So, continuing on with this theme of the Yankees appalling collapse in July – It is not appalling because the Yankees have a divine right to success. It’s is appalling because the Yankees’ roster is not the roster of the Kansas City Royals, or the Oakland Athletics. It is appalling because going into the season, it appeared that the Yankees had a roster which was the envy of everyone, and had a starting rotation which looked like one of the best, if not the best in the Majors.

Gerrit Cole – Carlos Rodon – Nestor Cortes – Luis Severino – Frankie Montas — and if injuries arose Domingo German and Clarke Schmidt to fall back on.

Injuries came – and too many. Even then the bullpen held up the weight, but by July the relievers were over-tired, and with Aaron Judge injured the team was going nowhere but down.

Let’s review the troops:

* indicates left-handed pitcher. No * indicates right-handed pitcher

Name/Pos	W	L	ERA	G	GS	GF	CG	Sv	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	WHIP
Josh Donaldson 3b/p	0	0	0.00	1	0	0	0	0	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
Deivi Garcia sp/rp	0	0	0.00	1	0	0	0	0	2.2	2	0	0	3	1	1.88
Isiah Kiner-Falefa of/if/p	0	0	0.00	1	0	1	0	0	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	1.00
Randy Vasquez sp	0	0	0.00	1	1	0	0	0	5.0	3	0	0	3	1	1.20
Clay Holmes rp	0	0	1.08	9	0	7	0	5	8.1	5	1	1	3	10	0.96
Wandy Peralta rp*	1	0	1.13	10	0	0	0	0	8.0	5	1	1	2	7	0.88
Gerrit Cole sp	1	1	2.20	5	5	0	0	0	32.2	21	8	8	5	36	0.80
Ian Hamilton rp	0	0	2.53	9	1	1	0	0	10.2	9	5	3	5	11	1.31
Michael King rp	1	0	3.46	9	0	1	0	1	13.0	9	5	5	6	16	1.15
Clarke Schmidt sp/rp	4	0	4.43	5	4	1	0	0	22.1	18	11	11	3	20	0.94
Domingo German sp/rp	0	2	4.61	5	4	1	0	0	27.1	23	16	14	9	36	1.17
Nick Ramirez rp*	0	2	4.66	8	0	2	0	0	9.2	12	8	5	1	9	1.34
Tommy Kahnle rp	1	1	5.06	12	0	2	0	0	10.2	10	7	6	7	11	1.59
Carlos Rodon sp*	1	3	5.75	4	4	0	0	0	20.1	16	13	13	12	15	1.38
Ron Marinaccio rp	0	2	7.36	11	0	2	0	0	11.0	12	9	9	9	12	1.91
Albert Abreu rp	0	0	7.88	7	0	5	0	0	8.0	9	8	7	5	10	1.75
Luis Severino sp	1	3	11.22	5	5	0	0	0	21.2	43	29	27	9	18	2.40
Jhony Brito sp	0	1	11.25	1	1	0	0	0	4.0	6	5	5	0	4	1.50
Jimmy Cordero rp	0	0	13.50	1	0	1	0	0	2.0	5	3	3	0	2	2.50
Matt Krook rp*	0	0	13.50	1	0	0	0	0	1.1	2	2	2	3	1	3.75
Name/Pos	W	L	ERA	G	GS	GF	CG	Sv	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	WHIP

Starters

Gerrit Cole continued to be the main hope for the Yankees’ starting rotation in July. He only picked up one win, but it was clear that the collapse in the performance of the bullpen was the cause of that. His ERA of 2.20, and a team-leading WHIP of 0.80 show this perfectly. Howver, Cole has a reputation of not being a great clubhouse presence, and he didn’t come to New York to be on a losing team. Somewhere, there is a lack of motivation within this team and it is those who have a negative reputation like Cole and Donaldson who will find fingers pointing at them – alongside Aaron Boone who is not lifting his squad, and Brian Cashman who has not delivered a roster that fits together.

