Yankees Breakdown: Coming Down to the Wire

The final week of August was a wild turn of events for the New York Yankees, as a cold streak of games against the Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros concluded a 10-game homestand with only 5 wins. In response to a lack of offensive production against Houston, New York swiftly found a resurgence at the plate in Atlanta, pouring on a whopping 38 runs in 3 games against the Braves. 

At a record of 72-57, the Yankees sit one and a half games behind the surging Toronto Blue Jays (74-56). For New York, they begin a 3-game set at Fenway Park against the Red Sox on Monday before returning home for another 10-game homestand against Tampa Bay (64-66, -10), Baltimore (63-67, -11), and Toronto. While a favorable home schedule remains for the Yankees, the opposite belongs to Toronto, as the Blue Jays will take on two more road trips of seven or more games in the month of September and October. While the Rays and Orioles continue their lingering struggle to stay afloat, the American League East appears to be a two-team race, and for the Yankees and Blue Jays, seven games remain between both teams. 

The dog days of summer have officially passed, and the Yankees will wrap up August entering Monday night with a record of 15-13 this month. 33 games remain on the regular season schedule for New York, 26 of which are against divisional opponents. 

The final month of play will be integral to the Yankees' playoff hopes. Here's a breakdown of last week's games. 

Teixeira Goes Down, Who Steps Up?

It was ignorant to believe that a 35-year-old Mark Teixeira would manage to stay healthy for an entire season, but for the majority of the year, Teixeira's success and resurgence left many fans thankful for his clutch contributions. Mark's season has certainly been a year to remember, but unfortunately, the veteran first baseman suffered a severe bone bruise on his right leg on Aug. 17, after fouling a ball off his leg in the sixth inning against Minnesota. For an injury that was assumed to be a minor day-to-day stint, Teixeira's appearances have been significantly limited, as he has recorded only 3 at-bats since the injury occurred. Teixeira and the Yankees' medical staff has approached the injury with serious precautions, and his absence in the lineup has placed a burden on the top half of the batting order. Teixeira remains out of the lineup Monday night, and has yet to receive a timetable to return to action. In 111 games this season, Teixeira has driven in 79 runs and has belted 31 home runs, the most he has recorded of both stats since 2012. While his future this September remains in question, Manager Joe Girardi has filled the void temporarily, platooning rookie Greg Bird at first base since Aug. 13. Bird excelled in his first week in the League, hitting .333 with two homers and four RBI, but has slowly dipped his batting average into the .250's, contributing very little to the Yankee offense. During Spring Training, the front office tested Alex Rodriguez' talents at first base, but since the exhibition games in March, the Yankees's staff has refrained from placing Rodriguez in the field, and recent struggles from A-Rod in the batter's box show enough proof of wear and tear on a 40-year-old body. For now, Teixeira's health is of highest concern, and if he fails to be back on the lineup card soon, New York's playoff aspirations are arguably in jeopardy. 

Pitching Rotation Mood Swings



As if fans' prayers were answered, CC Sabathia was pulled during the third inning of last week's contest against Cleveland, as MRI tests later revealed inflammation in Sabathia's right knee, placing the once Yankees' ace on the 15-day disabled list. 2015 has been nothing short of a nightmare for Sabathia, as his inflated ERA of 5.27 is the highest of his career, while his win total of a measly 4 games is the second lowest mark in his 15 total seasons. It remains unclear as to whether or not Sabathia will return to his rotation slot if medically cleared to play next week, but with minimal contributions this season, it seems more likely that Sabathia will serve out of the bullpen if activated, considering the positive production rookie Luis Severino has given the staff since his promotion earlier this month. Since returning from the disabled list last week with a forearm strain, Michael Pineda is still searching for his lost groove, and New York is heavily reliant on his longevity and consistency. Masahiro Tanaka earned double digit wins for his second consecutive season on Friday, and fortunately for the Yankees' pampered asset, there have been no signs of injury to his right elbow or forearm that has forced past stints on the disabled list. New York's staff has placed 15th in the League in ERA (3.94), but continues to get opponents out through the art of the strikeout (1,082 SO- 6th in MLB). Since Nathan Eovaldi's implosion against his former team in Miami during mid-June, the young flame thrower has not lost a game in 13 straight decisions, showing significant improvement in his command, control, and confidence. Eovaldi is currently tied 3rd in the American League for most wins (14), but with those 14 wins comes incredible run support, as the Yankees' offense has scored six runs on average when Eovaldi takes the hill. Eovaldi's overall record of 14-2 is still impressive, but definitely misleading in determining his performance this season; however, there is no doubt that Eovaldi is gradually learning how to become an effective pitcher, and in the season's final month, the Yankees' coaching staff will have to either trust the 25-year-old in pressured situations, or limit his pitch count if things get ugly. Still, this dysfunctional pitching staff has remarkably been able to hold their own ground, and that alone deserves an applause. 

