Friday, July 26, 2019

Will the Real Yankees Please Stand Up?

Cliché Alert: Will the real New York Yankees please stand up?

Are they the Yankees who went 58-25 from April 19 to July 24, including 17-13 and 12-8 wins over the Boston Red Sox in London, jumping out to a 10-game lead in the American League Eastern Division?

Or are they the Yankees who got off to a 8-10 start, and then, last night, laid a massive egg against the team their fans hate the most?

Masahiro Tanaka started for the Yankees last night, and he had perhaps the worst start in Yankee history. He allowed 7 runs in the 1st inning. Manager Aaron Boone, knowing what Fenway Park can do to a bullpen, left him in. He got through the 2nd and 3rd innings without allowing any more runs, but he allowed 5 more in the 4th, before Boone took him out with 1 out.

That total of 12 earned runs was the 2nd-most in Yankee history. The most was in a 1923 start by Carl Mays -- interestingly, the 1st major player to get sent from the Red Sox to the Yankees in a series of moves, highlighted by that of Babe Ruth, that broke up the 1910s Red Sox dynasty and started the 1920s Yankee Dynasty.

Stephen Tarpley was no better, allowing 4 runs in the remainder of the 4th and the 5th. Luis Cessa pitched 2 scoreless innings. To save the bullpen, Boone put a position player, Austin Romine, on the mound in the 9th inning. He allowed 3 runs (including 2 home runs) on 4 hits, although didn't walk any batters.

The Yankees only got 7 hits, including a home run by 3rd-string catcher Kyle Higashioka. Luke Voit got 3 of the other 6.

Red Sox 19, Yankees 3. WP: Rick Porcello (9-7). No save. LP: Tanaka (7-6).

The Yankees have not been getting good starting pitching the last week or so, even when they've won. The trading deadline is 5 days away. Brian Cashman, do your goddamned job!

The series continues tonight. James Paxton starts against Andrew Cashner.

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