Daily Report – 4/15/26
Yankees
It can be difficult for a team to win a game after giving up back-to-back-to-back first-inning blasts. That is exactly what the Angels did to Ryan Weathers in the first inning at Yankee Stadium yesterday, paving their path to a 7-1 victory in the Bronx.
Coming off a night where it felt like things were finally turning around for the Yankees’ offense, the Bombers struggled again at the plate, mustering just one run and four hits off Reid Detmers, a crafty lefty. Detmers surrendered two hits through his first six innings, with the Yankees applying little offensive pressure while their pitching imploded.
They say solo home runs don’t hurt pitchers as much as multi-run shots, and while this is true, I’d argue that giving up three solo home runs in an inning is worse than one three-run homer. Mike Trout’s home run, which came first, soared 432 feet to center field and probably shook up Weathers. The homer came against a low fastball that caught the middle of the plate.
“Obviously, it’s not a good idea to misfire a heater down the middle to one of the best hitters that’s ever played this game,” Weathers said. “I definitely wish I had that pitch back.”
Weathers’ next pitch was another low fastball, and Jo Adell was ready for it. Three pitches later, Weathers fired the same pitch in the same spot, and an equal result. So yes, Trout’s home run shook Weathers. Yet, somehow, he didn’t realize that throwing the same pitch, in the same location, at the same speed to two other righties would continue to yield home runs.
“I know that my heater plays better at the top, not the bottom, that’s for sure,” Weathers said. “There was some good tonight, but when I pitch, I want this ballclub to win games, and I did not put us in a good position to win a game tonight.”
It is probably a coincidence that the Yankees haven’t given Weathers any run support yet this season, even though he has made four starts. However, it isn’t a coincidence that they got dominated by another lefty who never missed a beat with his command and control. The Yankees never walked, and they struck out nine times against Detmers.
Just last Thursday, something similar happened against the Athletics’ southpaw Jeffrey Springs, who one-hit the Yankees over seven scoreless frames. Unfortunately for New York, Weathers was on the other side of that game, too.
Last night, Aaron Boone kept Cody Bellinger, Ben Rice, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. out of the lineup, favoring analytically sound matchups against the lefty Detmers. I can understand keeping Chisholm out against a lefty, but not Bellinger, who, despite being left-handed, hit better against lefties than righties last season.
Also, even though Paul Goldschmidt is great against lefties, Rice is the best hitter on this team. It’s concerning that the Yankees don’t trust Rice at catcher right now, because he could have started over Austin Wells last night.
“I thought [Detmers] was good, but we know we’ve got to do a better job of creating some things,” Boone said. “We just need to get going.”
The Angels totaled five home runs last night, all solo shots, including one by former Yankee Oswald Peraza in the fourth inning. For four years, the Yankees kept Peraza because they valued his defensive talent at second base. However, he was an offensive liability. Last night, in his return to the Bronx, he went 3-for-3 with a home run and a 12-pitch walk against right-hander Yerry De los Santos.
After Monday’s game, the Yankees optioned reliever Jake Bird to Triple-A to get a fresh arm in their bullpen. They replaced Bird with De los Santos, who surrendered one run across two innings yesterday. Because he threw 44 pitches, the Yankees sent him back to Triple-A after the game in exchange for righty Angel Chivilli, who recorded a 7.06 ERA in Colorado last season and a 12.38 ERA with the Yankees this Spring.
Tonight, at 7:05 PM (6:05 PM CDT), the Yankees will try to get back in the win column as RHP Luis Gil (0-1, 6.75 ERA) starts against the righty Jack Kochanowicz (2-0, 3.24 ERA). Today is Jackie Robinson Day, so every player will be wearing 42 on their back (Prime Video, Peacock).
Here is tonight’s starting lineup for the New York Yankees:
CF Trent Grisham (L)
1B Ben Rice (L)
RF Aaron Judge (C) (R)
LF Cody Bellinger (L)
DH Giancarlo Stanton (R)
2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L)
C Austin Wells (L)
SS José Caballero (R)
3B Ryan McMahon (L)
SP: RHP Luis Gil (0-1, 6.75 ERA)
Gil is coming off a difficult first start in which he gave up three runs in four innings. The 2024 Rookie of the Year could only muster a pair of strikeouts against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.
Tomorrow, at 1:35 PM (12:35 PM CDT), LHP Max Fried (2-0, 1.93 ERA) will toe the slab for the Yankees (YES, Gotham Sports). The Angels are yet to announce their starting pitcher.
Schedule
7:00 PM (6:00 PM CDT): 2025-26 Regular Season Finale – NYR at TBL; MSG, Gotham Sports
7:05 PM (6:05 PM CDT): NYY vs. LAA; Prime Video, Peacock; SP: RHP Luis Gil (0-1, 6.75 ERA) vs. RHP Jack Kochanowicz (2-0, 3.24 ERA)
