On Sunday afternoon, the New York Yankees clinched an 8-5 victory against the Kansas City Royals. This win sets them up positively for the upcoming subway series against the New York Mets starting on Tuesday.
A Resurgence in Yankees Offense
Marking the Yankees’ first series win since two victories against the Oakland Athletics before the All-Star break, the team’s offense seems to be warming up. With a minimum of five runs scored against Kansas City, there are signs of renewed vigor.
In Sunday’s game, the Yankees managed 11 hits, including four walks and six strikeouts. Home runs courtesy of Gleyber Torres and Anthony Rizzo added a dramatic flair, with Rizzo ending his lengthy streak without a long ball.
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Stellar Performances and Signs of Improvement
Giancarlo Stanton and Rizzo particularly stood out, recording two hits and four hits across four at-bats, respectively. In fact, this was Rizzo’s best game in weeks and his first multi-hit game since June 23 against the Texas Rangers. Despite a .131 hitting average and a .209 OBP for July, Rizzo has started to improve under the guidance of hitting coach Sean Casey. Similar improvements are evident in Stanton and DJ LeMahieu.
LeMahieu, in particular, has been shining bright over the past two weeks, adding another hit on Friday and walking once. His stats ahead of the game showed a .324 hitting average and a .359 OBP across the previous 15 days.
Evaluating the Yankees’ Pitching
In terms of pitching, Luis Severino showcased a more confident start, despite surrendering three earned runs over 5.2 innings. He did allow eight hits and two home runs but struck out five batters.
While Severino’s ERA for this season stands at an elevated 6.46, compared to his 3.18 ERA last year, the bullpen managed to get the job done despite a hiccup. Ron Marinaccio, with a current 3.95 ERA, yielded two earned runs in the ninth inning, causing a moment of concern for the Yankees.
Injury Updates and Standings
Gleyber Torres left the game due to hip tightness, but manager Aaron Boone expressed his belief that it wasn’t a serious issue post-game.
The Yankees currently stand 8.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East and 1.5 games short of the Toronto Blue Jays for the final Wild Card spot. As they head into the Subway Series against the Mets, they’ll look to build on this momentum.