A ROUGH WEEK FOR THE YANKEES

The Yankees went into the week of July 21st three games behind the Toronto Blue Jays who they would play for a 3 game series in the beginning of the week before playing the Philadelphia Phillies.

It was a rough week for the Yankees who were plagued by numerous fielding and throwing errors and were only able to win 2 out of the 6 games.

Here’s the recap:

In Game 1 Carlo Rodon allowed 4 runs, only 2 earned, in five innings but the Yankees were only able to score 1 run off Kevin Gausman. Gausman held the Yankees to 4 hits as he struck out 8. The Yankees were winning 1–0 after four innings thanks to a home run by Giancarlo Stanton. However the Blue Jays scored 4 runs in the fifth inning. Bo Bichette hit a 2 run double. The other two runs scored due to throwing errors by Oswald Peraza and Anthony Volpe. Blue Jays won with a final score of 1-4.

Fernando Cruz was placed on the 15 day IL with a strained oblique. He will return sometime in August.

Game 2 went to the a Yankees as rookie Cam Schlittler got his second start. He pitched five innings, allowed 2 runs and struck out 3. Pitching for the Blue Jays was veteran Max Scherzer. He pitched five innings as well but allowed 4 runs and struck out 4. The Yankees took the lead early in the first inning with a 3 run home run by Jazz Chisholm Jr. Addison Barger hit a RBI single in the first inning giving the Blue Jays a run. Cody Bellinger hit a home run in the fifth inning adding another run and Barger hit another RBI single to add a run. The Yankees were winning 4-2 but then came the sixth inning. With Tim Hill on the mound, the first batter got a single due to another throwing error by Anthony Volpe (his 13th and tied for most in the majors) and Davis Schneider hit a RBI double. Jonathan Loaisiga came in to relieve Hill and gave up a RBI single to George Springer. The game was tied 4-4 until the ninth inning when Ben Rice hit a home run. The Yankees won 5-4.

Game 3 was Max Fried vs Chris Bassitt. Fried allowed 6 runs, 4 earned in 5 1/3 innings and Bassitt allowed 4 runs, 3 earned, and struck out 8 in 7 1/3 innings. The Yankees took the lead first with a home run by Jasson Dominguez in the second inning. The Blue Jays took the lead in the fourth inning with a RBI double from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a RBI single by Ernie Clement. The Yankees tied it the next inning with a home run by Anthony Volpe but that same inning the Blue Jays scored 2 runs on a fielder’s choice by Geurrero Jr. and a throwing error by Fried. In the sixth inning Aaron Judge tied the game with a 2 run home run but later that inning Myles Straw hit a RBI double and then scored on an error giving the Blue Jays the lead. To add to the lead Bo Bichette hit a 2 run home run in the seventh inning and the Blue Jays won with a final score of 4-8. The Yankees had a total of 4 errors in this game. Aaron Boone and the pitching coach were also ejected in the seventh inning for arguing balls and strikes.

Then over the weekend, while the Savannah Bananas were taking over Citizen’s Bank Park in Philadelphia, the Phillies were dominating the Yankees in the Bronx.

Friday night’s game, Taijuan Walker held the Yankees to 3 runs in 5 2/3 innings while Will Warren held the Phillies to 2 runs in 5 2/3 innings. The Yankees were winning 3-2 until the seventh inning. Cody Bellinger, Austin Wells and Giancarlo Stanton each hit a home run. Kyle Schwarber hit a 2 run home run for the Phillies. So now the seventh inning, Tim Hill gave up 2 singles to Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber, Luke Weaver came in to relieve him and Nick Castellanos hit a single which lead to a series of events that put the Phillies up by 3. Trea Turner scored on an error, Castellanos moved to second on an error, and Schwarber moved to third on an error and J.T. Realmuto hit a 3 run home run. The Yankees closed the gap in the seventh inning with a home run by Anthony Volpe and a RBI sacrifice fly by Aaron Judge but Schwarber hit a 2 run home run in the eighth inning putting the Phillies up by 3 again. To add to the pain the Phillies added 4 more runs in the ninth inning off a single, a double and a triple. Yankees lost 12-5.

Saturday’s game was Marcus Stroman pitching against Ranger Suarez. Stroman pitched 3 2/3 innings and allowed 4 runs. Suarez pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowed 1 run and struck out 8. Yerry De Los Santos made his return to the bullpen in this game and allowed a run in 1 2/3 innings. The Phillies took the lead first with a RBI single in the first inning by J.T. Realmuto and then added a solo home run by Bryce Harper in the third inning. Stroman struggled in the third inning walking 4 batters before leaving the game. The Phillies added 2 more runs that inning. Jasson Dominguez hit a RBI single in the fourth inning putting the Yankees on the scoreboard. Trea Turner hit a RBI double in the sixth inning off De Los Santos. The Yankees were down 4 runs in the seventh inning when Allan Winans gave up 4 more runs to the Phillies. Edmundo Sosa hit a 2 run home run and 2 runs scored on a double by Kyle Schwarber. Giancarlo Stanton hit a 2 run home run in the seventh inning and Ben Rice scored on a balk in the eighth inning but it wasn’t enough. The Yankees lost with a final score of 9-4.

Making his debut for the Yankees in this game was Ryan McMahon who they acquired via trade with the Colorado Rockies. He was 1-3 in his debut. Missing from this game was Aaron Judge who had soreness in his elbow and was awaiting test results. Luckily those results came back as a flexor strain and not something much worse. Judge was put on the 10-day IL.

Sunday’s game the Yankees avoided the sweep with Carlos Rodon on the mound. Rodon allowed 3 runs in 5 1/3 innings and struck out 8. Zach Wheeler allowed 4 runs in 5 2/3 innings and also struck out 8. Nick Castellanos and Otto Kemp hit a pair of home runs in the second inning giving the Phillies an early lead but the Yankees answered quickly with 2 runs scoring on a double by Ryan McMahon and 2 more on a sacrifice fly by Austin Wells and a single by Trent Grisham. Kemp hit a second home run in the fifth inning. Neither team scored anymore runs and the Yankees won this game with a final score of 4-3.

The Yankees are now 5.5 games behind the Blue Jays for the AL East.

In other news Luis Gil allowed 5 runs in 3 1/3 innings in his rehab start with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre team. It’s looking like he will pitch one more rehab start before returning to the team.

Mark Leiter Jr. has begun throwing off a mound and is expected to return in early August.

The Yankees will wrap up July with a 4 game series against the Tampa Bay Rays and will kick off August with a 3 game series against the Florida Marlins.