New York Yankees Recap: A Loss, but CC’s Back In the Race

The Yankees lost 6-2 against the Rays at Legends Field tonight, but it wasn’t all bad.

If we are to believe that the fifth starter spot is truly up for merit-based grabs, then CC Sabathia desperately needed a positive outing tonight in order to stay in the race. CC had been bounced around like a Pogoball in his previous two outings, but he responded well to the pressure against the Rays.

When he allowed a run in each of the first two innings, including one on a home run to Evan Longoria, I was thinking… here we go again. Thankfully, something seemed to click for CC starting in the third inning. Now, this game wasn’t televised, so I can’t tell you what pitches were working and what adjustments the big lefty made, but the Rays barely touched him over his last three innings, so he must have gotten something going.

Overall, Sabathia pitched five innings, allowing just those two early runs on six hits (only two after the second inning) and a walk, while striking out four Rays. One good outing won’t erase the last few years of mediocrity, but I get the feeling that if CC can put together one or two more games like the one he had today, and Ivan Nova struggles again, I might even admit that he’s the man for the fifth starter spot.

Unfortunately for the Yankees, their banged up offense (both Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury sat this one out) failed to get much done against Rays pitching in this one. Carlos Beltran‘s RBI single in the bottom of the second was the only run the Yankees scratched across before they started pulling the regulars.

The bullpen took over for CC in the sixth, and the results were mostly positive. Tyler Olson allowed four runs on three hits and a walk immediately following Sabathia in the sixth, which pretty much put the game to bed, but Kirby Yates, who has certainly turned some heads so far this spring, followed with a perfect inning-and-a-third, Chasen Shreve pitched scoreless eighth and Branden Pinder finished it off with a perfect ninth. This is going to be one heck of a bullpen this season.

The Yankees would tack on a run in the seventh on a triple by infield hopeful Pete Kozma and a wild pitch, but they were never back in it after Olson’s flop. Low scoring has been a bit of a disturbing trend so far this spring, so here’s hoping they get everyone healthy and swinging the bats… and soon.

Up next, the Yankees will travel to Sarasota to take on the Orioles on Friday afternoon. It will be Nova on the hill, looking to get back on track himself.