was the bizarre (and huge) strike zone of home plate ump Gary Cederstrom, whose called strikes (as opposed to swinging or struck ones) accounted for 57 of the first 107 strikes in the game, a remarkably high number. The Yanks rallied for five late runs, but lost to an offense keyed by two home runs by first baseman Brandon Allen and one from third sacker Eric Sogard, as Bartolo Colon took the loss.

The Yanks took first place in the AL East for good on August 23, 1977, when they beat the White Sox 8-3 behind Mickey Rivers‘s 5-for-5 and Mike Torrez‘s seventh straight complete game.

Chicago’s Dick Allen became the fourth player to reach the center field bleachers in Comiskey Park on August 23, 1972. The two-run bomb off Lindy McDaniel capped a 5-2 White Sox win over the Yanks.

The Yankees surprised many a prognosticator and fan when they reinstated righthander Carl Pavano from the 60-day disabled list on August 23, 2008, optioned southpaw Billy Traber to AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make room. Even more unbelievably, Pavano got the start and the 5-3 win that day in Baltimore. A three-run O’s second-inning rally could have been more, except home plate ump “Country” Joe West ruled that Melvin Mora had abandoned his effort to reach the next base and was out by rule on a bizarre play that could have been disastrous when catcher Ivan Rodriguez tossed Mora’s third strike toward the mound even though he hadn’t caught it.

Before playing to a 19-inning suspended tie (completed the following day) in Game Two on August 23, 1968, Stan Bahnsen bested Earl Wilson of the Tigers, 2-1, in the first game. Lindy McDaniel retired 21 straight at one point in the second contest, which was suspended due to a 1:00 am curfew.

August 23, 2003, was Ron Guidry Day in the Bronx. Willie Randolph presented Gator with his plaque, Andy Pettitte brought out flowers for Mrs. Guidry, and 12 of Ron’s teammates made appearances. In the game that followed, Mike Mussina took the mound in the ninth inning trailing the Orioles just 3-2, but a four-run rally capped the Baltimore 7-2 victory.

Roger Clemens left an August 23, 2000 contest with Kenny Rogers and the Texas Rangers with a 6-3 lead after six, but Mike Stanton and Jeff Nelson stumbled and ex-Yankee Ricky Ledee‘s three-run home run keyed a five-run eighth-inning outburst that knotted the game at nine. However, Tino Martinez singled in Luis Polonia with the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth in a 10-9 Yankee win.

Despite Mickey Mantle‘s bunt single, triple, and home run in the nightcap, the White Sox, led by Nellie Fox‘s seven straight hits, took both games in Yankee Stadium on August 23, 1956, 8-3 and 6-4.

The bottom of the Yankee order was more often than not magic in the early Joe Torre years. Scott Brosius and Joe Girardi combined for 13 rbi’s in a 21-3 spanking of the Rangers on this day in 1999. Also of note was Derek Jeter‘s 100th run scored, making him the first Yank to score that many in four straight years since Mickey Mantle had done it for nine straight (1953-1961).

Starting a streak during which they would win 26 of their next 33 games, the Yanks bested the Red Sox in Fenway 4-3 on August 23, 1964, in a contest where Mickey Mantle got things going with a two-run tater off Earl Wilson.

The Yankees got a bargain when they picked up lefty veteran Tom Zachary on waivers from Washington on August 23, 1928. He would go 16-4 in the Bronx, including a record 12-0 mark in 1929. Earlier in his career, Zachary had made a name for himself, allowing Tris Speaker‘s 3,000th hit, and Babe Ruth‘s record-breaking 60th home run in 1927.

In a game I’m sure I would have attended if I was around, 69,000 people flooded Yankee Stadium for a pregame promotion that featured the long-retired Walter Johnson pitching to Babe Ruth to collect money for Army-Navy relief, on August 23, 1942. The Babe reached the seats in right on the fifth pitch and circled the bases. Then the Yanks and Senators split a pair, 7-6 Washington, and 3-0 Yankees.

The Yankees purchased the contract of Frank Crosetti from the San Francisco Seals on this day in 1930, a route they would retrace when they acquired Joe DiMaggio from the same location six years later.