Brian Cashman's Smartest Claim 

It's no secret that the Yankees' front office was not heavily in favor of searching the market for an extra arm during July's trade deadline, but General Manager Brian Cashman still made headlines Monday afternoon after placing a waiver claim on ex-reliever David Robertson. Robertson, who has performed above the curve in his first season as the White Sox' closer, was part of Chicago's list of players on revocable waivers, which allows that respected team to take a player off waivers, regardless of a claim made or won from another team. In the sake of this claim, the Yankees surprisingly won the Robertson bid, but in all likelihood, the move was not made in hopes of him rejoining New York, but to make sure Toronto could not bring in Robertson as well. This sly move from Cashman was simply strategy, as New York was not interested in trading for the reliever, nor eating $38 million remaining on Robertson's contract, considering that the free agent declined the Yankees' qualifying offer of nearly $16 million this past winter. Cashman's only intentions were to make sure Toronto had no chance at snatching Robertson, and with the claim period now expired, the White Sox will have to stand pat with their closer, taking away any advantage the Blue Jays may or may not have wanted to have. 


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Yankees Breakdown: The Divisional Race Begins

After being swept at home to the red-hot Toronto Blue Jays last weekend, the once large divisional lead for the Yankees dwindled, and while the Indians stole two of three games from New York this past week in Cleveland, the Yankees entered Toronto in second place for the first time since July 1, trailing the Blue Jays by half a game in the AL East standings. Fortunately for the Yankees, Toronto's 11-game win streak was snapped Friday evening with the help of Carlos Beltran, as Saturday was a similar case with New York claiming a crucial weekend series at Rogers Centre through a complete game victory from Masahiro Tanaka. 

The Yankees return to the Bronx this Monday to begin a 10-game home stand, hosting the slumping Minnesota Twins, the sly Cleveland Indians, and the AL West leading Houston Astros. Luckily for New York, 20 of their next 27 games occur at Yankee Stadium, as the longest road trip remaining is to Tampa for a three game set in mid-September. New York's previous losing streak left the city in panic, but with sole possession of first place returned, a tight divisional race between the Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles will determine the AL East champion in the final two months of play. 

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


Beltran's Weekend

The star of the Toronto series was undoubtedly Carlos Beltran, as a pinch-hit 3-run homer in the 8th inning of Friday's game helped capture a 4-3 Yankees victory in dramatic fashion. The next day, Beltran continued his success with a solo shot in the 1st inning, along with a double in the 8th to help claim the series north of the border. Unfortunately in Sunday's contest, Beltran's previous success was not reciprocated, as a controversial mishap on a fly ball kept Toronto's 3rd inning alive, which ultimately concluded with a 3-run rally for the Blue Jays. Beltran's miscue cost New York the chance of a sweep, but his late dominance in the batters box is a positive sign for the Yankees' offense. When eliminating Beltran's offensive numbers from April, he is an overall .296 hitter this season, including 12 home runs and 33 RBI. With Beltran's health as a vital concern, manager Joe Girardi has successfully limited Beltran's appearances, which has increased his longevity and eliminated any recent mental or physical health distractions. Although Carlos is no longer a Gold Glove outfielder, the 38-year-old veteran's approach at the plate has made an impact, and if his numbers stay consistent, the wonders of Beltran's retirement may be dismissed until his contract is up after the 2016 campaign. 

Severino Looks Comfy 

In his first three Major League starts, rookie starter Luis Severino has embraced his role in the Yankees' rotation, as the 21-year-old phenom has already posted 18 strikeouts in 17 total innings. His outing on Sunday resulted in a loss due to Beltran's costly error, boosting his ERA to 3.18, but Severino has limited hitters to a .222 batting average, proving that his high velocity fastball and commanding slider is no contest to opposing hitters. Along with a changeup that falls off the table, Severino has shown to be a reliable asset thus far, and with another start against Cleveland upcoming, the rookie will look to earn his first win in the Show. 

The Health of A-Rod and Tex

During New York's five-game losing skid, both Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira combined for a measly 5 hits in 42 at bats (.119 BA), a disconcerting performance by the Yankees' most productive hitters. Both A-Rod and Tex have driven in 142 runs with 55 homers, contributing 27% of the Yankees' total runs batted in (529) and 35% of total home runs (156). The health of these stars are an integral part to New York's success this year, and while both players have been on a season-long surge, there have been small signs of wear and tear this August. For Alex Rodriguez, the 2015 season has been nothing short of spectacular, as the 40-year-old was a .282 hitter by the end of July. Unfortunately, the month of August has not been one and the same, as Rodriguez has hit .143 with only 2 RBI in his last 13 games. His slugging percentage has also dipped drastically, as Rodriguez' last home run came in Arlington against the Rangers on July 27. It is to no one's surprise that A-Rod's production has declined, considering that the last time he played over 100 games was during the 2012 campaign, but with 46 games remaining in the regular season, Joe Girardi must find a sensible solution to fix Rodriguez' struggle, whether that may be reducing his starts by a game or two per week, or by limiting his number of at-bats per game. In regard to Teixeira, the late promotion of infielder Greg Bird was made in order to lift weight off Teixeira's shoulders, as the rookie Bird has already appeared in three games this past week. It was unclear whether New York would call up the touted prospect this season, as Bird only recently earned a promotion to Triple-A Scranton, but it looks as if Bird is here to stay, and with September call ups on the horizon, New York will eventually go to a 40-man roster, which will allow Teixeira to get days off when needed. Teixeira has been the Yankees' most valuable player, and his overall health is of the highest concern during this home stretch of games. 





