The New York Yankees are looking to bounce back after dropping a series to the San Diego Padres. It was a tough result, even accounting for how competitive that matchup figured to be. With the Colorado Rockies up next, New York gets a real chance to gain ground in a crowded AL East race.
If the Yankees can take all three from Colorado while the Tampa Bay Rays stumble against the Atlanta Braves, New York could pull within two games of the division lead. That would be their closest gap since July 25. That’s the kind of opportunity this series presents on paper.
Yankees’ Cam Schlittler Opens the Series Tuesday
Cam Schlittler takes the mound Tuesday. He’s been one of the better pitchers in baseball this season, carrying a 2.04 ERA across 171.2 innings with more than 200 strikeouts. He’s set to face Gabriel Hughes, a 25-year-old former first-round pick who’s struggled through his early big league career. Hughes has a 6.19 ERA over 52.1 innings.
Hughes’ overall numbers suggest an advantage for New York’s lineup. But he’s actually done a solid job limiting hard contact, allowing just a 4.8 percent barrel rate and a 28.9 percent hard-hit rate. That combination makes this a potential trap game for a Yankees offense that’s had its own struggles putting together consistent innings.
Tuesday: Cam Schlittler vs. Gabriel Hughes (0-6, 6.19 ERA, 42 SO)
Wednesday: Will Warren vs. Tomoyuki Sugano (12-8, 5.19 ERA, 79 SO)
Thursday: Max Fried vs. Ryan Feltner (5-9, 5.91 ERA, 81 SO)
Will Warren Looks to Build on Recent Success
Wednesday brings a matchup between Will Warren and Tomoyuki Sugano. Sugano has been one of the more hittable arms in baseball this season. Opponents are posting a 91.1 mph average exit velocity and a 43.4 percent hard-hit rate against him. Those numbers place his expected ERA of 6.81 in the first percentile league-wide.
Warren enters the start riding real momentum. He shut down the Boston Red Sox recently with seven strong innings, seven strikeouts and no earned runs. He followed that with a scoreless relief outing. If he can carry that form forward against a struggling Sugano, this sets up as a favorable matchup for New York.
Max Fried Closes Out the Series
Max Fried gets the ball Thursday against Ryan Feltner, a 30-year-old who’s carried a 5.91 ERA this season. That’s close to his career mark of 5.36. Feltner does a reasonable job avoiding hard contact, holding opponents to an 87.2 mph average exit velocity. But he’s also the kind of pitcher capable of working around trouble and grinding through an outing.
The best-case outcome for New York has its lineup taking advantage of a pitcher with an ERA north of 5. Meanwhile, Fried locks down Colorado’s offense on the other side.
Final Word for the Yankees
Every matchup in this series sets up in New York’s favor on paper, which is exactly why anything short of a strong showing would sting. Schlittler, Warren and Fried each have real opportunities to put together strong outings against a Colorado rotation that’s struggled for much of the season.
If the Yankees take care of business here, they’ll have real momentum heading into the stretch run of a tight division race.
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