Michael King surprises himself by hitting 100 mph
Yankees relief pitcher Michael King delivers against the Astros during the 10th inning of an MLB game at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Michael King surprised himself Sunday.
The righthander, who pitched the 10th inning in the Yankees' 6-3 win over the Astros, hit 100.3 mph on a fastball to Alex Bregman. That was fairly unexpected, given that he generally hovers around 95 mph and broke into the big leagues in 2019 with a fastball that averaged 91.4.
“I would hope to make it a regular thing,” King said. “I turned around and saw 100. That was the first three digits I’ve ever seen. It made my heart jump. I was like, wait, I don’t throw 100.”
And while that certainly was notable, it wasn’t even the best thing King did. He was able to work around the top of the Astros' lineup, sidestepping an error, a walk and two steals to leave the bases loaded and preserve a tie at 3.
Still, it would be pretty nice to be able to dial it up regularly.
“I just felt like I was in sync and timed up very well and let it rip, and I was like, ‘That felt pretty good,’ ” King said. “Albert Abreu was talking about it because in 2018 when I was in High-A with him, I was [throwing] 89-92 in the minor leagues. He was like, ‘What the hell?’ ”
Gleyber OK
Gleyber Torres left with a mild ankle sprain in the ninth, but Aaron Boone said it didn’t appear serious.
Torres, who was at third with the potential winning run, was leaning toward home plate when Aaron Hicks struck out for the second out. He attempted to scamper back to the bag but turned his ankle, was unable to get up and was picked off. “He caught a spike there and rolled it,” Boone said. "I’m hoping he was more scared than anything.”
Give it a rest
The Yankees might use a sixth starter this week in an effort to rest their rotation. Boone said JP Sears is a possibility, and Sears was scratched from his start with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday. The Yankees are in the middle of a 20-day stretch with no off days. Knowing when to rest pitchers involves “a little bit of everything,” Boone said. “Being a little bit proactive but also listening to where they’re at, physically by measurables and by listening to them.”
Extra bases
Aroldis Chapman (Achilles) pitched one inning with Double-A Somerset on Sunday, allowing no hits or walks and striking out one. He could be activated early this week . . . Domingo German (shoulder) is scheduled for a rehab start Tuesday with Somerset . . . Jonathan Loaisiga (shoulder) will throw bullpen sessions Monday and Wednesday and hopes to face live hitting next weekend, Boone said . . . The Yankees' bullpen allowed two runs in 13 1/3 innings in the four games against the Astros. The Houston bullpen allowed nine runs in 9 1/3 innings . . . Jose Altuve, apparently unfazed by the frequently vulgar reception he got from Yankees fans, went 5-for-14 with two homers, two doubles and four walks in the series . . . Entering the seventh inning Sunday, the Yankees had scored in only three of 33 innings and had gone 11-for-111 in the series. Excluding their 4-for-5 outburst in the ninth inning Thursday, it was 7-for-106.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
