Astros hammer Tanaka, Yankees drop series finale 10-7

Source: FanGraphs

The night started with a wonderful ceremony in which the Yankees honored Derek Jeter by retiring No. 2. The Cap’n has officially been immortalized in Monument Park. Up next: Cooperstown. Then, after the ceremony, the Yankees sent everyone home. Nothing else to see tonight. Yeah, I wish. The Yankees were pummeled by the Astros in Sunday night’s series finale. The final score was 10-7, and it felt way more lopsided than that. At least they won the first game of the doubleheader. Once again, let’s recap with bullet points:

• Bad Tanaka: I think we’ve reached the point where we have to worry about Masahiro Tanaka. He’s been mostly mediocre all year outside the shutout in Boston, and this start was a complete disaster. George Springer and Josh Reddick opened the game with back-to-back home runs — going back to his last start, Tanaka allowed three homers to the last four batters he faced — and later in the first inning Alex Bregman hit a grand slam. Springer hit another homer in the second. Tanaka had to work very hard for every out too. The Astros put together long at-bats, longer than we’re used to seeing against Tanaka. The final line: 1.2 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 4 HR. It was, pretty easily, Tanaka’s worst start in MLB. The Yankees need to get him right and soon. (Three of the homers came on the first pitch. Is he tipping pitches? Being too predictable?) There’s almost no path to contention that involves Tanaka pitching like this (5.80 ERA and 5.33 FIP).
• Too Little, Too Late: So apparently Charlie Morton throws 97 mph with sink now? I mean, he’s always had sink, but as recently as 2014 his heater averaged 91.9 mph. It averaged 96.3 mph in this game. Huh. Anyway, the Yankees did a whole bunch of nothing against Morton until well after the score was out of hand. Brett Gardner led the game off with a single, and it wasn’t until Gardner singled with two outs in the fifth that the Yankees picked up their second hit. That one drove in their first run of the game. Matt Holliday soon followed with a three-run homer, cutting the deficit to 9-4. Wooo, Fighting Spirit! They were able to scratch out three runs and get the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but alas, it was not meant to be. There was no miraculous comeback.
• Leftovers: Shout out to OG Gio Gallegos. He threw 44 pitches and soaked up three innings after Tanaka’s stinker. In the past he’d be shuttled out tomorrow, no questions asked. The Yankees have resisted those moves so far this year, however … Chasen Shreve followed with 2.1 scoreless and hitless innings. He’s been really good since coming back up … Gardner went 3-for-4 … the rest of the Yankees went 7-for-32 (.219).

Here are the box score, video highlights, and updated standings. We also have a Bullpen Workload page, so check that out. The Yankees have yet another off-day Monday, then they’re off to Kansas City for the start of a six-game road trip. The Royals swept the Orioles this weekend, you know. That is much appreciated given the AL East race. CC Sabathia and Jason Hammel are the scheduled starters for Tuesday night’s series opener.