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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