Daily Report – 6/16/26
Yankees
Baseball is a funny sport. You’re up one moment, and down the next. When it looked like they had suffered as many injuries as they could take, the Yankees embodied a next-man-up mentality.
First, Aaron Judge. Then, Austin Wells, Trent Grisham, and a setback in Giancarlo Stanton’s recovery. But pitching is the magic word for the Yankees, winners of six of their last seven contests, including a road sweep of Cleveland and a series victory in Toronto.
The Yankees dropped Friday’s series opener north of the border, their first game at Rogers Centre since last year’s disastrous ALDS. But on Saturday, Cam Schlittler, the American League’s ERA leader, gave his team a chance to win, as did Will Warren on Sunday. In both games, the Yankees erupted in the top of the ninth inning.
On Saturday, Paul Goldschmidt delivered a go-ahead blast in the ninth. On Sunday, his fellow first baseman, Ben Rice, returned the favor. José Caballero added a three-run shot, helping the Yankees win 8-3. His 420-foot blast represented the Yankees’ league-leading 33rd homer hit with two outs.
“It feels good to shake hands and be celebrating a win in here,” said manager Aaron Boone. “Obviously, that was very difficult for us in this building last year. It is a new year. You’ve got to keep going all the time. But what a good finish to an outstanding road trip against a couple of good teams heading into the off day.”
The Yankees’ off-day today proved useful in more ways than one. Although Schlittler eased the bullpen’s burden in the middle game of this weekend’s three-game set, Boone pulled at least four relievers out of his pen on Friday and Sunday. In both games, Camilo Doval was notably excellent, striking out two batters in consecutive scoreless appearances.
Doval is a key member of the Yankees’ bullpen, but his struggles in New York have held the Yankees back. The team’s bullpen is well constructed, but Doval hasn’t been as reliable as advertised. The Yankees acquired him from San Francisco, where he was the closer, at last year’s trade deadline, but he has fallen out of a high-leverage role in the Bronx.
To fix Doval, the Yankees ramped up his sinker usage. He threw his sinker 14% of the time in 2024 and 12% of the time last season. This year, he has used it 43% of the time, which has resulted in a significant decrease in his slider usage, a pitch he has struggled to command. Doval is effectively a different pitcher thanks to Matt Blake’s lab.
Will Warren is another pitcher who has used his sinker more often this season. A reduction in his changeup usage has led to a six-point increase in his sinker frequency from last season, leading to some of the most strikeouts looking in the league. Also, his seven wins through 14 starts rank one fewer than he earned in 33 starts last season.
“Chip on our shoulder,” Warren said of this weekend’s series win in Toronto. “We don’t like those guys over there, and they don’t like us. Finding any way to win is good, especially on the road.
“The Blue Jays are going to Blue Jay. They get their singles and make it tough on us, but I’m happy to get out of there with only two runs and give us a chance to win.”
The bouncy AstroTurf at Rogers Centre gave the Yankees trouble defensively last season, but they appeared more confident this weekend. They made one error in three games combined — a misthrow from the corner by Amed Rosario at third base — but that was because the play was difficult, not because of the turf.
After Trent Grisham pulled his hamstring while rounding first base in Friday’s sixth inning, the Yankees recalled Jasson Domínguez, fresh off his recovery from an AC sprain in his left shoulder. On Saturday, the Martian went 1-for-4 with a home run, his second of the season.
According to the New York Post’s Joel Sherman, Domínguez credited Rosario, his fellow benchmate, for always keeping him focused and ready. Sherman noted that Rosario encourages Domínguez to work out on the field and fully prepare for every game, even if he isn’t part of the starting lineup. This will come in handy now that Judge and Grisham are both down.
“It just speaks to the mentality of the group,” said Rice, whose home run on Sunday was the difference-maker for the Yankees. “I feel like everyone’s got that next-man-up mentality and, regardless of who is on the mound or the situation, is going to go up there and put together a quality at-bat.”
As Rice suggested, it is not all about results. Well, not necessarily. Sure, you always want to come off the bench and hit a game-changing home run like it’s Game 7 of the World Series. But those rare October moments are earned, and never guaranteed, so you have to give it your all every day.
Like I said, baseball is a funny sport. But through all the peaks and valleys, you never know who is going to step up or when a big moment will occur.
Tonight, at 7:05 PM, RHP Gerrit Cole (1-1, 2.45 ERA) will mind the rubber against the righty Davis Martin (9-2, 2.41 ERA) as the Yankees kick off a three-game series in the Bronx against the shocking first-place Chicago White Sox (YES, Gotham Sports).
Here is tonight’s starting lineup for the New York Yankees:
1B Ben Rice (L)
LF Cody Bellinger (L)
DH Paul Goldschmidt (R)
2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L)
CF Spencer Jones (L)
RF José Caballero (R)
3B Ryan McMahon (L)
C JC Escarra (L)
SS Anthony Volpe (R)
SP: RHP Gerrit Cole (1-1, 2.45 ERA)
Schedule
7:05 PM: NYY vs. CWS; YES, Gotham Sports; SP: RHP Gerrit Cole (1-1, 2.45 ERA) vs. RHP Davis Martin (9-2, 2.41 ERA)