After Cole? Well, the reality is that after Cole, there is very little… But, Clarke Schmidt has been steadily improving all season. He is never going to be a league leader, but he is giving the Yankees between 5 and 6 innings every fifth day – and in July when nobody was winning, he delivered 4 of the 10 wins. His WHIP of 0.94 shows his growth. He has become an ideal number three starter. The problem is that the Bronx team don’t have anybody to place between him and Cole.

Carlos Rodon is supposed to fill that role. He came back from injury, and he looked a pale imitation of his 2022 self (when he wasn’t playing in New York). Three losses in four appearances and a 1.38 WHIP. He did achieve a win but even that was a rather lucky affair, and his month ended on a 5.75 ERA.

Domingo German continues to have a topsy-turvy season. Perfect game, thrown out of a game, almost thrown out of another, and now a month without a win and a 4.61 ERA. Go figure…

Of the great hopes though, Luis Severino is the worst. His confidence is shot. He’s trying too hard. And opponents are hitting him like he shouldn’t even be playing in the Major Leagues. Of the regulars, he had by far the worst of ERA and WHIP, and things are steadily deterioating rather than improving.

Two youngsters are being given occasional opportunities. Jhony Brito and Randy Vasquez had very different outcomes from their one start, and it was Vasquez who was the success.

Ian Hamilton was used as an “opener” in one game, but more on him below.

Relievers.

Wandy Peralta, who has a reputation of being a buoyant clubhouse presence, was also the Yankees best reliever in July. He picked up a win and gave the Yankees 10 appearances for a 1.13 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP.

He also has the advantage of being consistent while the form of others come and go like the tides. Clay Holmes had a good month, but his temperament is looking suspect. Too often he just cannot deliver. This month, though, he was golden with 9 appearances including 7 finishes and a total of 5 more saves. The Yankees must remember when admiring that 0.96 WHIP that it is only a couple of months ago that they weren’t sure whether they could consider him their regular closer.

The already mentioned Ian Hamilton rebounded from recent injury difficulties, and including his versatility shown by his appearance as an opener, he had a more than solid month. This also has to be taken in the context of the fact that in Spring Training the Yankees had very little expectation for him, and it was a surprise he made the opening day roster. He also recovers well from allowing men to get on base. His 2.53 ERA on the month wasn’t his best, but whilst others around him were losing their way it will more than do.

Michael King was another who came out of a difficult month with some credit. However, Tommy Kahnle, Ron Marinaccio, and Albert Abreu seem rather to have lost their way. Indeed, Marinaccio who seemed to be the most dependable of the Yankees’ relievers not so many weeks ago was so poor that by month’s end he was on the bus to Scranton. An ERA of 7.36, 2 losses, and a WHIP of 1.91 (second worst amongst the regulars to Severino) was sufficient evidence that his mechanics and outlook had fallen apart. Albert Abreu was perhaps worse in some ways, but it is Kahnle who is the great concern simply because the expectation on him is so much higher. They have given up on Abreu before.

Jimmy Cordero, who like Hamilton, outdid himself to make the roster, is now a lost cause. We hinted last month that something was wrong behind the scenes, and this month, after one very weak performance, an investigation was completed which resulted in him being suspended for an infringement of MLB’s domestic violence policy.

Deivi Garcia was again given a brief opportunity to play for the Yankees, and he did very well. The whispers are that the Yankees have cooled on him considerably.

Matt Krook who had been brought back to New York under the Rule 5 draft terms and had done well at Scranton was brought up to strengthen the relief corps in the midst of the problem of tired arms, and those who were struggling with their mindsets. For the second time he didn’t help, and like on his previous appearance he was promptly sent back from where he came.

Nick Ramirez, who had perhaps exceeded expections in June, struggled in July after been given an increased workload.

The Yankees’ huge bullpen problems were highlighted in that for the second time in recent months, players from the batting section of the line-up were used as fill-in relievers. As well as Isiah Kiner-Falefa (again), Josh Donaldson was used in this role. There is really not much more we can add to show how bad things are.