The last time I posted about the Yankees, I was thinking they'd have a bit of a dip in quality in the ramp-up to June before letting the Blue Jays catch up. Since that post, the Yankees have lost 5 games...and won 10.
Maybe I should predict a drop-off more often. I know my prediction skills are broken, I better put it to good use.
This rotation, man....oh my gosh, this rotation. I know Montgomery was a little shakier today, gave up a run or two, but...if a guy with a 3.02 ERA and 46 Ks who can go 6 or so innings per start is your fifth-best guy, you're doing pretty damn well. This week Cortes, Taillon, Cole and Severino have been incredible on the mound, with Taillon and Cole being perfect til later innings, and Severino only giving up 1 hit all night. With the exception of a one-off start by Luis Gil before he landed on the IL and a start from J.P. Sears in a double-header week, five guys have started games for the Yankees so far this season, and all five of them have ERAs lower than 3.02. For a team that has struggled so mightily with starting pitching over the last several seasons, and have tried to buy stability only to get less than 50 innings out of James Paxton, this is an amazing step up.
It's also fantastic to see so many pitchers having the best year of their careers so far with this team. Jameson Taillon especially flirted with consistency in Pittsburgh but was too injury-prone to really become too useful there. I'm glad that he's found his control, and I'm glad that we were able to pick him up cheaply enough and use him to his best potential. To also see solid stuff from both Jordan Montgomery and Luis Severino after a few consecutive injury-plagued years as well is fantastic too. Sevvy has learned not to overexert himself, and even calmer Sevvy still has 61 Ks. Not Cole numbers, but not completely docile either.
And this team is still full of surprises. Matt Carpenter has 4 home runs as the Yankee backup DH. Jose Trevino has fit in as the starting catcher and is hitting .289. Manny Banuelos is actually a relief piece for the Yankees again [wonder if Brackman and Betances are doing anything?]. Clay Holmes is actually an exceptional closer in Chapman's absence. Aaron Judge has TWENTY ONE HOME RUNS. And now that Stanton and Donaldson are back, we're even better than we were in this stretch.
I'm so happy with this team. But I'm so worried that the second I get too happy with them, they'll go cold fast. The Jays are heating up, as they are prone to in June, and you have to worry about them. But hopefully the Yankees keep going at this pace without buckling too much.
Coming Tomorrow- Meanwhile, on the other side of the borough, a once-promising contact annihilator returns to form in the absolute best year to do so.
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