In his first start since being BOMBED by the Red Sox in a big game, Carlos Rodon got BOMBED again — this time by the Atlanta Braves — as the Yanks went down 8-1 on a hot, June Friday night at Yankee Stadium under a Darryl Strawberry full moon. It was the hottest day of a week-long heat wave that saw temps in mid 90s.
Rodon’s final line was brutal: 3.2 innings, 11 hits, 8 runs. His record — which was a sterling 9-2 2.93 a week ago — baloons to 9-4 3.86.
The good news: the Yanks would have lost anyway even if he pitched well, as they were shut down by Chris Sale and the Atlanta pen — getting only 3 hits and 1 run on the evening.
Other good news: Baltimore lost to Houston, so the Yanks remain in 1st place by a half game.
Even more good news — rookie top prospect Yoendrys Gomez came in to save the day — pitching 4.2 innings of shutout baseball. Otherwise this game would’ve been really tough to watch.
“Excited for him to go and get some run out there for some length and really pitch well,” said manager Aaron Boone about Yoendrys Gomez. “Thought he mixed it up really well — gives you different looks with the cutter, breaking balls, changeups; commanded his heater pretty well. That is just one of those little things that happen in a game when you’re out of it, that can maybe help you win a game tomorrow.”
NY falls to 51-27 — still with the best record in baseball despite losing 3 in a row — and as mentioned, remains .5 in 1st ahead of Baltimore which also lost. Atlanta improves to 42-31, in 2nd place in the NL East, 6 games back of Philly.
1. Rodon BOMBED
It was 2-0 after Rodon threw 2 pitches — a single and then a homerun to Ozzie Albies on his 95-MPH fastball. Rodon:
- Allowed another homer in the 1st inning (to Austin Riley on Rodon’s 96-MPH fastball),
- A run off 3 hits in the 2nd,
- Another run in the 3rd off 2 hits and a walk, and
- 2 more runs in the 4th on 3 more hits and a walk, including another homer (by Matt Olson on Rodon’s 89 MPH slider) — before being yanked.
“I think there’s some small adjustments to be made,” said Boone about Rodon. “I think he actually made those, and pitched a little bit in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th inning there — Olson got him with a HR in the 4th but in and around that I thought he was better. But (they) hurt him early with the heater.”
An emotional Rodon could be seen at the verge of crying in the dugout afterwards — but it was probably just sweat from the heat since there is no crying in baseball.
Gleyber Torres consoles an emotional Carlos Rodón before he heads down to the clubhouse pic.twitter.com/lAGYtGhrTh
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) June 22, 2024
2. Sale Allowed 1 Hit
Meanwhile Chris Sale was nearly unhittable — he allowed 1 hit, struck out 8 and walked 1 in 5 innings.
Chris Sale‘s 7th and 8th Ks.
And a little K strut. pic.twitter.com/kUO4esxvdQ
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 22, 2024
The one hit was a triple by Jahmai Jones with 1 out in the 2nd. Jones scored when next batter DJ LeMahieu grounded out making it a 4-1 game at the time.
5-hole hitter Jahmai Jones with a triple! pic.twitter.com/rcVsUJrATI
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) June 21, 2024
Sale left after 5 innings and 95 pitches with an 8-1 lead — he wins to go 10-2 2.91.
3. Yoendrys Saves the Day
Down 8-1 in the 4th, with a runner on 2nd after yet another hard hit double — Rodon was yanked and Yoendrys Gomez was brought in.
Gomez is a 24-year-old 6’3 right hander who has been a high prospect for the Yanks for several years, with a 97-MPH fastball. He’s been in the organization since he was 17 years old.
His rise was derailed by COVID and then right shoulder UCL surgery in 2021, which kept him out all of 2022 and the first half of 2023.
He doesn’t throw 97 MPH anymore — but showed off his 5-pitch arsenal in this game — throwing lots of 86-MPH sliders (which Boone called a Cutter), 87-MPH changeups, 82-MPH sweepers, 80-MPH curves, and four-seam fastballs that topped out at 93 MPH.
Gomez pitched 4.2 innings of 3-hit, shutout baseball — striking out 5 and walking 3.
He saved the day in that he gave Yankee fans some good news.
4. Atlanta Bullpen Stifles Yanks Too
Gomez kept Atlanta from scoring and the score at 8-1 — but the Yankee offense could do nothing to get back in the game, as Daysbel Hernandez, Jesse Chavez, Dylan Lee, and Grant Holmes pitched a shutout inning each — allowing only 2 hits.
5. Bickford Makes First Appearance
Prior to the game, the Yanks shuffled their bullpen — designating for assignment (DFA’ng) lefty Victor Gonzalez, who had pitched pretty well for them this year (going 2-1 3.86 in 27 games), and signing Phil Bickford.
NY also sent Ron Marinaccio down and brought up Yoendrys Gomez.
It’s anticipated that Tim Hill, the lefty sidewinder signed the other day, makes the lefty Gonzalez expendable. And the righty Bickford replaces Marinaccio for now.
Bickford is a 28-year-old, 6’3 righty. He made his first appearance for the Yanks in the 9th, retiring the last 2 batters after Gomez allowed a 1-out double.
6. Volpe Got a Hit
It became a game to root for individual statistics. The Yanks didn’t fare well there either — as they only got 3 hits — but at least Anthony Volpe got a hit, going 1-3 with a walk to raise his average to .272 (.330 OBP).
Volpe’s hit came leading off the 9th against Grant Holmes. But Juan Soto flied out and Aaron Judge grounded into a double play for the old ballgame.
Etcetera
- Giancarlo Stanton went 1-3 to raise his average to .244.
- Aaron Judge went 0-4 but his average remains over .300 at .301.
- Juan Soto‘s average is also still over .300 at .304 after he went 0-4.
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