A Disappointing Series Opener for the Yankees
The seventh inning was a bit more competitive than expected, which made writing about this game slightly less of a chore. Unfortunately, the Yankees were trailing from the start, continuing a troubling trend of poor pitching. While the offense didn’t exactly shine either, it’s hard not to wonder what a reliable starting pitcher could have done for New York on this night. In the end, the team fell to the Braves 7-3 in the series opener.
This isn’t just a June swoon anymore—it’s a Midsummer Nightmare. Spencer Strider, who has some similarities to the legendary Bottom, was absolutely dominant tonight. The right-hander pitched six scoreless innings, striking out eight batters and allowing just one baserunner per inning. Although his fastball wasn’t quite as sharp as it was before his Tommy John surgery, his slider was devastating, generating 11 strikeouts and tormenting several of the Yankees’ right-handed hitters.
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Trent Grisham opened the game with a single, but Strider quickly got Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. to end the first inning. This set the stage for a disastrous performance by Ian Hamilton, who was thrust into the role of Friday night starter due to Cam Schlittler being injured and Max Fried dealing with blister issues. There was hope that Hamilton could provide two solid innings, but he failed to deliver. Matt Olson and Ronald Acuña Jr. both hit RBI doubles, and Ozzie Albies scored Acuña with a sacrifice fly, putting the Braves up 3-0 early.
The Yankees had a chance to make a dent in the lead in the third inning. Jorbit Vivas and Trent Grisham walked back-to-back, bringing Cody Bellinger to the plate with Aaron Judge on deck. A three-run lead would have been a good opportunity to strike. However, Bellinger barely missed a pitch, and Vivas made a questionable decision:
Ronald Acuña Jr. is one of the most talented players in baseball and definitely one of the most fun to watch. He made an incredible throw that will likely be featured on highlight reels for years. But Jorbit Vivas, why are you standing up?
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Throughout the play, manager Luis Rojas was telling Vivas to get down, and even if he didn’t, he should have known how strong Acuña’s arm is. Why take the risk?
As the saying goes, when you give away free outs, the other team tends to take advantage. Ozzie Albies did just that when Atlanta faced Rico Garcia, a newcomer asked to eat a few innings. Garcia’s performance was so poor that the Mets cut him loose for a reason. Atlanta added a seventh run, but the Yankees managed to mount a half-hearted comeback in the top of the seventh.
Ben Rice came through with a double after Strider was pulled, and Austin Wells followed with a single. With a seven-run deficit, it wasn’t enough to change the outcome. Manager Aaron Boone made a smart move by sending Giancarlo Stanton to pinch-hit for Vivas. It turns out that Stanton has been effective when called upon recently, and it seems like he might be learning.
Stanton was replaced by Oswald Peraza, and his run eventually scored on Bellinger’s single. That was as close as the Yankees got, as Dylan Lee struck out Aaron Judge to end the threat. The team only managed one other hit of the night, a traditional double off Rice’s bat.
JT Brubaker provided a silver lining, throwing three innings, striking out four batters, and keeping Boone from using any high-leverage pitchers except for some light bullpen warmups from Tim Hill. Brubaker’s reward will likely be a couple of days off, but he can’t be optioned. Garcia, however, looks like a candidate for designation for assignment to bring in a fresh arm.
It’s getting tiring to keep saying “X pitcher will be asked to stop the skid tomorrow,” but Will Warren will be tasked with that job tomorrow against Toronto, who now leads the AL East by three games. Warren comes off two solid starts before the All-Star break, so there’s hope for some quality pitching in the early going of tomorrow’s matchup. The first pitch from Truist Park is scheduled for 7:15 pm Eastern time.
