After losing three in a row, the New York Yankees hoped to right the ship last night at Angels Stadium. However, the Tampa Bay Rays keep winning, so the Yankees couldn’t afford to lose more games. In the effort, the Yankees sent Jameson Taillon to the mound to face the Angel’s Jaime Barria. The Yankees’ had won Taillon’s last eight starts. But, unfortunately, last night, the Yankees lost their 4th game 6-4.
Yankees returning to their old ways?
For New York Yankees fans, last night was not worth staying up for. It was like watching a game from May or June. The Yankees seemed sluggish and out of focus. At times it looked as if they were going through the motions. They scored just four runs with a satisfactory 10 hits. But, like earlier in the season, the Yankees only went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position. Also, like the past, and even worse, the Yankees hit into five double plays, just one short of an all-time franchise record.
It brought us back to a time when fans and management alike scratched their heads, saying, what the hell is going on? But, as I said, the Yankees hit into an incredible 5 double plays failing to lift the ball. During the entire 13 game winning streak, the Yankees hit into only 4 double plays across the span.
A good example of this perplexing problem lies with Joey Gallo. On this road trip, the home run hitter hit into his first double play since 2018. Including then, he has hit into 3 double plays; that’s 3 in his last 12 plate appearances. Gallo has only 9 hits into double plays in his 2,288 plate appearances. Last night Gallo’s frustration shown through.
With the Yankee’s 4th consecutive loss, they have also lost their first series since they lost to the Red Sox back in July. If losing 4 games in a row isn’t bad enough, the Yankees are supposedly in a race to the postseason. However, while the Yankees are losing, the rival Tampa Bay Rays are winning. As a result, the Yankees have slipped back to 8 games behind the Rays, with only 29 games left to play in the season.
Is Jameson Taillon tiring?
Jameson Taillon came to the Yankees before the season in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Yankees got him on a low-risk, possibly high reward bet. Taillon disappointed early on when he didn’t seem to return to the form the Yankees were hoping for. But soon after, he began to show why the Yankees went after him, to begin with. He started winning. The Yankees won all eight of his starts from mid-July until last night.
But in his last win on August 26th against Oakland, Taillon started to show cracks in the armor. He only lasted 3.2 innings giving up 5 earned runs. The Yankees picked him up and won that game. Last night he went 4.2 innings giving up 6 earned runs that the Yankees could not recover from. It could be that he is tiring out after not pitching for two years and 5 months into the season. Only time will tell if he can regain his form.
Yankee closer situation just got worse
It is well documented that the New York Yankees have big problems with their normal closer Aroldis Chapman. He has been undependable. Now the situation has worsened. Second, go to closer Zack Britton has elected to have bone chip surgery and will be out for the rest of the season. Manager Aaron Boone relies on Jonathan Loaisiga, Chad Green, Lucas Luetge, Wandy Peralta, and Albert Abreu. Boone has been afraid to use Chapman to close one-run games.
Boone made a puzzling move
I recently have been praising manager Aaron Boone for many of his moves and decisions that have led to winning games. But last night in the eighth inning, with two on and two outs, Rougie Odor was ready to hit, and Boone held him back, instead choosing pinch hitter Luke Voit. Voit struck out, ending the inning. I was somewhat shocked that with righty Petricka on the mound that Boone would choose Voit over the lefty Odor that has had some big hits for the Yankees.
Not all is bad news
Things are not looking all that good for the New York Yankees after losing 4 straight games, but there is some good news. Corey Kluber, who pitched a no-hitter early in the season, is back with the team. Although his first start wasn’t very good, he is expected to return to form.
Gary Sanchez has been playing better this season than in his last two but has been on a one mouth dought hitting home runs. Last night he hit his 18th home run of the season, signaling he may be back to hitting with power. Anthony Rizzo also hit a homer in the game, his first since August 4th.
This final item goes under the category of this it is good or bad. Friday Gleyber Torres is projected to return to the Yankees. Torres fans will say great; detractors will say, oh no. Torres will be replacing Andrew Velazquez, an excellent defender and has ignited the Yankees with his play. With the return of Voit and Torres, it, for the most part, removes the two sparks (Odor) that have energized the team as they both get less playing time. Are the Yankees returning to that lackluster team of the first half?