After losing the first game of a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles, the New York Yankees have since scored 23 runs against them in two games. On Wednesday evening, they posted 10, thanks to a big seventh inning that included a pair of doubles by Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres, driving in four runs.
The Yankees have been waiting patiently for this type of run production, as the starting lineup has finally begun to peek after months of inadequacy.
Skipper Aaron Boone has asked a lot of young players to supplement injuries, one of them being outfielder Greg Allen. Allen, who was demoted to Triple-A following Wednesday’s victory over Baltimore, was hitting .270 with nine runs and two RBIs. Over 15 games, he hosted a 10.4% walk rate and 27.1% strikeout rate. His speed on the base paths proved to be vital in the team’s success offensively, and most hoped he would stick around as a depth piece despite bigger names making a return.
However, there’s no question he will earn another opportunity in the near future, especially if the Yankees are struggling to steal basis.
Jamison Taillon has turned a big corner:
One player who has elevated his game significantly over the past few weeks is starting pitcher Jameson Taillon. The former Pittsburgh Pirates starter logged 6.1 innings of action on Wednesday, allowing four hits and two earned runs. He struck out 10 batters over 90 pitches, lowering his ERA to 4.04. A tough start to the season hurt his numbers, but he’s finally getting back into shape and currently has a career-high 9.08 strikeouts per nine. While his walk rate is a bit higher than desirable, he’s working his way back from two years on the injured list.
The Yankees would like to see a bit more efficiency with his ground ball percentage, which is at a career-low of 31.5%. Back in 2018, he posted a 46.2% ground ball rate, which is exactly what the team was expecting when they traded for him. Ground balls at Yankee Stadium are a luxury, given the short porches.
Anthony Rizzo has been a godsend:
Ever since general manager Brian Cashman traded for Anthony Rizzo, the team has been offensively stout. Over six games with the Yankees, he has three homers, six RBIs, and is hitting .400.
Rizzo has reinvigorated the team with his lefty power. Just five days ago, the Bombers were far easier to pitch against with an entirely righty lineup, but adding Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo have completely changed the complexity of their batting order.