The Yankees played a midweek series at home, against the Cleveland Guardians. With both Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton sidelined due to injury, runs were expected to be harder to come by.
They were. Though I didn't expect our worst output to provide our best result.
On Tuesday night, Cam Schlittler had the worst start of his career. Not a terrible one, just a weak one: 4 1/3rd innings, 5 runs (4 earned) on 5 hits, although no walks, 3 strikeouts. He might have gotten away with it, had not the bullpen been bad, as Tim Hill allowed a run, and Camilo Doval allowed 3.
But the Yankees just couldn't get going and sustain it. Paul Goldschmidt went 3-for-4 with 4 RBIs, including his 379th career home run, surpassing Matt Williams on the all-time list, and tying him with Orlando Cepeda and Tony Pérez. But the rest of the Yankees only got 5 hits and no RBIs, and they lost, 9-4.
Gerrit Cole made his 3rd post-injury start on Wednesday night, but while his control was all right, he was hit hard: 5 1/3rd innings, 4 runs on 6 hits, although only 1 walk, and 2 strikeouts. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and José Caballero hit home runs, but, other than that, the Yankees had just 3 hits and a walk, and lost, 5-4.
Thursday afternoon, the dreaded day game after a night game. It turned out to be a dandy of a pitcher's duel between Carlos Rodón and Cleveland's Slade Cecconi. (Cliché Alert: Those names don't go together.) Through 6 innings, each had allowed just 1 run, and was looking like he wouldn't allow any more.
In the top of the 7th, Aaron Boone brought in Brent Headrick, and I cringed. But he got through the innings with no hits, and just a walk. Which brings up another Cliché Alert: Walks can kill you. Guardians manager Stephen Vogt brought Codi Heuer in, and, with 1 out, he walked Chisholm. He got Cabellero out, but Chisholm stole 2nd, and Heuer threw a wild pitch that got him to 3rd. Ryan McMahon, not known for his bat, singled Chisholm home. That proved to be the last run: Yankees 2, Guardians 1.
Things were looking up. The Yankees ended the day just half a game behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Eastern Division, although 2 back in the loss column. And they had done this despite all their injuries.
But, at night, came the bombshell: Judge, who had missed the entire series, had a broken rib, and would be out at least 4 to 6 weeks -- through the All-Star Break, and a little bit beyond.
If you have any "George Carlin words" to offer, now would be a good time.
And tonight, we start a series with The Scum themselves, the Boston Red Sox. Without Judge, without Stanton, without Max Fried, without Clarke Schmidt, all due to injury -- and without Cole, since his turn in the rotation will be skipped.
Here's the projected pitching matchups:
* Tonight, first pitch scheduled for 7:05, on YES: Ryan Weathers vs. Sonny Gray, who seems to be able to pitch well for any team except when he was with the Yankees.
* Tomorrow, 7:35, on Fox: Will Warren vs. Ranger Suarez.
* Sunday, 1:35, on YES: Schlittler vs. Connelly Early.
I'm not lookin' forward to this.
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