From Steve Schaeffer:
For the Yankees, Thursday night was all about extinguishing fires.
Wrapping up a three-game set that manager Aaron Boone said “took some months and years off me,” the Yankees topped the Astros, 8-4, to win the series at Daikin Park and complete a 5-1 road trip.
With the bullpen following his example by escaping jams in the seventh and ninth innings, Carlos Rodón earned his 16th win to grab a share of the Major League lead with Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta. Rodón (16-7) threw 109 pitches over six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks.
“I thought he threw great today,” Boone said of his left-hander, whose 16th win also matched the career high he set last year. “With all those righties, I thought he used his changeup so well, and he had a good fastball to go with it. I thought he was really good even deep into the outing. I thought he was almost getting sharper.”
After a tough 8-7 loss on Wednesday, the Yankees had voiced their issues with home-plate umpire Brian Walsh’s strike zone. Rodón said his goal Thursday was to stay even-keeled, and he succeeded.
What the fuck do they mean by “hold serve”? when the Yankees won the series? Weird.
In any event, this was a nice win. Rodon pitched well, and the bullpen somehow didn’t blow it (Weaver is in the middle of his WWWLW? period. Just perfect timing for Toronto). The offense showed some life, too, especially Ryan McMahon.
The featured image is Rodon making Altuve look dumb on a strikeout. That was the last highlight that they had for Rodon in a game he pitched 6 innings and allowed just two runs!
EDITED TO ADD: Okay, David Bednar sucked last night. However, whether it is right or wrong, closers traditionally struggle when entering a game in a non-save situation, let alone a five-run lead. Their brain just doesn’t translate for them. Mariano Rivera was MUCH worse in non-save situations than he was in save situations. It doesn’t necessarily make sense, but it seems to be true. So I wouldn’t take too much from Bednar’s awfulness. Once the game was finally officially on the line, he struck out the clean-up hitter and the #5 hitter on same NASTY pitches with the bases loaded. So I’m sure it’s just some weird closer mentality coming in in five-run games. When even Mariano Rivera was susceptible to it, it’s hard to knock other closers for it.
Rodon with 16 wins and a 130+ ERA has been a lifesaver for this team; worth the money they paid him.
Grisham with his 131 OPS and 3.5 WAR in another season savior. (And Jazz though his swinging from the heels is annoying.)
Offsetting these two/three has been the underperforming Volpe, Wells and Jasson.
Bellinger has made himself millions and DeviW has cost himself millions and with his -.8 WAR may cost the team the division.
Then again its early and you never
count your money when you’re sittin at the table.
Wellz has picked ip up recently. Is it for real? Got me?
When Altuve walked, I switched to some anodyne celebrity quiz show, and 25 minuted latter looked at MLB.com. After I knew the score I went back to watch what I had missed. Even the last 2 outs weren’t easy. Bednar is not in the same class as Holmes or Chapmen when they were good, let alone Mo.
SS Dax Kilby Low A 3-5, K, SB — 18-year-old now hitting .354/447/.446 with 14 steals in his first 17 pro games
How does he compare with phenom or Lombard age 18?
weaver with 10hits in his last 5.2
wells in his last 7 hitting 381
i don’t really have any hope for Volpe, I just try to enjoy what little success he has and then remind myself that he’ll be gone in 15 or 20 years.
No the Volpe story has been written.
Look at how inexplicable Weaver’s game log looks. It’s terrible stretches, and then zeros for weeks. It makes no sense!
Cam Schlittler the science or mostly luck and mumbo jumbo?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6596226/2025/09/05/cam-schlittler-yankees-player-development/
Can’t read the science but the Yankees absolutely churn out starters over the last several years, mostly back end but also some guys like King, Gil, and possibly Schlittler. That part of the system is working.
It sure sounds like they’ve figured out a way how to unlock velo in guys with their freaky science.
Interesting matchups this weekend.
Gausman vs Schlittler
Scherzer vs Gil
Bassitt vs Fried
No idea how this is going to turn out.
Zero wins and three losses. The Series of Doom, Part II.
Judge RF, Cab SS, Jazz in
WOW.
Dunno why they’re sitting Volpe. He is 3-for-24 against Gausman on his career which is better than his last month against non-White-Sox pitching, and they’ve been playing him pretty much all through that.
I don’t get Rice catching when Wells is actually in the middle of a hot streak.
I would speculate that Aaron Boone has a condition that prevents him from distinguishing hot and cold. Not sure if it is peripheral, as with a germline mutation in TRPV1, or if it is central, as with say a mass in his hypothalamus.
Veggie you need to get to the bottom of this
He started the last 3 days, Gausman has a reverse split hence PGold
While I’m not qualified to perform the procedure myself, I would recommend the Yankees proceed with Boonectomy, as it would be both diagnostic and therapeutic. Not to mention, cathartic.
Fair enough, you’ve convinced me!
Lombard Jr. has been sizzling the last few weeks, good sign
Bring him up so Boone can let him cool off on the bench
Not thru August
June 708. July 686. August 704. He is 4-11 with a home run in September.
Hoch Aaron Boone said he doesn’t plan on playing Aaron Judge every day in right field. Said Judge and Giancarlo Stanton could share the position for now.
Which I’m fine with. Stanton could probably use the experience to keep loose.
Andy Martino MLB told Aaron Boone that the Ryan McMahon play should have been ruled a catch. Quite a series for that ump.
How about you just making it reviewable, MLB? How could it NOT be reviewable?!
Makes no sense that it’s only reviewable in the outfield.
No sense at ALL.
cool, cool