Yankees Bullpen Implosion Unofficially Ends Wild Card Chase

The New York Yankees’ pitching woes continued Tuesday, as the team’s bullpen imploded in a 12-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in what could be argued was a potential season-ending blow.

It was the sixth inning and the New York Yankees had completed five innings of 6-0 ball before rain postponed the game temporarily. Their opponent was the Blue Jays, who were tied for first place in the American League East, and the Yankees had finished smacking one of their top starters, Marco Estrada.

Michael Pineda had pitched five innings of shutout ball, and rookie Gary Sanchez had contributed 5 of the Yankees’ runs with two homers. The dugout was all good energy, and Yankee fans were ecstatic and preparing to celebrate.

Even manager Joe Girardi showed some confidence in the Yankee lead, choosing to go with Anthony Swarzak, one of the team’s worst bullpen pitchers this season, to fill in for Pineda, who was stopped not by the Blue Jays but by rain. After all, what could go wrong with a 6-run lead and a bullpen that, aside from a few stains, was well polished and strong? 

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If Swarzak did his job, it would push the Yankees ever closer to the Wild Card. With the Boston Red Sox facing the Baltimore Orioles, who the Blue Jays were tied with for first place, the impending win would send the Yankees up the standings.

Devon Travis started the sixth with a double to deep left, followed by a Josh Donaldson single that would cut the lead to five runs. No problem. Swarzak proceeded to strike out the next two hitters, but suffered two home runs to Troy Tulowitzki and Russell Martin and was relieved by Tommy Layne.

The score was now 6-4, with the Yankees still leading by two. Nothing to panic about. Tyler Clippard would handle the seventh inning, and Adam Warren and Dellin Betances would finish the game. That formula had worked will for the club lately. 

However, the top of the eighth would follow with not only the biggest bullpen implosion from the Yankees all season, but it would signify the end of any hope of a Wild Card chase. Warren would go on to allow four runs before being relieved by Chasen Shreve, who would allow another four runs, transforming what was once a six-run lead to a six-run deficit.

The Yankees bullpen showed no vigor, and the lineup failed to do any more damage the rest of the night. The Blue Jays’ 12-6 lead looked as discouraging as the 5 ½ game Wild Card berth deficit the Yankees would face following the loss.

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Somehow, the game was one of the most important of the season for the Yankees – bigger than any of the games preceding the trade deadline – and a series win against a top contender like the Jays would have proven to fans that the Wild Card chase was real. That it, indeed, was possible.

Unfortunately, at this point for the Yankees, many are calling it a season the same way the bullpen called it a night.