On August 23, 2019, the Yankees claimed righthander Cory Gearrin off waivers from Seattle, and released righty Domingo Acevedo to create space on the 40-man roster. The team also sent first baseman Luke Voit on a rehab assignment to the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

On August 23, 2018, the Yankees optioned righthander Chance Adams to the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

On August 23, 2016, the Yankees placed righthander Anthony Swarzak on the 15-day disabled list, with right rotator cuff inflammation, and filled his roster spot by recalling righty Ben Heller from the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

Continuing a downward trend in the season of a young righty starter coming off a season-plus of lots of success, the Yankees placed Ivan Nova on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to a day before with inflammation in his right rotator cuff on August 23, 2012.

New York placed hurler Mike Mussina on the 15-day DL on this day in 2006, and replaced him by recalling Brian Bruney from AAA. They also released pitcher Sidney Ponson the same day.

When the White Sox won their 19th straight game on August 23, 1906, they set an AL record that until recently was not beaten, though the Yankees equaled it in 1947. The 2002 Oakland A’s wiped out the mark with 20 straight wins.

On August 23, 2011, the Yankees outrighted backup catcher Gustavo Molina to AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Warren Spahn of the Braves started his 601st game on August 23, 1963, topping Grover Alexander‘s modern NL record of 600. The Braves beat the Dodgers, 6-1.

In a shortened second game of a doubleheader in the early 1900’s, Howie Camnitz of the Pirates beat the Giants, 1-0, in a five-inning no-hitter on August 23, 1907.

One of the enjoyable things about including highlights of Yankee players when they wore other uni’s is when I can feature something about a player becoming comfortable in the Pinstripes. In that category, right fielder Bobby Abreu‘s solo homer in the 14th inning carried Philly to a 5-4 win over the D’backs on August 23, 2002. And former Reds and Yankees starter Don Gullett turned in a great relief outing for Cincinnati in a 7-5 win over Tom Seaver and the Mets on this day in 1970. Gullett pitched four perfect frames, and at one point struck out six Mets batters in a row.

In an era when wild pitches, walks, and passed balls were recorded as errors, the Phillies were charged with 27 in a game vs. Providence on August 23, 1883.

The only pitcher to accumulate their 20th season win on August 23 was St. Louis’s Joaquin Andujar, who achieved that number this day in 1985.

And two years earlier, Kansas City’s Amos Otis smacked his 2,000th career hit, stroking a single in the Royals’ 10-2 win over the White Sox on August 23, 1983.

 
Players Who Have Died This Day

Righthander Hank Borowy (2004) is the most recent of three Yankees players to have died on August 23. He debuted with the 1942-1945 Yankees, throwing to a 56-30-3 record in 107 games (96 starts). Stints from 1945-1951 with the Cubs, the Phillies, the Pirates, and the Tigers increased his numbers to 108-82-7. Although outfielder Bobby Bonds (2003) had a decent year with the Yankees in 1975 (32 long balls, 85 rbi’s), he is regarded less than enthusiastically because fan Favorite (and recently deceased) Bobby Murcer was traded to San Fran for him. Bonds played with several clubs from 1968-1981, but longest for the Giants, with 332 home runs good for 1,024 runs driven in. Portsided first baseman Buddy Hassett (1997) ended his career by playing 132 games for the 1942 Yankees, for whom he cleared five fences and knocked in 48 runs. He played from 1936-1941 with the Dodgers and the Braves, with career numbers of 12 and 343.

Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm (2002) leads a list of four nonYankee notable players who passed this day. The majority of his 143-122-227 record from 1957-1972 came with the White Sox, the Giants, and the Orioles. Outfielder (he pitched a little too) Larry Twitchell (1930) hit most of his 19 long balls with 384 rbi’s from 1886-1894 with the Wolverines and the Colonels; lefty Henry Dutch (1968) went 27-43-6 with the Giants, the Browns, the Dodgers, and the White Sox from 1921-1930; and lefty-hitting pitcher Charlie Robertson (1984) won 49, lost 89, and saved one game for the White Sox, the Browns, and the Braves between 1919 and 1928.

