Trying to Get Healthy

What a week. While the Olympics were being held in Paris, I was struck down by a terrible cold, feeling like the flu, wondering if COVID had finally gotten me after 4 1/2 years. As usual, the flu-like symptoms only lasted 4 days. But the cough usually lasts for about 2 months. One upside: Having not felt like eating through much of it, I'm down 11 pounds from my peak. It helps, but I need to lose at least that much again.

The Yankees are also trying to get healthy. Last Tuesday night, they were supposed to begin a home series with the Los Angeles Angels, with Mike Trout injured and Shohei Ohtani having been let get away. It should have been a series they could handle. But it rained, forcing a Wednesday doubleheader. In the opener, Luis Gil pitched 5 shutout innings. Oswaldo Cabrera hit a home run, the bullpen didn't blow it, and the Yankees won, 5-2.

The nightcap wasn't so good. Will Warren got tagged for 8 runs in less than 5 innings. What is he even doing on the Yankee roster? The Yankees could get nothing going, and lost, 8-2.

The Thursday night game was no better. Nestor Cortés didn't get out of the 5th inning. Cabrera hit another homer, and Jazz Chisholm hit one, but the Yankees lost, 9-4.

*

The Texas Rangers came in. It's still hard to believe they're the defending World Champions, especially since, like the Angels, they are currently well below .500. But, again, the series opener was rained out, forcing a doubleheader the next day. The 1st game went all the Yankees' way. Carlos Rodón pitched 5 2/3rds innings, allowing just 3 hits. Ron Marinaccio pitched through the 8th, and Tim Hill pitched the 9th, to finish a 5-hit shutout. Chisholm hit another home run, Austin Wells went 2-for-5 with 4 RBIs, and the Yankees won, 8-0.

The 2nd game started off pretty well. Gerrit Cole pitched 5 innings, allowing 1 run on 6 hits and 2 walks, striking out 10. He got the 1st out in the 6th. But he'd thrown 90 pitches, and, presumably on orders from Brian Cashman, Aaron Boone took him out, and brought in Luke Weaver. This was an incredibly stupid thing to do. When the decision was made, the score was 1-1. Two innings later, after Weaver and Michael Tonkin had stunk up the joint, it was 9-1 Rangers. Chisholm and Giancarlo Stanton hit home runs, but the Yankees got no closer in the end than 9-4.

So the inconsistent Marcus Stroman was sent out to pitch yesterday. Five innings, 89 pitches, 1 run. No more. Stick to the Cashman Plan.

Juan Soto hit 2 home runs, including a back-to-back with Judge, giving them 30 and 42, respectively, on the season. Stanton also hit one, giving him 20 in an abbreviated season.

But in the 8th, Mark Leiter Jr. mixed 2 homers in with 2 strikeouts. He was like the Joey Gallo of pitchers. In the 9th, Clay Holmes was shaky again, doing an Aroldis Chapman impression, with the tying and go-ahead runs on, but he nailed it down. Yankees 8, Rangers 7.

*

We are now 59 percent of the way through the regular season. The Yankees are 70-49, tied with the Baltimore Orioles for 1st place in the American League Eastern Division, and also for the best record in baseball. Despite the long slump, the Orioles had one, too, and could not take advantage.

Injury issues are significantly improved. Jose Trevino is playing rehab games at Class AA Somerset, but, with Austin Wells finally hitting, Trevino's return is less of a priority. Clarke Schmidt will make a rehab start on August 22. He could be back by the time rosters expand on September 1. Cody Poteet, originally called up to replace him, could be back from his own injury by then.

Jasson Domínguez will probably stay at Class AAA Scranton until then, as an additional hitter and outfielder is not a team priority at the moment. Anthony Rizzo may not return this season -- or to Pinstripes at all. Jonathan Loáisiga is out until next Opening Day, recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Tonight, the Yankees head out to play the Chicago White Sox, who are having one of the worst seasons in baseball history, and without the excuses of being an expansion team or having an injury crisis. They are 28-91. To put that in perspective, they are on a pace to lose 124 games. The record is 134 by the 1899 Cleveland Spiders; since then, 120 by the 1962 New York Mets; in the American League, 119 by the 2003 Detroit Tigers.

My cold will go on, but, for the Yankees, the White Sox might be just what the doctor ordered.