Aaron Judge Sends Strong Message About Yankees Closer After Blown Save

Getty Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are off and running after the trade deadline. The club’s big trade deadline acquisition, Jazz Chisholm Jr., swatted two home runs in their July 30 comeback win against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Yankees won despite closer Clay Holmes blowing his eighth save, most in the majors. After the game, Yankees superstar slugger Aaron Judge had a strong message about Holmes.

“That’s our closer,” Judge said, according to The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner. “I don’t know what else to tell you. That’s our guy. He’s been our guy. I want him out there in any situation, bases loaded and no outs or extra innings or bottom nine, top nine — that’s our guy.

“You can ask anyone in this room if they want him on the mound in that situation,” he said. “He’s been there, done that and we have faith in him. I really don’t care what anyone else has to say.”

Holmes gave up 3 hits and the game-tying run in the ninth inning against the Phillies. The Yankees won the game 7-6 in the extras.

Clay Holmes’ Pitching Woes Coincide With Yankees’ Struggles

Holmes, 31, has 21 saves on the season, tied for seventh in the majors, but he has blown saves in three of his five appearances dating back to July 14.

Overall, Holmes’ ERA in 44 appearances is 2.89, but it’s only 6.28 in his 14.1 innings pitched since June 13, a stretch during which the Yankees are 15-22.

Kirschner wrote that bad luck has perhaps contributed to Holmes’ struggles, noting his 3.61 fielding independent pitching and .368 batting average on balls.

“The average exit velocity on balls the Phillies put in play against Holmes was just 72.8 mph — much slower than the 88.9 mph average exit velocity across the game this season,” wrote Kirschner,

The Yankees tried adding a closer at the deadline but were unsuccessful, Kirschner wrote. They traded for Mark Leiter Jr. and Enyel De Los Santos to their bullpen. However, Holmes remains their only real closing option.

“Despite their apparent efforts, the New York Yankees didn’t add a closer before Tuesday’s trade deadline hit,” he wrote. “They had been connected to the Miami Marlins’ Tanner Scott, who was dealt to the San Diego Padres. They were also linked to the Tampa Bay Rays’ Pete Fairbanks and the Washington Nationals’ Kyle Finnegan, who stayed put.”

Yankees’ Trade Deadline

The Yankees acquired Chisholm from the Miami Marlins on July 27. Chisholm has already made his impact felt.

He has hit four home runs in three games as a Yankee. He has made two starts at third base and one starts in center field. Chisholm became the first player in Yankees history to hit four homers in his first three games with the club, according to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch.

Leiter and De Los Santos bring needed bullpen help to the Bronx. Leiter has a 4.10 ERA this season in 37 1/3 innings pitched. Additionally, he threw a scoreless inning on July 30, the same day he was acquired by the Yankees.

De Los Santos has a 4.46 ERA this season. He there 40 1/3 innings for the Padres before he was traded. The Yankees are 64-45 and half a game back of the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East. Their trade deadline acquisitions addressed some flaws. However, their true payoff will be determined by how far the Yankees go in the postseason.