The Yankees return to the field Tuesday night with the Mariners coming into Yankee Stadium for a three-game series, and the matchup comes with both teams carrying plenty of recent baggage.
Seattle arrives at 56-63, stuck in third place in the AL West and mired in a four-game losing streak after getting swept at home by the Tampa Bay Rays over the weekend. The Yankees saw the Mariners early in the season, taking two of three in Seattle during the first week.
For the opener, Seattle is set to send right-hander Bryan Woo, who is 8-8 with a 4.31 ERA. The Yankees will counter with left-hander Ryan Weathers, and his recent work has been sharp: over his last three starts, he has gone 2-1 with a 0.48 ERA, allowing just one run across 18.2 innings.
New York’s bigger issue has been scoring. Since mid-June, run production has been a grind for the second-place Yankees, who are 66-52 and have gone 17-21 over their last 38 games.
There have been a few bright spots. Austin Wells, despite a rough offensive season overall, has started to heat up. Since July 20, the left-handed catcher is batting .306, going 11-for-36 with a .960 OPS and two home runs.
Jazz Chisholm Jr., though, has gone the other way. Since June 20, he’s batting .191 with a .605 OPS over 142 plate appearances.
Here’s how the Yankees line up Tuesday night:
Trent Grisham, CF
Ben Rice, DH
Heliot Ramos, LF
Luis Garcia Jr., 1B
Jazz Chisholm Jr., 2B
George Lombard Jr., SS
Spencer Jones, RF
Ryan McMahon, 3B
Austin Wells, C
In Other News...
Yankees Suddenly Have A Chance To Upgrade Behind Austin Wells
The catching market shifted quickly when Boston activated Adley Rutschman from the injured list and moved on from Jake Rogers, a veteran backstop who has been in the mix with multiple clubs this summer. For a Yankees team that has Austin Wells entrenched as the starter and Ali Snchez as the right-handed reserve, that kind of roster churn can matter, especially when a familiar name suddenly becomes available.
Rogers is the sort of catcher clubs value for reasons that do not always show up in the box score. He has a reputation for handling pitchers well and bringing defensive stability, while his bat has not been the draw. For the Yankees, the question is whether that profile is enough to make him a better fit than what they already have behind Wells, and whether they see enough upside to jump in before another team does. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees May Have Won The Catcher Gamble Without Making The Splash
The Yankees chose the quieter route behind the plate, signing Mitch Garver to shore up a catcher spot that needed attention without chasing the biggest name on the market. It was the kind of move that drew less noise than a blockbuster pursuit, but it also reflected a front office willing to trust fit and value over headlines, especially with other catching options moving around the league.
Adley Rutschmans path to Boston only adds to the conversation, because the former top prospect has not been the same offensive force he once was and his recent seasons have been shaped by injuries. For the Yankees, the larger takeaway is less about who they passed on and more about whether a modest gamble can pay off in a division where the Red Sox have altered their roster and the Orioles are forced to reconsider theirs. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Frustration With Trent Grisham Just Spilled Into Plain View
Trent Grishams first year back in pinstripes has not unfolded the way the Yankees hoped after he accepted a $22 million qualifying offer following a strong previous season. His offense has backed up a bit, and the bigger concern has been the work in center field, where his defense has graded below average and started to draw sharper attention as the season has worn on.
That unease spilled into the open during a recent game, when a defensive misplay set off visible frustration from a Yankees pitcher on the mound. It was the kind of moment that tends to linger beyond one inning, because for a team with postseason expectations, shaky communication and uneven play in center can quickly become more than just a passing annoyance. [Read more 🡒]