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AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: YANKEES VS ASTROS

October 14, 2017

Joe Girardi

Houston, Texas - postgame 2

Houston - 2, New York - 1

Q. How devastating is that loss?
JOE GIRARDI: It's a tough loss. It's not like we haven't been here before though. And my message to our team is, Hey, let's go home, win one at home and let's see what happens.

But these are two tough losses, we lose two games 2-1 in this series and, you know, let's get prepared for Monday and here we go.

Q. Can you take us through what you saw on that last play and then your discussions with the umpires.
JOE GIRARDI: Yeah, just that what I saw the last play was they were aggressive, we had a shot at home, the ball short hopped Sanchy and he wasn't able to come up with it. If he comes up with it, it's an out. He wasn't able to come up with it, just he did his best and wasn't able to come up with it.

And I just wanted to make sure that there was no interference. I didn't see any interference at second. It was a pop-up slide, that's legal. You're kind of hoping.

Q. Did you think it interfered? He didn't touch home but he kind of short hopped the throw?
JOE GIRARDI: Yeah, but everything he did was legal. He didn't get into Didi or nothing, so...

Q. What happened with Severino?
JOE GIRARDI: Well, we saw him throw that one changeup and then he kind of did this with his arm and there was some concern on our parts there and that's why I ran out and he reassured me that he was fine. Some of our staff thought that and some people that were watching thought that maybe he was pushing the ball a little bit. He wasn't very happy I took him out.

But I think it is my responsibility to protect this kid, he's very young, he's thrown more innings than he has thrown during the course of the season. He gave us a great effort today, but we felt that, and I felt, it was me, that I couldn't take a chance. And he checked out fine from our doctors, but I haven't seen him do this (indicating) and a red flag went up for me and that was a concern.

But obviously I'm sure that we'll look at it more tomorrow, but he checked out fine from our doctors.

Q. Just to follow-up on that, more exams tomorrow do you anticipate?
JOE GIRARDI: I would anticipate. I'm not sure, I haven't talked to the doctor yet, but I think they might look at it. Who knows.

Q. Just to have your pitching staff give up four runs in two games and come out with two losses.
JOE GIRARDI: Yeah, it's frustrating. But they pitched extremely well, and the good thing is we're pitching really well, and if you continue to pitch well you're going to have a shot.

Q. Specifically on Severino, what area, the shoulder, forearm, elbow?
JOE GIRARDI: He says he's fine. My concern -- well, when a guy goes like this (indicating) I'm thinking shoulder. That's my initial reaction. That's why I ran out here. I didn't see him go like this (indicating) then I would think elbow.

But, again, being as many innings as he's thrown, concern, I wasn't going to take a chance. My hope is that he continues to check out fine, but I wasn't going to take a chance.

Q. And then the Correa home run, what was your perspective on that?
JOE GIRARDI: Well, we saw the hands there, I wish sometimes they had a camera that went straight along the fence opposed, I think it's really close, I can see why they didn't overturn it, but with the angles that they have.

Q. Sanchez and Judge are two of the reasons you're here. But they have obviously struggled in the postseason.
JOE GIRARDI: Correct.

Q. What do you see, is this a pressing situation and would you even consider moving them around in the lineup a little bit?
JOE GIRARDI: No, I'm going to stick with the same lineup because things can turn really quickly. There's a lot of guys that struggle in the postseason. That's just what it is. If you just start moving people around trying to play a hot hand, it doesn't necessarily work. They will have a day off tomorrow and they will get back on track.

Q. Do you think they're pressing too much?
JOE GIRARDI: I think they're seeing a lot of good pitching, they're making pitches on these kids. And maybe are they trying a little bit too hard? Yeah, of course. But I think everyone out there's probably trying a little bit too hard.

Q. I might be wrong about this, but when Judge touched the ball would you like to see him make a stronger throw-in or did he maybe not expect --
JOE GIRARDI: No, I think he did the right thing, he got it to Didi. That's the bottom line. He got it to the guy on the field with the best arm. And he had to cut it off and he got it in quickly and we had a shot at home. It's not Aaron, nothing with Aaron.

Q. Two-part deal, one, if you don't mind, talk some more about what you saw from Verlander and what you think about what Correa is doing at the plate?
JOE GIRARDI: Well, these are two really good players. Verlander's been through this so many times, and he was sharp today. He was not in long counts. And when we have had success off of him we have got him in long counts. I thought his command was really, really good today.

Correa had a big day today. It's not unusual for him to have a big day. It's kind of what he does. And that's probably why they hit him fourth.

Q. In the third Gardner tried to stretch a double into a triple. Should he be more cautious in that situation or are you okay with the aggressiveness?
JOE GIRARDI: I think he's trying to get him to third knowing that Verlander bounces some balls from time to time. But, yeah, in hindsight, we probably should have held him up, but it's a split-second decision on Joe's part, and I don't have a -- Joe's a really good third base coach and it happens.

The one thing that, again, that we don't have is we don't have a lot of time to make a decision, and he thought Gardy would make it and it was a perfect relay, and we didn't.

Q. What was the conversation between you and Gardner?
JOE GIRARDI: Just talking about the situation.

Q. Tanaka's leg, he got it hit last night. Talk about that.
JOE GIRARDI: I didn't look at it but I'm sure it's nice and black and blue and I'm sure it will remain black and blue for a few days. He had no issues today with it, he was able to do his work. But it probably hurts.

Q. Do you think you're going to make him pitch?
JOE GIRARDI: Game 5, he's Game 5.

Q. On the home run Judge actually had a pretty good track on it and just kind of maybe short-armed it a little at the end. Do you think that was unfamiliarity? Do you think that in Yankee Stadium, a place he's familiar with, he could make a better play?
JOE GIRARDI: Yeah, I'm sure. He doesn't have the ability to play 81 games here and to know exactly how the field is. And I thought he gave a good effort and I think he was over in the gap a little bit and had to run a long ways and just wasn't able to get there.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks very much, Joe.

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