Yankees Breakdown: Made Up Ground

Six games, six wins. After a rather disconcerting losing streak less than two weeks ago, the Yankees immediately made up ground lost, finishing 7-3 against three American League West opponents in a ten day span. The six wins came from the rally caps, as extra-inning efforts by Stephen Drew and Garrett Jones shot down the Mariners in three nights, and the power bats from Mark Teixeira and Brian McCann ousted Anaheim in the Yankees' first sweep at home against the Halos in nearly twenty years.  New York previously experienced a scurry of mood swings, as the 2015 campaign began with a 3-6 record which later on prompted a rallying win streak in the latter weeks of April and early May. The Yankees' sporadic stretches lie within the genetic code of the ball club, and although many suggest that New York has shown vulnerability at an early stage in the year, the remaining AL East rivals have also lacked consistency. In the last 25 games, the Yankees are marked at 12-13, leading Tampa Bay by a game and a half in the divisional race. At a current record of 32-25, New York holds the third most wins in the American League, and since star outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury's leg injury, the Yankees have won ten of their last seventeen, refusing to let up on a division that bears no definitive favorite. 

Here's a breakdown of the last week of games. 

On The Mark

Mark Teixeira's offseason diet of gluten free foods was not discovered by accident; for a man who is a strong adherent to healthy eating and lifestyle choices, Teixeira's production on the field is largely in credit to his efforts off the field. It is also evident that Mark's ailing wrist has fully healed, as the power from his left side has returned in the batter's box. For Teixeira, the proof is in the numbers, as he holds the most RBI in the American League (45) and sits one home run shy of Nelson Cruz (18) for first place. Teixeira has continued to be a favorable strikeout victim, but his eye at the plate is one of the league's best, and his home runs deep in the count is proof alone. His offensive numbers may be due to the long ball, but Teixeira's extra-base hits have also increased, showing that he is confident in his baserunning abilities and adaptable to beating defensive shifts with opposite field power. As one of the older players in the clubhouse, Mark has earned back his All-Star stature, and with a healthy Tex playing a Gold Glove caliber first base, it will not be long until the veteran finds himself traveling to Cincinnati for the mid-Summer Classic. 

"DnA"

The clever nickname of "DnA" given to relievers Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller has officially marketed the two as one of baseball's most threatening pitching tandems. In a combined 47.1 innings pitched, the demon duo has recorded 19 saves and 96 strikeouts while only surrendering 19 total hits and four earned runs. This dominance is hard to come by in the modern game, and whether or not both Betances and Miller are playing above their respected averages, the production from the Yankee bullpen has excelled remarkably. New York's initial offseason plan was to bring back ex-closer David Robertson from the free agency market, and despite a firm and respectable offer made to Robertson, he declined the Yankees' proposal, and signed with Chicago for his requested amount of cash. This move demonstrated New York's reluctance to overspend for overvalued commodities, and with an affordable arm in Andrew Miller on the market. the front office took a stab at the crafty southpaw, which has appeared to be nothing less than highway robbery thus far. As Robertson exited, Betances took on the role as New York's most valued asset in the bullpen, and with Betances' power and Miller's command, opponents are hitting a combined .098 at the plate with an average on-base percentage of .213. Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller will never replace Mariano Rivera legacy, but New York has fortunately found affordable options without skipping a beat. 

W2W4

After three games at home this past weekend against the Angels, the Yankees continue a long awaited home stand this Tuesday with another interleague clash between the Nationals. As the week concludes with a three game set in Baltimore, New York then travels to Miami for two and returns home for eight straight at home between Miami, Detroit, and Philadelphia. With two off days this week, the Yankees will look to regain full strength, as Friday begins the longest stint of the season, with a brutal stretch of 19 games in 19 days. Tuesday night's marquee match up showcases a pair of aces, as Nationals' Max Scherzer squares off against Masahiro Tanaka. Tanaka was nothing short of excellent in his return to the rotation last week against Seattle, and Washington will serve as a fitting test to determine if Tanaka's dominance is here to stay. New York also confirmed that Ivan Nova will begin his rehab assignment in High-A Charleston Monday night, and if all goes well without any major setbacks to his surgically repaired elbow, expect Nova to be back in the starting rotation within the next couple of weeks. Major League Baseball's Rule 5 Draft is also set to begin Monday night, and the Yankees find themselves in a rare and fortunate position. New York holds the 16th overall pick, the highest slot the Yankees have owned since 1993. With three picks in the first 57 slots, expect management to look for a strong set of youngsters by rank of talent, and not position. 

