About Last Night: The Yankees lost to the Brewers 7-6 in 11 innings
By Tim Kabel
April 27, 2024
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The Yankees lost another game they should and could have won last night. They gave away leads multiple times and essentially handed the game to the Brewers. Once again, they turned to marginal Major Leaguers in the bullpen and as usual, it backfired. Actually, if you do something that has little chance of success and it fails, I don't know if that is backfiring; it's going according to plan. This has the makings of being a very long and frustrating season. Although, it may not be very long for Aaron Boone. He continues to make one dubious decision after another and offers ridiculous excuses in an arrogant and condescending way afterward. I have never before heard of an inferior manager with a superiority complex.
Quick Stats –
· The Yankees lead the Major Leagues in grounding into double plays with 31.
· Trent Grisham, who never plays, now has more home runs and RBI than Gleyber Torres, who plays every day.
· The Yankees have been shut out 4 times out of 27 games this season, which fits the pattern of streakiness under Aaron Boone.
· Giancarlo Stanton was 3-42 as a pinch hitter before last night.
· Yesterday was Aaron Judge’s 32nd birthday. I wonder if he received a Juan Soto jersey.
· Anthony Rizzo has 17 career home runs against the Brewers. Unfortunately, one of them wasn't last night.
Big Story –
The Yankees are now in second place in a season that is beginning to become eerily reminiscent of last year. Yes, Juan Soto is a tremendous player, and the Yankees should sign him to a long-term contract. Once Aaron Judge regains his form, they will be a formidable 1-2 punch in the lineup. There are some promising signs. However, there are more red flags.
Gleyber Torres is having a terrible start to his walk year. There is a very good chance that he will finish April with no home runs. He is not Babe Ruth but, he is hitting below .200 with no home runs and two RBI. His defense continues to be shaky. Anthony Rizzo has been somewhat shaky on defense as well, which goes against everything he has done in his career. He is starting to come around offensively but, he is also streaky. Austin Wells is off to a slow start but, he is a rookie and has shown some signs of being productive. But at least he dropped down a bunt against the shift the other day and stole a base earlier in the season. He's trying to contribute in any way possible.
it is the end of April. There is still a lot of time left in this season, but the same old patterns are repeating themselves with Aaron Boone. How many times do we need to see this? Are the Yankees going to wait until they drop into last place before they make the move that they need to make. It might be too late by then.
Player of the Game –
Trent Grisham's first hit of the season was a three-run home run.
Notable Performance –
Clay Holmes pitched a dominant 9th inning, retiring the side on 10 pitches. Why on earth he did not come out for the 10th, no one knows.
Better to Forget –
Anthony Volpe, Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo, and Gleyber Torres were a collective 0-19. Apparently, they forgot to swing.
My Take –
I have several thoughts about this game and the season in general so far.
· Aaron Boone consistently pulls pitchers from games earlier rather than later. Luis Gil is coming back from Tommy John surgery. Why on earth did Boone send him out for the 6th inning, when he had been shaky for the whole game and was at 95 pitches. How many more pitches would he have been able to throw? Why not take him out after 5 innings with a lead?
· Let me get this straight, Clay Holmes couldn't come out for the 10th inning after only throwing 10 pitches in the 9th inning? Yet you turn the game over to a pitcher who has been designated for assignment three times already this season. It's April. Michael Tonkin has been cut more times than Julius Caesar, and he is the pitcher Boone turned to?
· What is the fascination with filling the roster with players picked up off the waiver wire? Why do the Yankees, who are looking to win the World Series scoop players up off the scrap heap from other teams? It makes no sense. The bullpen has been a merry go round of pitchers who have been designated for assignment. One comes in and another one goes. If I were Michael Tonkin, I wouldn't buy any green bananas for his apartment.
· Oswaldo Cabrera, who was not supposed to play much this season, has more RBI than Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres combined.
· Before the season, Aaron Boone said that in order for the 2024 Yankees not to become the 2023 Yankees, they needed to win the games they are supposed to win. They are not doing that. Welcome to last year.
· The streakiness and inconsistency that have been the hallmark of Aaron Boone’s tenure as manager are continuing. They opened the season by sweeping a series against the Houston Astros, which was tremendous. This week, they split a series with the Oakland A’s. Oakland is not a very good team at all.
· We have reached the point where the Yankees should seriously consider trading DJ LeMahieu when and if he is able to play again. He certainly cannot be considered to be the leadoff hitter or a regular player anymore. He is injury prone and inconsistent. On top of that, he does not seem to be a reliable reporter as far as his health status goes because he repeatedly claims to be ready to play and contribute when he is not. That helps no one. His one-inning minor league rehab set him back. It didn't help him or the team. Enough is enough.
· Brad Ausmus should begin picking out carpet swatches for the manager's office. I'm not saying he's the best choice but, it would be hard to find someone else in the middle of the season.
Next Up –
Tonight, the Yankees play the second game of a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers at 7:10 PM at American Family Field. Carlos Rodon, (1-1, 3.66 ERA) will face Milwaukee’s Joe Ross, (1-1, 4.91 ERA).
