Daily Report – 8/14/26
Yankees
Wednesday’s game was fantastic. Yesterday, not so much.
Coming off a 10-5 comeback win in which the Yankees overcame 3-0, 4-1, and 5-3 deficits, they lost 1-0 yesterday in the afternoon heat at Yankee Stadium. It is difficult to explain how an offense that appeared to be turning a corner suddenly reverted one-through-nine.
On Wednesday, Trent Grisham hit two home runs and a double, and Spencer Jones doubled twice, helping back up the five runs Will Warren allowed in his four-inning start. But yesterday, Grisham went 1-for-4 and Jones 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, while Max Fried twirled five one-run innings.
Once the starting pitching improved, the offense reverted. Fried’s only blemish yesterday was a two-strike, two-out second-inning solo home run by Weston Wilson, his first homer allowed in 10 starts since April 16. It was one run too many for the Yankees, who managed just four hits off Logan Gilbert, and zero against Seattle’s three relievers.
Gilbert pummeled the Yankees with just three more fastballs than splitters. This Yankees lineup, which thrives on long balls, struggles to square up on splitters. However, there are still some positives in this lineup that are worth mentioning.
First, there’s Ryan McMahon, who walked yesterday and had two hits, including a double, on Wednesday. In his last seven games, the Yankees’ third baseman is 5-for-18 (.278) with five walks. Next, Grisham is 9-for-29 (.310) with three homers and seven RBI in his last seven games, and Austin Wells has hit .348 with a 1.032 OPS since July 30.
But there are also players whose struggles deserve criticism. Chief among them is Jazz Chisholm Jr., who struck out in three of four at-bats yesterday. He is one of four Yankees with a batting average below .220. Since June 1, he is hitting .190 with a .673 OPS.
Last weekend, Chisholm lamented his struggles, frustrated at how his results at the plate have failed to meet his expectations. He is batting .216 overall this season with a .687 OPS. In a full season, he hasn’t finished with anything worse than a .242 average and a .728 OPS.
“Yeah, don’t know,” manager Aaron Boone replied when asked why Chisholm has been so ineffective at the plate. “Missing his pitch a fair amount. Some of the balls that he’s hit well have kind of been that one-hopper to second base when maybe he gets a good pitch to drive and do something with.
“That’s the subtlety of this game. You’ve got to make hay when you get your pitches. I feel like, overall, he’s making fairly good swing decisions. He’s not chasing. There’s some patience in there. […] He just hasn’t gone on that hot streak, really at any point.”
Yet, Chisholm doesn’t think being benched would help him. “The only way I know how to get through anything is to keep going through it,” he said. “I feel like to sit and just sit on it is not a good move, either.
“I feel like mentally, I’m not defeated. So, if I was mentally defeated, I think it would have been a different story in my eyes. But I’m not. I feel like I’m still as good as I am.”
Also, Heliot Ramos, whom the Yankees acquired at the trade deadline last Monday, is 2-for-25 (.080) in eight games in pinstripes. During their nine-game homestand, featuring new acquisitions such as Ramos, Luis García Jr. (8-for-31), and George Lombard Jr. (8-for-29), the Yankees finished 5-4.
But he won’t be the Yankees’ starting left fielder for much longer. Yesterday, Jon Heyman reported that Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton are expected to return around September 1. The sooner the better for this inconsistent offense, which can only thank its pitching for keeping the team above .500 without Aaron Judge.
The Yankees sit a season-high 6.5 games behind Tampa Bay, winners of nine straight contests, for the division lead. They also have a three-game lead over Boston for second place. Yet, the Yankees have won 18 of their last 29 games, 23 of which have been decided by three runs or fewer.
“Games like this are battles,” Lombard said. “That’s just how games are in October,” he added, echoing Boone, who continues to argue that these close games are preparing the Yankees for the postseason.
Tonight at 7:15 PM, on Friday Night Baseball, the Yankees will play the first of three games in Toronto, where they took two of three from the Blue Jays in June (AppleTV+). RHP Gerrit Cole (6-5, 3.35 ERA) will start for the Yankees against RHP Shane Bieber (3-2, 5.48 ERA).
Here is tonight’s starting lineup for the New York Yankees:
CF Trent Grisham (L)
DH Ben Rice (L)
RF Spencer Jones (L)
1B Luis García Jr. (L)
2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L)
LF Heliot Ramos (R)
3B Ryan McMahon (L)
C Austin Wells (L)
SS George Lombard Jr. (R)
SP: RHP Gerrit Cole (6-5, 3.35 ERA)
Tomorrow, at 3:07 PM, RHP Cam Schlittler (10-6, 2.21 ERA) will start for the Yankees (YES, Gotham Sports). Toronto has yet to announce its starter.
Also, neither team has announced its starter for Sunday’s game at 1:37 PM (YES, Gotham Sports).
Schedule
Tonight 8/14:
7:00 PM: 2026 NFL Preseason – NYJ vs. TB; WCBS (CBS 2)
7:15 PM: Friday Night Baseball – NYY at TOR; AppleTV+; SP: RHP Gerrit Cole (6-5, 3.35 ERA) vs. RHP Shane Bieber (3-2, 5.48 ERA)
Saturday 8/15:
1:00 PM: 2026 NFL Preseason – NYG vs. MIN; WNBC (NBC 4)
3:07 PM: NYY at TOR; YES, Gotham Sports; SP: RHP Cam Schlittler (10-6, 2.21 ERA) vs. TBA
Sunday 8/16:
1:37 PM: NYY at TOR; YES, Gotham Sports; TBA vs. TBA
