Tim Beckham belted one of three homers for Tampa Bay on Saturday and is 12-for-22 during a six-game hitting streak.TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, WPIX (New York), FSN Sun (Tampa Bay)PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Michael Pineda (5-9, 5.00 ERA) vs. Rays LH Blake Snell (2-4, 3.05)Pineday has dazzled in his last two starts, limiting Baltimore and Houston to one run and 10 hits combined with 16 strikeouts in 13 total innings. The 41-year-old designated hitter has two hits in his last 26 at-bats, dropping his average to.206. “I didn’t do myself any favors tonight, that’s for sure”.
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Despite being given his first start since July 22, you could make the case that Rodriguez was being set up to fail.
It’s his 55th start at DH this season. Alex Colome entered with two on and one out in the ninth, and got two straight outs for his 23rd save. Saturday, it was Kiermaier making a running, leaping catch at the centerfield wall to rob Austin Romine of extra bases in the eighth inning after the Yankees closed within 6-3 on a homer by Chase Headley. A-Rod did not hit at all.
Drew Smyly struck out Alex Rodriguez three times.
“This team goes off starting pitching, and we’ve all been pitching really well since we came back off the (All Star) break”, Smyly said. “I swung at balls and took strikes”.
If this was an audition for the remainder of his Yankees career, A-Rod failed it. Miserably. The Yankees still haven’t committed to selling, even if there have been more rumors of at least listening to offers for players in the last 24 hours. Just a rough night. “But that’s definitely something that you think about”.
Drew Smyly struck out Alex Rodriguez three times en route to stopping an 11-start winless streak, and the Rays sent the Yankees to their third straight loss, 6-3 Saturday night. “When they go, we go”.
“This is playoff baseball for us”, Girardi said.
Kevin Kiermaier took advantage of Carlos Beltran in right, hustling out a double on a play that survived the Yanks’ replay challenge.
“I can’t worry about that”, Girardi said. “Knowing Swarzak was only going to go one in that situation, I was going to use him and then if I needed Adam for multiple, I would have him later. Anyone who wants to do it can do it next time”. “I thought he did a good job of minimizing the damage considering he was long counts, behind in some counts, didn’t have real good command of his fastball or his cutter tonight, but I thought he gave us a chance to win”.
As much as ever, it’s obvious now that the Yankees just aren’t good enough to be a playoff club. His presence on the payroll, however, no longer matters; the $21 million he is owed next season and the $7 million or so he is owed for the remainder of this one is money already spent, a cost already sunk.
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The Yankees offense, as infuriating as it has been all year, let a pitcher with a 5+ ERA off the hook. But judging by his recent form, punctuated by his night of futility Saturday, argues strongly against it.
