About Last Night: Orioles 3, Yankees 1

The Yankees offense was essentially non-existent and the pitching was okay but showing worrying signs. Here's Ethan for more:

---

Quick Stats -

• Winning Pitcher: Kyle Gibson (6-3, 3.82 ERA)

• Losing Pitcher: Clarke Schmidt (2-5, 5.58 ERA)

• Save: Yennier Cano (4)

• Home Runs (New York): None

• Home Runs (Toronto): None

---

Big Story - The Baltimore Orioles are back, and that's a scary thing for the New York Yankees.

Even though it is only May, this series was an important one for the Yankees. Going into the month, the Yankees were the last place team in the American League East and things weren't looking so hot. This series provided them a chance to put themselves into the #2 spot. And, after winning on an Anthony Volpe walk-off on Tuesday, that looked promising.

Then they lost on Wednesday night while falling apart late, giving up 8 runs in the 7th. And with the series on the line...the bats went completely silent.

To get back to my earlier point, however, the Baltimore Orioles being good is not a good sign for the Yankees going forward. They are a young team, with a lot of current potential, a very strong farm system, and an owner who has been willing to dish out big contracts in the past. The Baltimore Orioles- if doing well- will not play like a small market team. There were rumors they were going after Carlos Correa, and if this is a new core for them this will be a problem for years to come.

This is also especially bad for the Yankees because the Orioles have become the team they get to circle for a few easy wins each year. That does not look to be the case anymore. They will be a threat in the AL East.

Speaking of, the Yankees are going to be looking up for a while. The Tampa Bay Rays are always on the cutting edge when it comes to player evaluations, and they have been and will continue to run circles around everybody else. They are a constant threat.

The Toronto Blue Jays have another young team with a lot of players who could be superstars. Unfortunately, it appears their own immaturity gets in their way, but they can make noise. And, as the only team in Canada they do get a lot of support.

And, the Boston Red Sox are a perpetual spender like the Yankees. Even though they are a bit more volatile in terms of winning and losing, they have the resources and ability (and history) of rebuilding quickly from bottom of the barrel to World Series winners.

And the Yankees have been playing by the same playbook for over a decade now. A decade that has seen 0 World Series wins or even appearances. The first since a decade in which they were still called the Highlanders (i.e. 1910-1919).

Worrying signs are out there. Much like the line-up they put out last night:

---

Player(s) of the Game - One offensive, One pitcher:

• Clarke Schmidt: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 4 K's

• Willie Calhoun: 2-3, 2B, RBI, BB

Notable Performances - Leniency is being used tonight

• Gleyber Torres: 1-4

• Ben Rortvedt: 0-0, 2 BB's

• Aaron Judge: 0-3, BB, R

• Jimmy Cordero: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

• Albert Abreu: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K's

Better to Forget - Hitless line-ups are not fun

• Anthony Rizzo: 0-4

• Harrison Bader: 0-3, K

• Anthony Volpe: 0-4, K

• Oswaldo Cabrera: 0-3

• Greg Allen: 0-3

---

My Take - Bleh.

The Yankees trotted out a line-up last night in which just 4 batters (Judge, Rizzo, Bader, Torres) had an OPS+ above 100 going into the game. Those same players were the only ones in the line-up who were batting above .220 going into the game. (Note: This does not count Ben Rortvedt or Greg Allen) When a majority of the line-up is not expected to get a hit in at least 1/4th of their at-bats, a game like last nights isn't going to be outside of the norm. The line-up played exactly how it should. A few guys doing...something (?), as the rest just watched on and couldn't contribute.

It isn't that they didn't contribute. That's normal in baseball. It's the most team-oriented sport out there and this case can be made quite easily in how Mike Trout hasn't been in the playoffs since 2014 (and never with Shohei Ohtani on his same team), and how Barry Bonds never won a World Series ring. Even superstars will have games (and weeks) where they don't contribute.

It's that the majority of the Yankees line-up couldn't contribute. They are not superstars. They are average players expected to be not only starters, but stars. It's not going to happen over the long-term. A team cannot be willing to constantly throw multiple players batting near the Mendoza line (both Volpe and Cabrera are now below it on the season) in their daily line-up and expect to win. They are asking to be taken advantage of by opposing pitchers when they do that...and they will be.

...

Speaking of pitching, the Yankees dependency on the bullpen is shining brightly already. And it's only May.

The over-usage of the bullpen has been a major contribution to the Yankees struggles in the postseason in recent years and yet they still haven't learned how to fix this problem. Last night the Yankees needed to use 5 arms after Clarke Schmidt was removed going into the 6th inning. To ask for the bullpen to get 3-4 innings a night is asking a ton. And yet, that's exactly what the Yankees roster is built to have to be able to handle.

The lack of starting pitching that can extend deep into a game is a problem. It is going to be a major problem when bullpen arms start to flame out in key moments come August and September as the Yankees attempt to make a playoff push. And then, because of their overuse then, they will be an even bigger liability come the playoffs.

Last season the dependency on Wandy Peralta alone in the playoffs was due to drastic measures and no other solid options. There were no other solid options because the rest of the arms had flamed out. They were flamed out from over-usage too early in the season.

Watch out. This is the warning.

---

Next Up - The Yankees are home this weekend to play a 3-game series against the San Diego Padres. Tonight is set to be Short-Sleeve Hoodie Night at the stadium for the first 18,000 fans who are 21 and older. Luckily, the Padres are in a bit of a major funk right now, so this weekend should be promising. The Padres are looking to send Joe Musgrove (1-2, 6.75 ERA) to the mound in an effort to fix his first season on his extension (5 Years/$100) that he signed last August. For the Yankees, they'll be sending Randy Vasquez to the mound in what will be his MLB Debut. He's on the 40-Man roster currently, but a move will be necessary to move him up to the Big's in anticipation for a start tonight.

The game will start at 7:05 EST and will be shown on...Apple TV.

Just when I was starting to get excited too. I can't stand all these streaming services. It's ridiculous.