Yesterday, the New York Yankees had one of the most embarrassing losses of the season. They lost to the Red Sox 9-2 in a shellacking that cost them to be swept by the Red Sox for the second time in the first half. The Yankees pitched poorly, and although having 7 hits in the game, only one was meaningful; Aaron Judge’s home run drove in both of the Yankees runs in the sixth inning. Generally speaking, when the Yankees don’t hit multiple home runs, they don’t win games.
Ace Gerrit Cole flopped again!
Plan and simple Gerrit Cole was a mess yesterday. After Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez put the Yankees down 1-2-3 at the top of the first inning, Cole’s nightmare began. His first pitch to Red Sox leadoff hitter Kike Hernandez deposited a bomb into the green monster stands. That was not the worst; Cole allowed two more runners, then Rafael Devers came to the plate and hit a three-run blast into the right-center field bleachers. Just like that, the New York Yankees were behind by four runs in just minutes before the Yankees got their first hit.
After the game catcher, Kyle Higashioka stated that he thought Cole didn’t have good control of his secondary pitches. Cole, after the game, said he had trouble keeping his fastball down. The bottom line is that two misplaced down the middle of the zone pitches cost the Yankees big-time. Although Cole’s poor pitching yesterday was in the spotlight, his involvement in the “sticky ball” situation remained in the minds of Yankee fans. Cole has been the poster boy for the supposed use of sticky substances to improve grip and spin rate. Coles’s spin rate was down yesterday from what it was before MLB’s crackdown on the use of any sticky substance.
The Yankee ace ended up pitching only five innings, his shortest outing since a game against the Texas Rangers on May 17th. He gave up 6 runs, just one less than his five outings in April. It is the first time in his career he gave up a leadoff home run, the first time he allowed two home runs and allowed four runs in his first inning. Although his loss was a worry yesterday, what may be more concerning is that Yankee fans are now wondering what they can expect from Cole in the future. If the Yankees hope to catch the three teams ahead of them in the East, Cole must lead the way.
The Red Sox are a better team
Saying that the Red Sox is a better team than the New York Yankees is a broad statement, but at least at this point in the season, that can not be questioned. The Yankees are now 0-6 on the season against their main rival. The Yankees in the East only have a winning record off of the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees have won 4 of 6. It’s no longer early in the season as we approach the midpoint, and the Yankees can still overtake their rivals but have to start doing it now. When the Yankee won their last World Series in 2009, they started their season losing seven of eight against the Red Sox.
The Yankees don’t bring men home
In yesterday’s loss to the Red Sox, they continued not bringing men in scoring position home. The Yankees did not bring a single run in with men in scoring position. One of the biggest differences between the Red Sox and the Yankees was evident in yesterday’s game. In the first inning, the Red Sox had 4 hits resulting in 4 runs. In the third inning, the Yankees had 3 hits loading the bases but failed to bring any Yankee home. This wasn’t just yesterday; it has been a season-long problem for the Yankees, not bringing men home, sloppy play, and hitting into double plays. These problems lead to fewer runs and potentially fewer wins. According to Stat Cast, the Yankees only score 11%Â of the time with runners in scoring position.