YGY Staten Island Yankees’ Top 5 Players Of The Week (8/20-8/27)

Mandatory Credit: yankees.scout.com

Honorable Mention: RHP Matt Borens (2-1, 3.89)

For the first time this season, Matt Borens makes our list and he does it because of his two performances against the Cyclones. The first game against Brooklyn came on August 21 against Daisuke Matuszaka, who was on a rehab assignment for the Mets. Borens went pitch-for-pitch with him, striking out three batters and only giving up one hit in four innings. Then, last night, Borens came in relief for Dillon McNamara and threw 5.1 innings of shutout ball, giving up four hits and striking out four.

The 11^th Round Pick out of Eastern Illinois has become a better pitcher as the season has gone on. His ERA has gone down from 4.02 in July to 1.35 this month. In those five games this month, Borens has struck out 16 hitters in 20 innings of work. The Yankees have used him as both a starter and reliever this season, but the stat that stands out is the opponents’ batting average.

When opponents face him at home, they are hitting a mere .183 against him (.213 on the road). We haven’t talked about the 21-year-old much this season. However, after two quality games against a good offense in Brooklyn, Borens has definitely ended his season on a high note.