On Thursday night against the Seattle Mariners, the New York Yankees delivered a less-than-stellar performance, finishing with an embarrassing 10-2 loss punctuated by numerous errors.
The Silver Lining
In the midst of the dismal result, a sliver of good news emerges as we inch closer to welcoming back Aaron Judge, whose absence has left the team in disarray. The high-priced veterans have failed to fill the void, contributing less than positively to the team’s efforts.
Veteran outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, in particular, is underperforming, with a current batting average of .190 and an OBP of .250. With a disappointing .111 average and .216 OBP for June alone, this could be Stanton’s poorest season to date unless he can quickly turn his fortunes around. Stanton recently made a comeback from a hamstring injury.
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A Disappointing Start for German
Stanton, however, is just one element in a larger picture of challenges. Starting pitcher Domingo German had a particularly poor outing, lasting only 3.1 innings. German’s ERA soared to 5.10 after he gave up eight earned runs and four homers from eight hits in 93 pitches. This recent performance, with 15 earned runs in his last 5.2 innings, suggests a downturn after a promising season start.
As the trade deadline approaches, general manager Brian Cashman must identify and address major deficiencies across the team. With a need for an above-average hitter and potentially another starting pitcher, there is some relief expected with the return of $162 million free agent Carlos Rodon in the upcoming days.
Promising Performance from the Yankees’ Bullpen
Despite German’s performance, other pitchers held the fort. Nick Ramirez, Albert Abreu, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa together posted 5.2 total earnings without conceding a run. Ramirez and Abreu were particularly impressive, striking out five and four batters over 2.2 and 2.0 innings respectively.
Yet, with German’s consecutive disappointing performances, it’s clear the Yankees’ rotation needs further reinforcement.
Scant Offense, But Hope for Future Games
The team’s offense was lackluster, with only five hits and seven strikeouts. The team’s only runs came courtesy of a two-run homer from IKF in the bottom of the 9th inning, which also brought in Anthony Rizzo.
The Yankees hope to recover their form against the Texas Rangers this Friday at 7:05 PM, with Clarke Schmidt leading the charge on the mound. However, the task may not be straightforward as the Rangers have Dane Dunning on their side, who boasts a 2.78 ERA across 64.2 innings this season.