 
Players Born This Day

Ten different Yankees share August 23 as a birthday, most recently backup catcher Bobby Estalella (1974) with three games in 2001. Bobby is the grandson of the former player by the same name. He was acquired in a trade for Brian Boehringer in July 2001, and he was released the following March. DH/first baseman Jeff Manto (1964) played six games for the ’99 squad with one hit in eight at bats. Jeff’s nickname in the bigs was “Mickey,” because his last name sounded like “Mantle,” a little-known bit of trivia that made him interesting to me.

The Yanks took lefty-hitting DH Ron Blomberg (1948) as the first overall selection in the 1967 amateur draft. Famous for being the first regular-season DH, Ron hit 47 homers and 202 rbi’s from 1969 through 1976. Zeke Bella (1930) played five games in the 1957 Yankee outfield, and followed it with 47 games for K.C. in ’59. The Yanks sent Bella to K.C. in August 1958 for Murry Dickson.

Moving right along, catcher Sherm Lollar (1924) played most of his 18 years for the White Sox but chipped in with one homer and 10 rbi’s for the 1947-1948 Yankees. New York got Lollar from the Cleveland Indians with Ray Mack in December 1946. Two years later, he was traded with Red Embree, Dick Starr, and cash to the St. Louis Browns for Roy Partee and Fred Sanford. Ken Holcombe (1918) posted a 3-3 record in 23 games for the 1945 Bombers before pitching six more years for other AL clubs. The Yankees lost Holcombe to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1946 rule-V draft.

Infielder Lonny Frey (1910) got two rbi’s in 25 games in the Bronx to close a 14-year career with parts of seasons for the Yanks in ’47 and ’48 after they purchased him from the Chicago Cubs in June 1947. Outfielder/first baseman Cedric Durst (1896) chipped in with six homers and 71 rbi’s from 1927-1930 after five years split between the Browns and the Braves. His New York output was decent once the Yankees got him from the Browns with Joe Giard for Sam Jones in February 1947, but they hit the jackpot when they sent Durst and cash to the Red Sox for Red Ruffing in May 1930. And Bob Lawson (1876) went 0-2 in three games with the 1902 Baltimore Orioles (who would be relocated to New York as the Highlanders the following season).

Switch-hitting infielder Mark Bellhorn became the 10th August 23 Pinstriped birthday when the Bombers picked him up once the Red Sox released him in 2005. Mark reached the fences one time and knocked in two in nine games with New York.

Acquired in the trade with which the Yanks sent Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs (with Gleyber Torres being the top Yankee prize) in 2016, outfielder Billy Mckinney had strong Spring Training sessions with the Yanks in both 2017 and 2018, and he got into two games with the parent club in the latter year, during which he went 1-for-4 at the plate. But August 23 birthdayer No. 11 was traded with Brandon Drury to the Blue Jays for lefthander J.A. Happ at the trading deadline, as the Bombers looked to fill out their rotation. Billy hit 18 home runs with 41 rbi’s in Toronto through 2020, and has played for the Brewers, the Mets, then the Dodgers in 2021, and currently with the A’s. Re-signed by the Yankees as a free agent in December 2022, Billy hit six home runs with 13 rbi’s in 42 games in New York in 2023. He was purchased by Pittsburgh that December, but as of this writing, he has not reappeared in the majors.

Other birthdays: Hall of Fame outfielder George Davis (1870); Dale Mitchell (1921); Hall of Fame third baseman George Kell (1922); Jerry White (1952); Mike Boddicker (1957); the ageless Julio Franco (1958); Randy St. Claire (1960); Ed Hearn (1960); Raul Casanova (1972); Casey Blake (1973); Mark DiFelice (1976); Chris Roberson (1979); Zach Braddock (1987); Miles Mikolas (1988); Mike Yastrzemski (1990); Braxton Lee (1993); Max Povse (1993); Tyler Lee (1993); Tyler Glasnow (1993); Bernardo Flores Jr. (1995); Lane Thomas (1995); Bernardo Flores Jr. (1995); Carlos Tocci (1995); Ronald Polanos (1996); and Bryce Miller (1998).