The Real Yankee Bullpen Has Shown Up

This past Saturday night, at home to the Miami Marlins, the Yankees allowed as many runs as they did in the 1st 7 games combined... and they still won!

Ryan Weathers started, and he had nothing, allowing 3 runs in less than 4 innings. Paul Blackburn allowed another run before ending the top of the 4th. Fortunately, in the bottom of the 5th, Aaron Judge singled (yes, he gets hits that are not home runs), and Clay Bellinger hit a home run, to make it 4-2.

Tim Hill pitched a scoreless top of the 6th. Cliché Alert: Walks can kill you, especially the leadoff variety. Paul Goldschmidt led off the bottom of the 6th with a walk. José Caballero was hit with a pitch. Ryan McMahon struck out, but Trent Grisham singled Goldschmidt home, Judge singled Caballero home, and Bellinger's sacrifice fly scored Grisham. The Yankees added a run on a passed ball in the 7th, and it was 6-4 Yankees.

But Camilo Doval couldn't hold the lead in the top of the 8th, and it was 6-6. Fortunately, again, walks, including a leadoff walk, worked in the Yankees' favor. McMahon led off the bottom of the 8th with a walk. Grisham flew out. Judge walked. Bellinger flew out. Ben Rice walked to load the bases. Giancarlo Stanton singled McMahon and Judge home. Another passed ball brought Chisholm home.

That made Brent Headrick the pitcher of record. But David Bednar allowed 3 singles and a walk to make it 9-7. Finally, he shut the door for the save.

Half the pitching staff injured, starting shortstop injured, starting 3rd baseman a genuine hole in the batting order, superstar still not hitting great, and the Yankees were still 7-1 -- and it really should have been 8-0.

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And then, yesterday, after a long rain delay to start, the real Yankee bullpen finally showed up. A 3-run Rice homer in the 1st, and a fielder's choice with Rice up in the 3rd, made it 4-3 Yankees. Max Fried ran out of gas in the 7th, and Fernando Cruz had to finish the inning. But he walked a batter with 1 out in the top of the 8th. Aaron Boone brought Jake Bird in, and he allowed a walk, hit a batter, and gave up a lead-switching double. Ryan Yarbrough came in, and allowed a 2-run single before ending the mess. It was 7-4 Marlins.

With 1 out in the bottom of the 9th, the Yanks mounted a comeback. Bellinger and Rice drew walks. Stanton struck out. Chisholm doubled home both runners, and was thus the tying run. Austin Wells was intentionally walked to set up the play at any base. J.C. Escarra was sent up to pinch-hit for Caballero, and struck out to end it. Marlins 7, Yankees 6.

In other words: 1st 7 games, 7 runs; last 2 games, 14 runs. The bullpen, my biggest concern coming into the season, was bad for 2 games, and the Yankees only got away with it once.

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So at the end of the 1st full week of play, here's where we stand:

* The Yankees are 7-2. They are tied with the defending World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in baseball. In the American League Eastern Division, they are 3 games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays, 4 ahead of the Baltimore Orioles, and 5 ahead of the Boston Red Sox.

* Starting pitchers are 5-0 with a 1.78 ERA.

* Good OPS+'s: Rice, 299; Stanton, 184; Goldschmidt, 176; Bellinger, 162; Judge, 146.

So there is plenty of reason to to be encouraged. But also reason for worry:

* Relief pitchers are 2-2 with 3.52.

* Bad OPS+'s: Grisham, 92; Chisholm, 51; Wells, 36; McMahon, 11; Caballero, 0; Amed Rosario, -9 in 7 plate appearances; Escarra, -100 in 6 appearances; and Randal Grichuk, -100 in 2 appearances.

The Yankees have the night off. Tomorrow, they begin a home series with the Sacramento Athletics.