The Yankees got exactly what they wanted from their pitching staff in Game 1 of the American League Division Series: a dominant outing, a win, and very little resistance from Tampa Bay. Gerrit Cole was sharp over five innings, giving up a home run but otherwise cruising.
Ryan Weathers, back on the mound for the first time since the end of the summer, retired three batters on easy groundouts. Paul Blackburn and Brent Headrick then finished the job.
But one number from that opener jumps off the page for the wrong reason. Outside of Cole, the Yankees’ pitchers didn’t miss a bat.
Cole produced 11 whiffs. The rest of the staff produced none.
That’s the key adjustment moving forward, especially if Cam Schlittler gets the ball and tries to overwhelm the Rays with velocity. A pure fastball approach could lead to a short outing, maybe in the fifth or sixth inning, and it might end up looking a lot like his start against the Los Angeles Dodgers, when he struck out eight but was pulled after 4.1 innings.
For Schlittler to handle Tampa Bay, pitching to contact may be the better path. That could mean a modest shift in his mix and more sinkers.
The pitch already grades as his second-best offering by run value, with a 10 run value. Opponents are batting .179 against it with a .265 slugging percentage, and they’ve posted a 36.9% hard-hit rate against the sinker.
Weathers showed exactly why that style can work. His return was built on contact management, one of his strengths.
He owns a 25.2% strikeout rate and can still finish hitters with a wipeout slider, but his 49.5% groundball rate stands out. That number ranks in the 83rd percentile in baseball, and those routine rollers to first were right in his lane.
Max Fried may be the best fit for this assignment among the Yankees’ starters. His game is built around soft contact, and the numbers back it up: a 49.8% groundball rate, a 29.8% hard-hit rate, and a 2.4% barrel rate.
Carlos Rodon is a different story. His 37.3% groundball rate is one of the lowest in the sport this year. Still, in his last outing against the Rays, he worked eight innings, struck out eight, and induced seven ground balls.
The Yankees don’t need every start to be a strikeout showcase. A grounder to short can do the job just fine if it keeps the staff in the game and lets the innings pile up. That may be the formula that carries them through the rest of this series.
If they win Game 2, the whole tone of the matchup shifts. One win is enough to change everything. Drop it, and they’re staring at the same kind of abrupt October exit they suffered in the Bronx last season.
In Other News...
Cam Schlittlers Brutal Reaction Says Everything About These Yankees
Cam Schlittler gave the Yankees exactly the kind of performance that usually buys a win in October, working eight innings and allowing just one run with eight strikeouts even as the defense behind him wobbled throughout the afternoon. Tampa Bay still walked away with a 5-2 victory to grab a 2-0 lead in the American League Division Series, a game that quickly became less about the scoreboard and more about how New York failed to support one of its best outings of the season.
Afterward, Schlittler took the loss on himself and was blunt about the clubs overall performance, a reaction that reflected how frustrating this series has become for the Yankees. Aaron Boone pointed to the defensive issues while still praising Schlittler for keeping the game within reach, but the bigger concern now is obvious: New York has run out of room for mistakes, and the tone coming out of the clubhouse suggests the players know it. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Boone Just Made Yankees Fans Even More Furious
With the Yankees trying to steady themselves before their playoff series against the Rays, Aaron Boone found himself answering for a defensive group that has given fans plenty to grumble about. The manager addressed Trent Grishams defense and said there is room for improvement, but he pushed back on the idea that this is a bad defensive team even after the club piled up errors.
The concern is hard to wave away when the mistakes are happening on the October stage, and Game 2 of the Division Series only deepened the frustration. New York committed multiple errors in that game, including a franchise first with three errors in a single playoff inning, leaving Boone to defend a unit that has become an increasingly uncomfortable talking point at exactly the wrong time. [Read more 🡒]
Luis Garca Jr.'s Next Yankees Decision Could Change How He's Viewed
The Yankees trade deadline swap for Luis Garca Jr. gave them another left-handed bat and a player with some versatility, even if most of his work since arriving has come at first base. Aaron Boone has already floated the possibility of moving Garca back to second base down the road, which would give the club another option as it tries to juggle a roster that could be shaped by Giancarlo Stantons contract status and Jazz Chisholm Jr.s defensive fit.
It is a notable idea because Garcas old position is also the one where he has had trouble before, and the Yankees know any move there would be about more than simply finding an open glove. If Garca can handle second again, it would change the way the organization views him and add a layer of flexibility Boone values, but for now it remains one of the quieter offseason questions hanging over a roster that is still being sorted out. [Read more 🡒]