Zachary Engberg
2 min read • May 24, 2022
Posted in
The Yankees, 29-13, have lost three in a row and four of their last five as their pitching staff and lineup begin to thin out.
A bullpen that is already without Zack Britton is losing mainstay Chad Green to Tommy John surgery while closer Aroldis Chapman is scuffling as he deals with Achilles tendinitis, posting an ERA of 14.73 and allowing a 1.469 OPS over his last five outings.
The New York bullpen has allowed a combined 11 runs in the final two frames in its four recent losses, including five runs in the eighth against the White Sox on Sunday and a walk-off three-run home run to the Orioles last Thursday.
Josh Donaldson has been suspended for one game for his verbal instigation of Tim Anderson from this weekend and was placed on the Covid-19 restricted list on Monday.
He joins slugging outfielder Joey Gallo and catcher Kyle Higashioka, who were placed on the Covid list on Sunday, leading to the Yankees scoring five total runs over their last three contests.
Veteran Marwin Gonzalez, Aaron Hicks, and Jose Trevino have stepped in at third base, left field, and catcher, respectively.
Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton continue to slug their way atop the leaderboard, as Judge bashed his 16th and 17th home runs on Monday.
Jordan Montgomery will take the hill hosting a 3.35 ERA and having allowed at least two earned runs in each of his last five starts, but never more than three.
While New York struggles, the Orioles, 18-25, have won four of their last five, two of which came against the AL East leaders.
Baltimore’s pitching staff continues to lose key cogs, as Spenser Watkins was placed on the 15-day IL, joining John Means, Alexander Wells, and Chris Ellis.
Their lineup, however, is rounding into form, as recently injured Ryan Mountcastle, Rougned Odor and Austin Hays have returned from recent injuries. Hays has batted in two runs in each of the last two games, Odor has hit safely in eight consecutive games, and Mountcastle has gone a combined 2-12 with five strikeouts since returning from the 10-day IL.
Top prospect Adley Rutschman has started 2-12 with one triple in his first three games while splitting time behind the plate and as DH.
Bruce Zimmerman will take the bump as he attempts to brush off his worst start of the season, a five-run outing against the Yankees last Thursday that rose his ERA nearly 80 points. Zimmerman has yet to make it past the sixth inning or strikeout more than six batters in any of his eight starts this season.
Written by Zachary Engberg