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Yankees Breakdown: A Slow and Steady Race

In an eleven game span that lasted thirteen days, the Yankees abruptly reached a breaking point, as New York managed to lose ten of eleven contests against Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Washington, and Texas. New York struggled mightily at the plate, while surrendering 73 runs to the opponent in 100 total innings. During this rough patch, New York failed to establish a competitive style of play, and to no one's surprise, the opponents successfully revealed the Yankees' vulnerability on the road and at home. Generally, the lengthy and often "perpetual" season slumps gradually subside, but after being swept by the Rangers in the Bronx, New York welcomed in Kansas City, and by the first inning against the Royals, the Yankees turned the switch back on.  New York batted around to score eight runs on three home runs in the bottom half the 1st, and by the final pitch, the Yankees' six-game losing skid was snapped after a 14-1 victory. In the latter two games, New York received stellar outings from Adam Warren and Michael Pineda, as the Bombers claimed their first series sweep at home and first since May 3 (at Boston). From there, the Yankees took on the Athletics in the first west-coast trip of the season, but Oakland earned three wins in four tries, placing New York tied on top the American League East standings with Tampa Bay. At a record of 26-25, the Yankees begin June in Seattle for the trip's second and final series, until returning back home for 13 of 18 games in the Bronx. 

Here's a breakdown of last week's games. 

A-Rod's Consistency

In the beginning of the year, the pot was stirred with endless debate on whether or not Alex Rodriguez would produce after a year-long suspension. Although many analysts expected A-Rod to blend in without a hitch, surely a small sample size expected the overall consistency and reliability that Alex has contributed in the first two months. As the oldest and also longest tenured Yankee on the active roster, Rodriguez' revamped confidence has positively influenced the ball club, and his experience earned on the field has further enhanced a comradery and chemistry in the clubhouse. With his veteran leadership put aside, Rodriguez' production on the field has also been impactful, currently holding second place for the team's highest batting average (.281), on-base percentage (.369), and OPS (.914). Rodriguez thrives off of publicity and recognition, and as of late, he has earned many votes as a potential All-Star Game candidate for the American League. 

Outfield Production

On Friday, rookie outfielder Slade Heathcott was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right quad, which forced the front office to call up Triple-A prospect Ramon Flores, who now temporarily stands in the slot of Jacoby Ellsbury, who also remains sidelined after a knee injury two weeks ago. Flores made his Major League debut Saturday, and collected his first hit Sunday, along with two impressive defensive plays in left field. With Ellsbury's workload limited and Heathcott's timetable unknown, Flores will definitely be integrated into the every day lineup. Platoon man Chris Young has shown success for the majority of the season, but has recently struggled at the plate. Despite Young's woes, Carlos Beltran has torn the cover off the ball, posting a .298 batting average in May, along with a solid 15-game hitting streak that ended on Thursday. Brett Gardner has been the constant star in the outfield, and with the role of leadoff man given to him, Gardner has managed to produce in a slot that he has never favored. Until Ellsbury returns to the daily rotation, the production from youngsters will make the difference in tight-knit ballgames. 

Rotation Roller-coaster 

For a rotation that carries an ERA of 3.86 (14th in MLB) and places sixth in innings pitched (459.2), the inconsistent outings from Nathan Eovaldi and CC Sabathia bore the brunt of the Yankees' losses. Despite Eovaldi's 4-1 record, half of his ten outings have resulted in no decisions, as he also leads the team in hits to opponents (76). Eovaldi was traded from Miami to New York last winter for his high velocity fastball, but with little control on the heater and lackluster command to his breaking balls, pitching coach Larry Rothschild will have to figure out an immediate solution to Eovaldi's issues, and hopefully, the arsenal the Yankees traded for will rise up in the later months. There is no reason to give up on the 25-year old right-hander, but there are clear holes in his development. 

CC Sabathia's reliability is slipping, and youngster Adam Warren has shown to be capable of taking on the rotational pressures. Chris Capuano returned to the hill last weekend in Kansas City, and has yet to earn a victory in three starts. Of course, Capuano is not a permanent solution to the aching staff, and with Masahiro Tanaka scheduled to start in Seattle this Wednesday, Capuano will most likely get the bump to the bullpen. Ivan Nova also continues to work his way up to the Bronx, as he will pitch in one more extended spring training game before beginning a rehab assignment in the minor leagues. The Yankee bullpen has eaten a lot of innings, so it will be imperative for the starting pitchers to go the distance, and extend their outings into the later stages of the games. 


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