About Yesterday: Yanks Mauled 5-0

About Yesterday Afternoon: The Yankees Were Mauled By The Tigers 5-0

By Tim Kabel

April 9, 2025

*** The only thing colder than the weather in Detroit yesterday was the Yankees’ offense. When you looked at the schedule before yesterday’s game and saw the Yankees were facing Tarik Skubal, the reigning Cy Young Award winner who had already lost two games this season, you probably started to worry. When you realized that the Yankees were sending Carlos Carrasco, a journeyman pitcher clinging to a roster spot primarily due to injuries to the original starters, you really started to worry. Now, as the old saying goes, “That's why they play the game, because you never know.” Well, this time we knew. The Yankees mustered just six hits and couldn't catch up. I don’t relish the prospect of watching Skubal face the Yankees again this season. Well, at least it was a fast game, lasting only two hours and four minutes.

Quick Stats – 

·       The Yankees have lost three games in a row.

·       The Yankees have not hit a home run in three consecutive games. Damn the torpedoes, and full speed ahead.

·       The Yankees have lost two of their first four series in 2025.

·       Prior to the game, Adam Ottavino was designated for assignment for the second time in five days by the Yankees. When they inevitably bring him back, his entrance music for any game in which he appears should be “Please Release Me” by Engelbert Humperdinck.

·       The first three batters in the Yankees’ lineup were the only ones to record hits yesterday. 

·      On April 8, 2003, Hideki Matsui hit his first Major League home run, a Grand Slam, in the Yankees’ home opener against the Minnesota Twins.

·      Yesterday would have been Catfish Hunter’s 79th birthday.

The Big Story – 

The Yankees swept the first series of the season against the Brewers but have struggled somewhat since then. They lost two out of three to the Diamondbacks and then won two of three against the Pirates. They are on the verge being swept by the Tigers, a team which has now won five games in a row. It seems that what we all suspected in Spring Training is coming true. The Yankees do have a very formidable offense but when they go up against top-notch pitching, they struggle. That is not a surprise. Gerrit Cole is gone for the season. Luis Gil is out until June, most likely. Clarke Schmidt should be back very soon. That will help. I suspect that when Schmidt returns, Carlos Carrasco will no longer be in the rotation. He may remain as a bullpen piece or he may be released, possibly to make room for Adam Ottavino to come back again. It is very early in the season and the Yankees will continue to tweak the roster, especially when players, particularly pitchers return. It is possible that the Yankees will have to make a trade to upgrade the starting rotation but, it's still a little early to make that decision and there probably are not many frontline starters available right now. Hopefully, the Yankees can avoid a sweep this afternoon.

Player of the Game – 

With three hits, Paul Goldschmidt had half of the Yankees’ offensive output.

Notable Performances – 

Ian Hamilton looked sharp in his first outing since returning from the IL. He had two strikeouts and threw thirteen pitches.

Better To Forget-

 Just about everything after the national anthem. Cody Bellinger was sick before the game due to food poisoning and was unable to play. I was sick after the game.

My Take – 

It is very early in the season. The Yankees have only played eleven games. We all know that there will be changes to this team. The current 26-man roster is not the one that will end the season for the Yankees. It is likely that Adam Ottavino will be signed and released 32 more times before the year is over. It is really too soon to make any definitive statements about the team.

The Yankees started off with a tremendous bang offensively, hitting home runs left and right. That has not continued but I'm sure the power will return when they are not facing Tarik Skubal. The offense is not the problem. Sure, they will have games where they are shut out or inconsistent. That happens. As John Sterling used to say, “That's baseball, Suzyn”.

I think the primary concern with this team will be the starting rotation. That is not a newsflash for anyone. It is not a profound statement. The rotation will get a boost when Clarke Schmidt returns in a week or so. Max Fried will be fine and Carlos Rodon will be solid but not spectacular. Will Warren is a rookie and will have growing pains but has shown more potential and growth this season than most of us expected. Hopefully, Luis Gil will return in June, as expected.

Nevertheless, I suspect the Yankees will make some type of an upgrade to the starting rotation at or before the trade deadline. If there is a frontline starter who becomes available, the Yankees may very well feel that he is worth the cost in prospects. Remember the blueprint for the season was to have Max Fried with Gerrit Cole, not instead of him.  The first move is to get Schmidt back and then Gil and see what the team can do. If they are in playoff contention and management feels that one more frontline pitcher would put them over the top, then that could very well happen. If the Yankees struggle, Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner might not be willing to give up top prospects for another pitcher.

Next Up

The Yankees will play the final game of the three-game series against the Tigers today at 1:10 PM at Comerica Park. Jack Flaherty, (1-0, 2.38 ERA) will pitch for Detroit. The Yankees will send Max Fried, (1-0, 2.61 ERA) to the mound as they try to salvage the final game of the series.