blue jays | twilightdawning

So, one down in the series and time for the Yankees to try and turn things around.

On the mound is the rookie of the year from 2024, Luis Gil who has recovered from injury. In his first games since returning, he started slowly but he has now built up his stamina and is settling well.

The Toronto Blue Jays started with George Springer leading off and popping up to Anthony Volpe for the first out, and then Addison Barger lined out to Cody Bellinger who is in rightfield this afternoon. So, a good start for Gil but then the Yankees’ nemesis from last night, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a double on a sharp line drive towards Jasson Dominguez as a way of welcoming Jasson back to the line-up.

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Cam Schlittler was probably the Yankees’ best starting pitcher in August. September didn’t begin so well for him.

When the first pitch went over the plate just after 7:11 pm, there was no reason to think anything out of the ordinary was about to take place and sure enough Schlittler struck out George Springer and then took out Addison Barger in the same way.

And then everything changed.

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So, as is my way, I have a writing commission to specifically cover the whole month of Yankees baseball in September. So, I headed out from England to take up my seat in The Stadium.

However, when I first arrived this year the Yankees were still on their road trip, so my opening article will just briefly cover that period.

It would be the 5th before the Yankees returned home and prior to that they had a series against Houston. We all know the rivalry that has existed between the teams and their fans for the last several year – they were charged with using artificial methods to steal signs in 2017 and 2018 and found guilty – and that is not easy to forget.

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The pitching in July has not been a pretty picture.

Several relievers came in at the deadline (more on them presently), but the Yankees could also have used a new starter or two, but no-one arrived. They really aren’t in great shape.

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Back to attending the games in person…

And so back in the Bronx, and just or more significantly, the Yankees were to face the Baltimore Orioles.

Prior to this game, the Yankees were 6 games clear in the American League East. There were six games to play which meant that if Baltimore won all their remaining games and the Yankees lost theirs… Well, you can do the math. If Baltimore swept the Yankees here, the two teams would be a few steps closer to an unlikely one game playoff to see who would rule the division. Both teams are going to be in the post-season, now it is a battle for home advantage in the playoffs, and to see who would play who – plus the little things like a division title and how many games the Yankees would have in the wins column at the end of the season. They couldn’t make 100, but 98 was not a bad target.

The starting pitchers on the mound would be Dean Kremer for the Orioles and Clarke Schmidt for the New York team. Kremer had appeared in 24 games and taken 7 wins. Schmidt, who had struggled with injuries this season, had ony 13 starts (he had missed the whole of June, July and August) , and taken 5 wins although he had a higher win percentage than Kremer. From compraing just the pitchers’ records this one could go either way.

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The pitchers turned the New York Yankees around in August, after the nosedive of June and July. Their amazing start in March, April and May meant that they were always going to be in contention, but a 14-12 month was enough to put them back to the top of their division.

The starting rotation combined for 12 of those wins, and the bullpen made up mostly of names that were not well-known, combined to keep the team in contention in most games.

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If the Yankees batting fell apart in June (with the exception of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge – it’s becoming like a mantra), then the pitching, particularly the starting rotation also hit massive problems.

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And so we turn our attention to the Yankees pitchers. The starting rotation has had some necessary changes. The bullpen has changed beyond recognition.

Obviously, the major need is to cover for the absence because of injury of Gerrit Cole. He’ll be out until June.

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The Yankees settled into their groove right from the beginning of the season this time out. By the end of March, they were 4-0 and in first place in the American League East.

By the end of April, they had slipped back to 2nd in the division, but only by one game behind the Baltimore Orioles.

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Injuries? The Yankees got ’em.

Nestor Cortes; Luis Severino; Albert Abreu; Anthony Misiewicz; Wandy Peralta; Tommy Kahnle; Ryan Weber; Luis Gil; Lou Trivino.

And Frankie Montas, and Keynan Middleton just made it back before the end of the season.

And Ian Hamilton by the middle of September.

No surprise then that the patched up Yankees rotation and bullpen struggled in September and in game 162 in October.

Thank goodness for Gerrit Cole.

Let’s take an overview of the stats…

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twilightdawning

A writer's thoughts – mainly about music, sport and theatre. Shakespeare, Bob Dylan, live shows, New York Yankees

Tag Archives: blue jays

A New York Yankees Diary – Day Six – September 6th, 2025

A New York Yankees Diary – Day Five – September 5th, 2025

A New York Yankees Diary – Day One to Four – September 1st to 4th, 2025

The New York Yankees in July – Part Two – The Pitchers (2025)

A New York Yankees Diary – Day Fourteen – September 24th, 2024

The New York Yankees in August – Part Two – The Pitchers (2024)

The New York Yankees in June – Part Two – The Pitchers (2024)

The New York Yankees in March / April – Part Two – The Pitchers (2024)

The New York Yankees in March / April – Part One – The Batters (2024)

The New York Yankees in September / October – Part Two – The Pitchers (2023)