The Yankees offense went cold for a second straight day as they mustered just three hits in their 2-0 loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday night in the Bronx.
It’s not like the Yankees didn’t have their chances. They were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left five on base. With the loss, the Yankees (30-21) split the four-game series with Toronto (23-27).
Here are the takeaways…
-The Yankees bats didn’t have many runners get into scoring position against the Blue Jays, who deployed the bullpen game strategy. In the second, Ryan McMahon‘stwo-out double was wasted in the second inning by an Anthony Volpe flyout and a Spencer Jones leadoff single — followed by the prospect’s first career stolen base — was gone by the wayside in the fifth after back-to-back strikeouts from Volpe and J.C. Escarra.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (strikeout) and Paul Goldschmidt (groundout) left Ben Rice at second when the Yankees had two runners on in the sixth.
The Blue Jays were worse in the clutch department, picking up seven hits (three from Ernie Clement) but making it count by going 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and leaving eight on base.
–Carlos Rodon made his third start of the season Thursday and got into some bad luck in the first. After walking Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with one out, the slugger stole second and Daulton Varsho poked an opposite-field double (65.5 mph off the bat) that hit the third base bag, scoring Guerrero.
Aside from that, Rodon was solid. The southpaw gave the Yankees five strong innings, striking out a season-high seven batters. He allowed just the one run on three hits and three walks. It’s the furthest Rodon has gone this season and he dropped his ERA to 5.40.
–Aaron Judge‘s struggles continued, striking out looking in his first at-bat — extending his consecutive strikeout streak to seven ABs. He finished 0-for-4. He is now homerless in 10 straight games.
Volpe is fighting to stay in the lineup with the return of Jose Caballero looming. The shortstop went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and went 3-for-14 with four strikeouts in the series.
Escarra is also looking to stay in the lineup with the slumping Austin Wells not starting. Escarra finished 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout and is 1-for-16 in his last seven games.
Jones started in center field with Trent Grisham getting the night off after injuring his knee on Wednesday. The young slugger went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and a strikeout.
–George Springer got to the bullpen, taking Camilo Doval deep for a solo shot to put Toronto up 2-0 in the seventh. The Yankees bullpen was up-and-down in this one. Yovanny Cruz, after having a spectacular MLB debut on Wednesday, was not as sharp, allowing a hit and hitting a batter while getting just one out.
Here’s how the bullpen fared:
- Y. Cruz: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 HB
- Brent Headrick: 1.0 IP, 1 K
- Doval: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER
- Paul Blackburn: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 K
Game MVP: Blue Jays bullpen
Toronto used five pitchers and they kept the Yankees lineup off balance, striking out 14 batters.
What’s next
The Yankees continue their homestand by hosting the AL East-leading Rays for a three-game series starting Friday. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
Gerrit Cole will make his season debut while Tampa will have Nick Martinez (4-1, 1.51 ERA) take the mound.