From Bryan Hoch:
The flip side of Nestor Cortes’ early season success at home has been difficulty on the road, a trend that continued with his first pitch on Saturday afternoon.
Yandy Díaz belted Cortes’ grooved fastball for a leadoff homer, then slumping slugger Randy Arozarena homered and drove in four runs as the Yankees fell to the Rays, 7-2, at Tropicana Field.
“It’s tough to pitch in this league without a fastball, that’s for sure,” Cortes said. “It felt like every time I’d try to throw a fastball in the zone, it was getting hit. I wasn’t able to establish it early, and that’s why when I would go back to it again, it was getting hit hard.”
Tampa Bay pulled away with three runs off reliever Dennis Santana as the Yankees fell for just the second time in their past eight contests.
Though Cortes has compiled drastic home-road splits through nine starts, the left-hander said the issues away from the Bronx haven’t been on his radar.
Second loss in their last eight games, and yet they’ve lost a half game in the standings to Baltimore in that time span. That’s why you can’t go 1-3 against your main divisional rival.
Anyhow, nothing much to see here except some shitty baseball. Trent Grisham sure does suck, huh?
Sadly, though, Nestor has to get the featured image, as he was not good tonight. He’s the first Yankee starter to have an ERA over 4 this season so far.
It would be such a big deal if Volpe figured it out, instead of being fantastic for a while and then a bottomless hole for even longer.
Maybe he’s spending too much time around Stanton.
A Volpe (R) SS
J Soto (L) RF
A Judge (R) CF
G Stanton (R) DH
A Rizzo (L) 1B
G Torres (R) 2B
J Berti (R) 3B
J Trevino (R) C
J Jones (R) LF We need to talk Aaron. Seriously! A career 178 hitter with a total of 2 games playing the OF. Verdugo sitting against a LHP, Stanton no longer allowed to play in the field and Waldo.
Boone had been so much better with his lineups this season, just allowing the good players to play basically everyday. I guess we had to know it couldn’t last.
But playing Jones out of position is even sub Booner. Meanwhile doesn’t seem smart to me to not let Stanton get some reps in the OF.
Berti has played 95 games in the OF, Waldo is a switch hitter and Grisham who Cash is paying 5 Million has a higher career OPS vs LHPs. There’s no reason for Jones to be playing.
“just allowing the good players to play basically everyday”
You can understand Boone’s logic.
Boone was willing to do that while they were hitting poorly.
Now that they’re starting to hit better, he must start benching them again.
“sub Booner”
I LOL-led
Anyone play around much with Stuff+? Gil’s rocking a 117, which was kind of a pleasant surprise. (Only a 99.2 Pitching+ though).