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Yankees Breakdown: A Red Hot July

After a hectic week of blockbuster trades scattered around the league, the Yankees chose to hold their ground, and managed to secure six wins during a ten-game road trip that concluded in Chicago on Sunday. Behind those six victories were not only strong outings from starting pitchers, but offensive explosions from the Yankee bats. While in Minnesota, the Yankees collected 16 runs in three games with a little help from Alex Rodriguez, who hit three home runs that Saturday night. The second destination was Arlington for a four-game set with the Rangers, and in the second game of the series, New York's offense brought home 21 runs, the most runs scored in a game this year, and the most for the Yankees since reaching 22 against Oakland during the 2011 season. New York concluded a ten-day trip on the southside of Chicago, and claimed two of three from the White Sox behind exceptional pitching performances from Nathan Eovaldi and Ivan Nova. In ten games, the Bronx Bombers tallied 64 total runs, keeping a steady lead in the American League East standings with a 59-45 record. New York opens a brief six-game homestand with Boston on Tuesday and Toronto on Friday, and come Monday, only 24 road games remain on the Yankees' schedule, including three games at Citi Field against the Mets next month. To the Yankees' advantage, all 58 remaining games take place on the Eastern time zone, as the longest flight left will be en route to Tampa's Tropicana Field in mid-September. While the concerns of the team are focused around an ailing pitching staff, the offense has yet to show signs of regression, and a feast or famine style of play has grown to become the norm for the Yankees. 

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

Tex vs. Didi: Players of the Week

Mark Teixeira's renaissance season continued throughout the road trip, as the All-Star slugger earned a .389 batting average, including five homers and nine runs batted in. The numbers Teixeira has posted have been nothing short of spectacular, and in the month of July, he tallied an extra four long balls, making himself a sure candidate for the American League MVP. Teixeira has been in the spotlight all season, but even he was not the hottest Yankee last week. The Player of the Week award rightfully belongs to shortstop Didi Gregorious, who hit .520 in his last seven games, along with seven runs and 11 RBI.  Didi's recent hot streak has been a relief to the coaching staff, as Gregorious finished July with a .317 average, compared to a measly .258 in June. Steady progress on both offense and defense has been evident from the 25-year-old, as Gregorious has only committed a single error in his last 34 games. Time would only tell if Gregorious was up to the challenge at baseball's most difficult position, but it appears that he has finally grown comfortable, which is a positive sign for the Yankee brass, as they do not necessarily need to negotiate with any free agent infielders this upcoming winter. 

Pitching Woes Can Be Fixed

The loss of Michael Pineda due to elbow inflammation has left the Yankees' executives scurrying for temporary starting pitching, and a move made on Friday was successfully completed internally, as phenom Luis Severino was promoted to pitch Wednesday evening against Boston. General Manager Brian Cashman revealed that Severino will not have any pitching restrictions, and is expected to be on the 25-man active roster for the remainder of the season, contingent on a postseason berth. Severino will fill the void of Pineda's absence, but an extra arm is still a necessity, and the solution may be found on baseball's bear market. The San Diego Padres refused to fold their cards this past Friday during the non-waiver trade deadline, but with San Diego clearly on the outside looking in for a postseason invitation, changes to the roster could be made within the month in regard to their All-Stars. One name that stands out among the rest is starter James Shields, who has earned an 8-4 record with a 3.74 ERA in his fist year in the National League. Shields remains under contract for three more seasons, and is due nearly $56 million before becoming a free agent in 2019. If San Diego is looking to dump salary, and if Shields is a potential candidate that clears waivers, he may be a realistic solution for the Yankees, as Shields would remain in pinstripes for an extended period of time. Picking up Shields' contract would not be an issue for New York, as this winter's free agents David Price and Johnny Cueto will be requesting a deal worth two or three times the amount of money that Shields is making. With a lower salary next season, Shields' contract would be flexible around the roster, allowing the Yankees to add an ace, while also releasing any overpriced burdens. 

The Divisional Race 

While Baltimore and Toronto traded for power and depth on the offensive ends, both division rivals sit six games behind the Yankees, tied for second place in the AL East. The Yankees coasted through their final long road trip of the year, but both Baltimore and Toronto's remaining schedules are by no means a cakewalk. The Orioles begin a ten-game trip of their own Monday night in Oakland, which also includes visits to Anaheim and Seattle. Baltimore will also travel for ten straight days in mid-September, as they square off against Tampa Bay, Washington, and Boston.  For the Blue Jays, they take on an eight-game trip starting on Aug, 17 between Philadelphia, Anaheim, and Texas, while also facing 17 road games on the September calendar, the most in the division. Of the Yankees' final 18 series, only nine are against teams with a record over .500, leaving New York in the driver's seat in terms of a potential division crown. 

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