BRONX, NY — Anticipated three-game series in the Bronx with the AL East leading Yankees and second place Orioles Tuesday evening but not a division deciding scenario. These two teams will probably go down to the wire in late September though the Yankees were able to test the Orioles pitching depth.
New York wins this first one, 4-2, and they will do it again Wednesday evening, the Yankees Gerrit Cole will make his season debut on the mound, indicating also their pitching depth is quite better.
Albert Suárez (3-1, San Felix, Venezuela) sustained his first loss as an Oriole, three earned runs over 3.1 innings. Manager Brandon Hyde had to reach into his bullpen, already taxed and the Yankees were able to tack on their needed runs.
Albert Suárez is in his third MLB season: 2022-2023 with the SF Giants, and 2024 with the Orioles – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Regardless, Nestor Cortes pitched six scoreless innings for the Yankees on five hits. Also this series showcases the top two teams in the American League. The Yankees and Orioles pitching staffs also are the top two teams leading the league in ERA and in the majors.
So how good is the mid-June divisional series? To the players and managers it is important, even though this is not September. However, taking the series will send a message, the Yankees and Orioles are separated by 2½ games in the standings with eight more on the schedule. And the Yankees lost three-of-four when they first met in Baltimore back in late April.
With Tuesday’s win, the Yankees now stand 51-24 on the 2024 season – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Suárez, the right-hander with a 2.05 ERA in 48 ⅓ innings has been the surprise component of an Orioles rotation that is struggling without Kyle Bradish, John Means, and Tyler Wells, all three on the injured list. Bradish with a right UCL strain, Means undergoing Tommy John surgery, and Wells recovering from UCL revision surgery.
So, yes depth is an issue for the Orioles as the Yankees seem to have answers when a pitcher goes down. Cole from the beginning of the season with an injury to his right elbow, and Tuesday rookie right-hander Cody Poteet, a viable starter (3-0, 2.14 ERA) with a triceps strain as the Yankees continued to lead the league in staff ERA,
Suárez, though after spending five years in Japan and Korea, has been consistent. The 34-year old could not locate and admitted the Yankees lineup is difficult to navigate, not making excuses about his poor outing. He could not keep Juan Soto (three walks), Aaron Judge or Giancarlo Stanton (RBI single) off the bases. Judge would leave the game in the fourth inning after being hit by a Suarez pitch on the left hand.
Aaron Judge gets hit by pitch on Tuesday night against the Orioles and leaves the game – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The Yankees will probably sit Judge down the remainder of this series, a scare avoided when images and x-rays showed no fracture. Suárez admitted no intent with the 94 mile fastball.
“I don’t focus on how tough they are, I just focus on how I can execute,” Suárez said. “And today I didn’t. I wasn’t throwing my best pitch in the strike zone and that’s something that hurt me today. I wasn’t able to execute. I had to keep going and try and get through.”
He said it was a good environment pitching in front of over 48,000 fans in the Bronx, sold out crowds expected for the remainder of this series. Yankees fans will tell you otherwise, this is a significant series in mid-June.
“He was behind in the count a lot,” Hyde said about Suárez. “Just a lot of balls. Didn’t get hit hard, but just unlike him to walk five guys.”
But the Yankees, after losing two of three up in Boston, continued to execute, even when Judge was removed from the lineup. Pitching will win ball games and Cortes, 4-2 at home with a 1.57 ERA continues to be better in the Bronx, 0-3 and 5.57 ERA on the road.
“He (Cortes) just didn’t make a whole lot of mistakes,” said Austin Hays.”We battled, battled, battled, just waiting for him to slip up and miss middle with a couple of more pitches. But he just didn’t do that and we just couldn’t really get anything going.”
Nestor Cortes was named the American League LatinoMVP Starting Pitcher of the Year in 2022 – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Cortes was controlling both sides of the plate, Suárez, on the other hand, was not. Then again, this will be a battle until late September, unless of course the Orioles pitching shows that lack of depth with the injuries, And they are expected to be active and looking for more depth prior to the late July trade deadline.
The Yankees (51-24) on a record pace for wins continue to have the best record in baseball. They, too, are always seeking reinforcements. And Tuesday night they got the first one realizing there is more to come.
And they dodged a major bullet with Judge. Yankees-Orioles means something in June, but deciding a division has a long way to go.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer for Latinosports.com – X (Formerly Twitter) @Ring786, Facebook.com.Rich Mancuso
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