The Pennant Race is heating up and the stakes are high. The Yankees have missed the playoffs the last two seasons.
They made virtually no significant moves at the trading dead line, while their rival contenders made bold moves to improve.
The once large 1st place lead in the AL East is down to 2 1/2 games (4 in the loss column).
The Offense picked a bad time to go into a slump, but that’s what happens to Home Run hitting line-ups.
They run hot & cold because Homers come in bunches. The Yankees Offense is totally dependent on the long ball
and is not situational at all. They have stolen one base since the All Star Break, and believe it or not
it was Mark Teixeira who swiped the bag.
They don’t steal bases (amazingly Brett Gardner’s last stolen base was back in June)
They don’t bunt.
They don’t hit & run.
You get the picture.
This is not the formula to compete and win in the post-season, but that’s a concern (hopefully) for October.
Right now the Yankees have to avoid getting swept at home vs. the red hot, 2nd place Toronto Blue Jays.
Here’s some good news …
*The Offense WILL soon start hitting Home Runs again
(hopefully today vs. TOR. Marco Estrada)
*The Starting Pitching which has been the team’s biggest concern has pitched well of late.
Luis Severino made an impressive debut, allowing 1 earned run / 5 innings vs. Red Sox
CC Sabathia found his Velocity ( and hopefully the fountain of youth) in his last outing
Nate Eovaldi is 4-0 , 2.83 ERA in last 7 starts
Ivan Nova’s last 2 outing were solid & yesterday he threw 5 very impressive shutout innings
before getting fatigued in the 6th.
Which brings us to today…
Masahiro Tanaka is the Ace of the Staff. In his last 7 Starts he is 4-1 , but with a 4.57 ERA.
Everyone knows he has the stuff to dominate any lineup …including Toronto.
The question is .. how much does the partially torn UCL in his elbow limit him ?
When will the partial tear become a complete tear ?
Hopefully not today, and hopefully not this season. The Yankees need Tanaka to do what Toronto’s Ace
did yesterday.. throw shutout innings, for as long as it takes, to win a baseball game.
The Yankees need to avoid a sweep.
The Yankees need a ‘HIRO.
They need their Ace
Masahiro Tanaka.
AS always …
GO NYY !!
