Aroldis Chapman is not the pitcher he used to be. Though Chapman is still an above average closer, his age is showing. The flamethrower certainly throws heat yet it just isn’t as scorching as it used to be. Champman’s decline was on display last night when he lost the game for New York. Chapman surrendered a tiebreaking sac fly to Pedro Severino with the bases loaded in the final frame of the game. The Yanks lost the tilt 4 to 3.
The Orioles Nearly No-hit the Yankees
Yankees’ fans should be livid that their squad was nearly no-hit by the lowly Orioles. The O’s are basement dwellers for good reason. Baltimore is the laughing stock of the league and has been for years. Baltimore pitcher Chris Ellis let up a couple line drives to Yankee batters yet he held New York scoreless across five innings. The rookie right-hander had only taken the hill two times prior to Saturday’s start.
O’s reliever Tanner Scott pitched a flawless sixth inning prior to struggling in the seventh inning. Perhaps Ellis’s lack of experience in the big leagues is the cause of the Yankees’ struggles at the plate. Now that the Bronx Bombers have seen Ellis’s stuff, they will have a better chance of scoring a run the next time they face the righty.
Gallo and Torres are the Silver Linings in the Yankees’ Loss
The O’s no-hitter was broken up by Gleyber Torres. Torres notched an RBI single to end the no-hitter in the seventh. Gallo also broke a cold spell, hitting a liner off Jorge Lopez that went beyond the right-field wall. The long ball scored a run in the form of DJ LeMahieu yet it wasn’t enough for the Yankees to prevail.
A Look at The Yankees’ Future
The loss to the O’s is certainly concerning, especially when you factor in the fact that the Yankees are clearly the superior team and we are in the final month of the season. New York started the day a game and a half ahead of the Red Sox for the top American League Wild Card spot. The Yankees clearly need to develop a sense of urgency if the team is to make a deep playoff run.
The Yankees’ World Series odds are now 8 to 1. The Yanks have 3 to 1 odds to win the American League. The Tampa Bay Rays are still the AL favorite at +275.
