Yankees getting MLBs best starting pitching since Gerrit Coles return and it could get better
Since Gerrit Cole’s return to their rotation, no team has gotten more innings per start than the Yankees.And in those eight games with their ace back from Tommy John surgery, the Yankees have a 1.61 ERA from their starters, by far the best in the majors.That’s also without the services of perhaps their second-best pitcher, Max Fried, still on the IL with a bone bruise in his left elbow.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.
The emergence of Tuesday’s starter against Cleveland, Cam Schlittler, has been as big a reason as any for the Yankees’ success in that area, but they are routinely getting six-plus innings from whomever is on the mound.“I feel like the starting pitching has been mostly excellent,’’ Aaron Boone said in West Sacramento, Calif.“They just set a really good tone for us every day.”And they figure to be even more consistent as Carlos Rodón gets back into form and Fried returns.“We feel good about how all the guys are throwing and what they bring to the table,’’ Boone said.
“We’re sending a guy out there capable of holding the other team down and giving us an opportunity to win.”Schlittler and Will Warren — who started Sunday against the A’s — have done that as well as anyone, with the Yankees 9-3 in Schlittler’s 12 outings and 10-2 when Warren pitches.The Yankees are a combined 6-8 when Fried and Rodón have taken the mound, but that seems destined to change.Ryan McMahon finally hit a bit at the end of the road trip, homering in consecutive games at the Royals and A’s then picking up two more hits on Saturday in California, but the third baseman no doubt is happy to be back in The Bronx.Even with his recent outburst, McMahon has the third-worst road OPS among qualified hitters (.472) and Austin Wells and Trent Grisham are also in the bottom 12 in the majors.Not surprisingly, all three are lefty swingers, acqui...