It Took Them Seven Games, But The Yankees' Pitching Finally Failed Them For The First Time This Season

Chris O'Meara. Shutterstock Images.

Rays 10 Yankees 5

It took seven games, but the Yankees pitching finally failed them in a game this year. They entered this game with the best Team ERA in all of baseball. They no longer have that mark. Corey Kluber gets the L in this one. He wasn't close to his best, and got hit around quite a bit. Kluber's sinker consistently registered around 90 mph in this one and some pitches just caught too much of the plate. He also got the short end of the stick in the 2nd inning with some bad defense via DJ at 3rd and Wade at 2nd. Gleyber also had a chance at a foul ball in left, but that play was a bit harder factoring in how far he ran and the stupid white ceiling at the Trop. Kluber shouldn't have given up a run in the 2nd (gave up 2) and as a result should've started the 3rd with a pitch count in a better spot. We can talk about the bad breaks, but at the end of the day this was a worse version of Kluber than in the 2nd game of the season. Lasting less than three innings isn't what we need. Now again, I'm not looking for seven shutout, 10ks, but I need 4-5 solid innings when he's out there. When your offense gives you four runs to work with you need to limit the damage and survive. Obviously it's his 2nd start and he's got plenty of time to get himself in more of a rhythm, I just don't like losing to Tampa. Nick Nelson did the team no favors in relief, giving up more runs himself in this one than the entire bullpen had entering today. The 4th inning was a mess for him. 

Offensively the Yankees had themselves a nice 3rd inning rally with two outs thanks to a nice piece of opposite filed hitting from Giancarlo and a two run shot from Aaron Hicks. Aside from a random solo shot from DJ later on, they never really threatened to get back into the game. Today sucked. The Trop sucks. 3:00 Friday games suck. Same old story not beating the Rays in Tampa. Sigh. 

You know who else sucks? Jay Bruce. Someone else? Tyler Wade. Neither of those guys should be receiving playing time. Why the Yankees hate Derek Dietrich is beyond me, but he should be up here instead of Wade no question about it. I miss Luke Voit so goddamn much, but he's not back until May. Until then we gotta change something up. Maybe when Odor is cleared through protocols he's your second baseman and you shift DJ to first? I don't hate that idea at all. Can't be throwing Jay Bruce out there every day having no fucking clue what to do at the plate. Can't have it. 

Big day tomorrow where we find out if Judge goes on the Injured List retroactively or we get him back in the lineup. We're facing Chris Archer for Christ's Sake. Domingo needs to pitch well and the Yankees have to get back on track. 

Anyways this blog was boring and depressing so here's the best of Andy Dwyer. Go get drunk tonight. Maybe tell someone you love them and regret it in the morning.