New York Yankees Previews: Struggling Yankees start eight game road trip tonight at Citi Field

New York Yankees, J.A. Happ
Oct 5, 2018; Boston, MA, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher J.A. Happ (34) throws the ball during the first inning of game one of the ALDS against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees, coming off a disappointing series at the Stadium against the Tampa Bay Rays, will start an eight-game road trip at Citi Field, tonight. The Yankees will play a makeup game tonight against the crosstown Mets.  Following the one game tonight, they will travel to Baltimore for four games and then another three-games in Buffalo against the Blue Jays.

The Yankees have been struggling mightily to not only stay above .500 but to regain the lead in the East Division. Their nemesis Tampa Bay Rays have kept them at bay, and not allowed them to advance in the East. The Yankees and Rays have met ten times this season, and the Yankees could only win two of those meetings, causing the Rays to separate themselves from the Yankees by 4.5 games.

After a controversial game, in which Rays manager Kevin Cash claimed that Yankee closer Aroldis Chapman purposely threw at the head of Michael Brosseau, Brosseau returned the favor by hitting two home runs in a game last night, that the Yankees lost in the first inning.  Jordan Montgomery had a very bad night when he gave up four runs in just 2/3 of an inning. Brosseau also got another home run in the fourth inning.  The game was played without either team’s managers, as they were both suspended for one game.  MLB suspended Chapman for three games. He is appealing the suspension. The Yankees will not meet the Rays again during the regular season.

The game tonight at the Met’s Citi Field will be 4:10 pm. The field temperature will be in the high ’80s, and the game will be played under mostly cloudy skies, with only a slight chance of a passing shower.  The game will be televised on the YES Network and SNY.

Tonight, the Yankees will make up a game that was postponed when the Mets had two positive coronavirus tests.  Robert Gsellman will face the New York Yankees at the first inning at Citi Field. Gsellman is 0-0 with an ERA of 5.19. In four games this year Gsellman has only gone 8.2 innings and is not stretched out, so he probably will only be out there for about 60 pitches.  The last time the Yankees faced the Mets, they did so with Gsellman on the mound in the Mets loss.

The Yankees hope to come back from last night’s loss when they send J.A. Happ to the mound. Happ is coming off one of the best-pitched games by any Yankee pitcher, in his last outing. Happ threw 90 pitches in his 7.1 inning effort. He allowed three hits, no walks, and did not allow a run while striking out five. Happ’s first two outings were underwhelming, but his last two games have been promising, and the Yankees hope he will continue where he left off against the Mets on August 29th.

If the Yankees have any chance of regaining first place in the East, they must win tonight and at least win both of the following series.  If the Rays go 4-4 in their next eight games, and if the Yankees win tonight and take the following series, the Yankee will still be 2.5 games behind the Rays. After this road trip, the Yankees will have only 10 games left in the season. Three with the Boston Red Sox, four with the Blue Jays, and then close their regular season on the road, with the Miami Marlins.

The time for the New York Yankees to improve their play is quickly slipping away. For a team that was supposed to be a shoo-in for a 28th World Championship, now struggles to maintain a postseason spot.