The New York Yankees just came off a three game series against the Boston Red Sox on July 11-13, losing 2-of-3 and dropping five games behind the Red Sox for first place in the AL East. To make matters worse, both CC Sabathia and Masahiro Tanaka made their way to the DL prior to the Boston series. Even with Sabathia’s stint on the DL, Masahiro Tanaka’s injury makes the Yankees postseason run even tougher.
Masahiro Tanaka’s Injury Makes The Yankees Postseason Run Even Tougher
New York recalled recently demoted rookie left-hander Jordan Montgomery (7-6, 3.94) after Sabathia, the hefty-lefty, went on the DL with a knee injury. Luis Cessa was even recalled from Triple-A Scranton Wilkes/Barre to pitch against the New York Mets on Monday night with Tanaka on the DL with shoulder fatigue.
Cessa, who was pitching in Tanaka’s place on Monday against the Mets, was forced to leave the fifth inning with an upper back injury. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Cessa will undergo an MRI on Tuesday. Which means the Yankees could be without Cessa for a few weeks. Meaning if Sabathia and Tanaka aren’t back in time to make their next schedule start, the Yankees will most likely go with Bryan Mitchell to pitch in there stay.
CC Sabathia
Sabathia, 37, hopes to come off the DL as soon as possible, which could be this upcoming Saturday. Before Monday’s Subway Series opener against the Mets, Sabathia pitched a bullpen session in which he came away with his right knee feeling much better.
On the season, Sabathia is 9-5 with a 4.05 ERA in 19 starts, and one of the main reasons why the Yankees are in the midst of a playoff hunt. However, when the left-hander was placed on the DL, he revealed that this wasn’t the first time this season that his right knee has given him trouble. There were games during the course of the season when his knee would flair up on a pitch here, and a pitch there. But nothing that Sabathia considered serious, until his last start against Toronto.
Sabathia only lasted three innings against the Toronto Blue Jays in his last start prior to the Boston series, and promptly underwent an MRI on his right knee that night. Thankfully the MRI revealed no structural damage, and Sabathia was only put on the 10-day DL to rest. It’s not that the 37-year-old veteran isn’t as valuable as Tanaka, but you know what you’re getting with Sabathia. You’re getting a crafty pitcher who in his heyday was able to throw pitches by hitters. Now though, he has to rely solely on location, and mixing up his pitches.
You know every start by Sabathia he’s going to give you five-to-six innings, and anywhere from three-to-five runs, but he gives you innings and allows the offense an opportunity to stay in the game. The sooner he gets back the better.
Masahiro Tanaka
The injury to Tanaka’s right shoulder apparently flared up in his last start against the Toronto Blue Jays where he was only able to make it through four innings. Manager Joe Girardi said there was no structural damage to Tanaka’s shoulder, but placed him on the 10-day DL with shoulder fatigue in order to rest his arm.
Tanaka, who sits atop the Yankees rotation, won’t throw a bullpen session until August 17, and most likely will miss his next several starts while he rests his ailing shoulder. The Yankees would love to have him back against the Detroit Tigers sometime between August 22-24. Until then, the Yankees might be forced to go with Bryan Mitchell with Cessa more than likely heading to the DL.
In a season where most fans and analysts thought Tanaka’s performance last year, which was Cy Young worthy, would carry over into this season. Unfortunately for the fans, and Tanaka as well, that hasn’t happened. The Japanese superstar has had his struggles, and his ups and downs. On the season, Tanaka has gone 8-10 with a career high 4.92 ERA, but in his last five starts, the veteran right-hander has posted an ERA of 3.13, along with an extremely impressive 38:6 K/BB. He’s also held opponents to a .212/.254/.381 slash line.
Along with the emergence of Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka is the most important big game pitcher the Yankees have. Even despite his struggles, Tanaka is still very much capable of pitching a gem when it matters most. But if he is dealing with a ‘tired arm,’ then Severino and the new additions of Sonny Gray and Jaime Garcia (who have playoff experience) are going to have to pick up the slack and provide quality outings. Especially with the Yankees 4.5 games behind Boston, which is looking harder to catch as the days go by, but they’re still a game-and-half up in the Wild Card spot. Although the Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners, and Tampa Bay Rays are all in striking range. After all, General Manager Brian Cashman didn’t make these trades to miss the postseason, and who’s to say Girardi’s job doesn’t depend on the Yankees making the playoffs.
Aaron Judge’s Struggles
Aaron Judge is hugely responsible for helping the Yankees get off to a 21-9 start, as well as a first half of the season no one could’ve predicted. Besides New York getting superb pitching from their starters and bullpen (1.94 ERA since All-Star Break – MLB best), they also got major contributions from their hitters. Including Aaron Hicks, Starlin Castro, Matt Holliday, and Aaron Judge.
Judge, 22, had one MLB’s best first half of a season in baseball history. In 84-games the rookie slugger was 99-for-301 with a slash line of .329/.448/.691, while belting 30 homeruns and driving in 66 runs. The phenom also hit 13 doubles, three triples, and scored 75 runs. Some attribute Judge’s decline on an All-Star slump, but the rookie was beginning to struggle ten games prior to the All-Star game.
In 27-games since the All-Star break, Judge is 17-for-91 with a slash line of .187/.348/.396, with 13 runs scored, six homeruns, 13 runs batted in, and 48 strikeouts (which is nearly half of his 91 at-bats). Judge is not in a slump. A slump lasts a week or two, and Judge has been struggling for nearly six weeks. He’s lost at the plate and being outsmarted by opposing pitchers.
What made Judge so good in the first half, is hurting him now. The rookie Judge did an excellent job of laying off pitches off the plate and down away, while destroying anything belt high or higher. Now pitchers are painting the outside knowing Judge won’t pull the trigger on his swing because he’s been so disciplined. Therefore pitchers are getting strikes called on the outside, something Judge has to start hitting at, while getting the young superstar to chase fastballs higher in the zone. Again, something Judge has to fix.
Which Players Are Going To Step Up?
Aaron Judge isn’t the only hitter struggling since the All-Star break for the Yankees. Matt Holliday is only batting .136 (11-for-81), with one homerun and four runs batted in. Todd Frazier is only hitting .231 (18-for-78), with three homeruns and ten runs batted in. Then there’s Brett Gardner (.237) and Jacoby Ellsbury (.164) who’ve gone cold. At least Gardner is still drawing walks and scoring runs, but it’s not enough.
The Yankees are going to need players like Gary Sanchez and Chase Headley to continue to play well and produce. But they’ll need Todd Frazier to pick it up, and Starlin Castro to pick up where he left off. In a bit of good news, first baseman Greg Bird starts his rehab assignment Wednesday, and could be back by September.
With the offense struggling, along with Tanaka and Sabathia battling injuries, perhaps a six-man rotation isn’t such a bad idea. Both Tanaka and Sabathia I’m sure could benefit from an extra days rest. It’s now or never for the Yankees to make their run.
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