The Yankees took on the Chicago Cubs on Saturday afternoon, delivering their second consecutive scoreless pitching performance with a 2-0 victory. Clarke Schmidt made his first start since May 26, when he suffered a lat injury against the San Diego Padres. Schmidt pitched 4.2 innings, blanking the Cubs while allowing four hits and striking out two batters.
Nestor Cortes Impresses Out of the Bullpen
In an interesting move, left-handed pitcher Nestor Cortes emerged from the bullpen, tossing 4.1 scoreless innings and striking out three batters. Despite Cortes’ solid performance, he expressed some frustration about the decision to transition him from the starting rotation to the bullpen. Known for his workhorse mentality, Cortes felt deserving of being featured as a primary arm but understood the value he provided in relief.
“Obviously, I was upset. I feel like among all the starters, I’ve been the workhorse here…Once Cole went down, they picked me to be the Opening Day starter; not necessarily the No. 1, but the Opening Day starter. I had to switch my routine there, and now they do this,” Cortes said.
“I’m never going to back down from a challenge, I’m never going to leave my teammates out to dry. You’re always going to get my best effort, no matter if I’m happy or not. That’s what I did today. I just came out there and proved that I can be put in any situation, and from here on out, if that’s what’s my role, then I’ll accept it,” he added.
Yankees Offense Struggles but Gets the Job Done
Offensively, the Yankees managed just four hits, striking out seven times but drawing six walks. The top half of the order carried most of the offensive load, with Gleyber Torres picking up a hit and scoring a run. Austin Wells drove in the game’s only RBI, while the Yankees’ second run came from a throwing error by Cubs catcher Christian Bethancourt.
Yankees Edge Closer in the AL East Race
At the time of this writing, the Tampa Bay Rays held a 5-1 lead over the Baltimore Orioles, which could put the Yankees 0.5 games ahead in the AL East division. With three weeks left in September, the playoff race is heating up, and the Yankees find themselves in a tight battle for first place.
- The Yankees hope this excellent reliever can stay red-hot for October
- Yankees offered former lefty starter $72 million but he rejected
- Yankees demote $37 million starter to the bullpen, tweaking rotation
Looking Ahead: Cole Faces Former Teammate Taillon
The Yankees will face the Cubs again on Sunday afternoon, with ace Gerrit Cole taking the mound against former Yankee James Taillon. Cole enters the game with a 3.65 ERA this season and is coming off a strong performance against the Texas Rangers, where he pitched six innings and allowed just one earned run.
The Yankees are hoping to secure the series sweep and continue building momentum as they push toward the playoffs.