Diablos Rojos’ Robinson Cano, left, tags out New York Yankees’ Oswaldo Cabrera during a baseball exhibition game at Alfredo Harp Helu Stadium in Mexico City, Sunday, March 24, 2024.
Robinson Canó hit a home run and had two RBIs on Sunday to lead the Diablos Rojos de Mexico to a 4-3 win over the New York Yankees in the first of two exhibition games in Mexico City.
The 41-year-old Canó, who is playing in Mexico for the first time in his career, went 4-3, with two runs scored. Canó hit a solo shot in the fourth inning and hit a line drive to centerfield in the seventh for his second RBI.
Canó played 17 seasons in the majors, nine of them with the Yankees where he won the World Series in 2009. He signed with the Diablos Rojos a couple of weeks ago.
Japhet Amador and Aristides Aquino had RBI grounders in the sixth inning to score Canó and José Rondón, respectively.
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Conner Menez, who played four seasons in the majors, was the winning pitcher allowing one hit and no runs in one inning.
Tanner Tully, who spent the majority of the 2023 season in Triple-A, took the loss with one earned run in four innings, while reliever Jonathan Loáisiga allowed two runs and three hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Pinch hitter Carlos Narváez had a two-run double and Cole Gabrielson added an RBI double in the bottom of the ninth inning for the Yankees, who traveled to Mexico without any members of their projected starting rotation and with Giancarlo Stanton among the few regular players in their lineup.
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Stanton went 3-0 with a strikeout.
The Yankees played in Mexico for the first time since 1968 when they played four exhibition games, two against the Diablos Rojos and two against the Tigres.
Trevor Bauer made his first start for Diablos Rojos, who earlier in the week signed him for five games.
Bauer allowed four hits and no runs in three innings, with three strikeouts and two walks.
The 33-year-old right-hander is trying to return to the major leagues after serving a suspension for violating the league’s domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy after a San Diego woman said he beat and sexually abused her, an accusation the pitcher denied.
STANTON RETURNS TO MEXICO
When the opportunity to play in Mexico City for the first time in his career came, Stanton did not hesitate.
Stanton said that Omar Minaya, the senior advisor of baseball operations of the Yankees, talked with him about it and he agreed to come.
“I think it’s important for Mexico City, it’s fun for baseball. It’s a great meshing, the two leagues together and countries,” said Stanton.
The decision was easier because he already visited the city two years ago as a tourist and wanted to do it again.
“I saw the pyramids, I went to some great restaurants and got the Mexican flavor that I love,” said Stanton, who grew up in Los Angeles. “I heard great things (from Mexico) and I wanted to experience for myself. And now ultimately, look where I’m playing.”
VERDUGO MISSED THE TRIP
Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo said two weeks ago that he was looking forward to play in Mexico, but he did not get the chance to do it for family reasons, according to Yankees manager, Aaron Boone.
“Verdugo was really excited, but his girlfriend is pregnant, and their child is due in a few weeks, and she had to go into the hospital,” Boone said. “I know he is upset that he could not be here, but he needed to be there in case the baby comes.”
The 27-year-old Verdugo, who played for Mexico at the World Baseball Classic, was acquired from the Boston Red Sox last December.
