The New York Yankees suffered another brutal loss this evening as their horrid road trip continued. The Bombers lost 3-2 in extra innings to the pitiful Boston Red Sox who currently sit in last place in the American League East.
It was the third straight loss for the Yankees. Aaron Judge continued to try and carry this team with his league leading 46th home run and 100th RBI. Judge’s home run gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead that they carried for the majority of the game.
New York held that lead as they entered the eighth inning. Former closer Aroldis Chapman took the mound and looked sensational. Chapman had a clean frame and struck out two batters. Without the Yankees scoring in the top of the ninth, they headed to the bottom of the ninth with Clay Holmes on the mound.
Despite being a little wild, Holmes started off well with getting Rafael Devers to ground out. However, that would be the only man he would retire in the inning. After he got Devers out, Xander Bogaerts as well as Alex Verdugo walked. This brought J.D. Martinez up to the plate.
Holmes threw a 97-MPH fastball right down the middle and Martinez drilled it back up the middle. Bogaerts came around to score and the Yankees lost the lead. After Wandy Peralta bailed them out in the 9th, the bombers went on to lose in the tenth.
Yankees need to make a change
Early in the year, Clay Holmes looked unstoppable for the Yankees. He was so good that I thought he needed to remain the closer even after Aroldis Chapman came back from injury. That’s exactly what the Yankees did. They kept Holmes in the closers spot and that did seem like the right move.
However, Holmes has hit a brick wall and it’s hurting the Yankees at the worst possible time. When Holmes took the mound against the Reds on July 12th, he had an ERA of 0.46. He blew that game and gave up four runs without recording an out.
Starting with that game, Holmes has pitched to an ERA over 10 in his last 11 appearances. The Yankees have lost seven of the games he’s pitched in over the last 11. Compare that to the first three months of the season where New York only lost two games in which Holmes pitched.
Chapman needs to take over
While Clay Holmes has been abysmal, Aroldis Chapman has been sensational for the Yankees. He hasn’t allowed a run in his last eight innings and he’s struck out eight batters. Chapman looks confident on the mound and he’s displayed a feel for all of his best pitches.
He looks like the guy who has saved more than 300 games in his career. It’s very clear to me that the Yankees need to make a number of changes. Oswald Peraza should be starting for this team, but that’s a different story for a different article.
The moral of this story is that the Yankees need to name Chapman the closer once again. He’s one of the best to ever do it and he looks like he’s ready to take that spot back. Admittedly, I thought Chapman would never be the closer again for the Yankees.
However, he’s proven me wrong and Clay Holmes has fallen off a cliff. It’s time for Chapman to get his job back.