The New York Yankees have been dreadful in most areas during their latest tailspin. However, one of the league's top pitching rotations has struggled mightily despite the return of staff ace Gerrit Cole, the reigning American League Cy Young recipient.
The starting pitchers were off to a red hot start, cruising to the tune of an MLB-best 2.77 ERA after 72 games and had surrendered just 1.01 homers per nine innings. Even more impressive, according to FanGraphs, New York had the ninth-best WAR at 6.4. But that was then.
The New York Yankees boast one of the league's worst rotations and posted a 6.96 ERA over their last 20 games. Starting pitchers have tallied an ugly 3-13 card since the first 72 games with Cole, Luis Gil, Marcus Stroman, and Carlos Rodon failing to produce on the hill. New York's most consistent hurler, Clarke Schmidt, has been sidelined since late May with a right lat strain. This drastic change in performance has had a big impact on the odds for the Yankees, making New York Sportsbooks a hot topic for those following the team's betting lines.
Cole (1-1) has not looked sharp since returning from a season-opening stint on the injured list. The 33-year-old went five innings in an 8-1 win against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 30. The right-hander allowed one run on three hits while racking up six strikeouts in his best outing of the season.
The six-time All-Star fanned eight in his most recent outing, a 14-4 blowout win over the Boston Red Sox. But he failed to finish the fifth inning and was removed after allowing a home one to star third baseman Rafael Devers.
"Today was really hot, and at times I had trouble gripping the ball. But I thought I threw the ball pretty well, to be honest," Cole said. "Pitch count got run up, but through it all, made a lot of good pitches. I got as deep as I could, but it was a grind."
Devers, who has a career .333 batting mark against Cole with eight home runs and 18 RBIs in 15 games, felt fortunate to continue having success against the Yankees' $324 million pitcher.
"Like I've said many times before, he's not an easy at-bat," Devers said through a translator. "It's not like I feel very comfortable against him. We know the type of pitcher that he is. He's one of the best. But at the same time, I've hit well against him."
While Cole topped 90 pitches for the second straight outing, Yankees' manager Aaron Boone felt like the hot weather played a role in his staff ace wearing down so fast.
"I thought Gerrit was all right. I thought his stuff was pretty good," Boone said. "It was really hot, and I think that took its toll, especially the at-bats they took against him in the first couple of innings.
"He had I think 40 pitches after two, up over 60 after three. And I think that took its toll, without question. But I thought he made a lot of really good pitches, and I thought his stuff was there. But they just kind of wore him down and outlasted him a little bit to get him out of there
A veteran who witnessed the Yankees' massive collapse two years ago after lording over the junior circuit with a 61-23 start, Cole has an uncharacteristically 6.75 ERA with 19 strikeouts and eight walks over 17.1 innings. The flamethrower is hopeful the team can bounce back and get back on the winning track before the All-Star break.
"We can't treat these series any differently than if we were playing well," Cole said about finishing the first half of the regular season against division foes. "We're aware of what's going on. We know we're not playing well, but that's the tough part of the game. You have to approach every game like it's a fresh day and not get too up or down. It's challenging, but that's what you have to do. It's one of the hardest things to do in sports."
Gil (9-5) looked more like the dominant right-hander who logged a 2.03 ERA over his first 14 starts in a 3-0 loss to the Red Sox on July 7. The 26-year-old scattered four hits and a lone run over 6.2 frames with nine strikeouts.
"We've been working all week to be able to execute good fastballs out there," Gil said through an interpreter. However, Gil missed a 98.9-mph fastball that Devers smashed for a home run.
"You miss a pitch, and the quality of hitters in this league are going to make you pay," Gil said.
Cortes also pitched well in a loss to the Red Sox. The southpaw limited Boston to three hits and a walk over six innings with eight strikeouts to lower his ERA to 3.41.
"I love to pitch here
Stroman (7-4) was torched for three long balls in his July 4th start opposite the Cincinnati Reds. The former first-rounder allowed five runs on five hits and two walks over five innings. The 33-year-old has fanned 76 batters with a 3.58 ERA over 100.2 frames thus far this season.
"I've got to be better in that fifth and give us a chance there," Stroman said after the game. "I was one pitch away from keeping it to two runs. I didn't do my job."
The righty also noted that Cincinnati phenom Elly De La Cruz is a distraction when he gets on the base path.
"He for sure takes a lot of focus," Stroman added. "It feels like he steals bases very easily, so you have to have a priority on timing
Rodon (9-6) has failed to complete the sixth inning in each of his previous four starts. The $162 million hurler has struck out 100 hitters in 99 innings while compiling a 4.45 ERA.
Schmidt (5-3) was enjoying a breakout campaign before his injury and had tallied 67 strikeouts and a 2.52 ERA over 60.2 frames.
Despite the Yankees' recent struggles, there's still potential for the team to turn things around. With key players like Cole and Schmidt aiming for a comeback, fans and bettors alike are closely watching the rotation's performance.
For those interested in betting on the Yankees' future outcomes, some of the best MLB sportsbooks offer a range of options, from individual game results to season-long projections. Keeping an eye on the latest updates and performances can provide valuable insights for making informed bets.
