Yankees set up Chance Adams to fail, but he didn’t

In his first big league start versus the best team in baseball, Yankees right-hander Chance Adams didn’t implode — which is more than we can say for other pinstripe starters.

Aside from a first inning, two-run home run to Mitch Moreland — and a fourth-inning moon shot to J.D. Martinez; Chance Adams did exactly what the Yankees asked of him — to keep them in the game.

Through five full innings, the 23-year-old rookie allowed three runs on three hits, striking out two and walking only one versus the best team in the majors. Of the 83 pitches he threw on the afternoon, 53 of them were for strikes.

With his 94-mph dancing fastball, slashing cutter and curve, Adams showed the type of stuff that ranked him as the Yankees’ No. 6 prospect to begin the season.

Unfortunately, a 3-5 record, 4.50 ERA and 102:48 K:BB ratio in 98 Triple-A innings saw Adams’ stock drop him down to No. 13 in the organization.

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Despite the less than stellar minor league season, the Yankees decided to throw him in the deep end without a life jacket.

Some within the organization believe Adams has yet to fully recover from offseason surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow.

Though it can be argued that Adams’ promotion was due out of necessity — because of J.A. Happ contracting hand, foot and mouth disease, Sonny Gray being shuttled off to the bullpen and Luis Cessa being blasted in Thursday night’s 15-7 defeat, the kid from Arizona showed moxie.

Adams attacked the strike zone with regularity and was poised throughout, pitching in hostile territory. Even if he is soon sent back to Scranton to continue his overall development, Adams should be able to build off the confidence he gained in his first major league start, despite the loss.

Following the contest, AL MVP candidate Mookie Betts had this to say about Adams to the NY Post:

"“He’s got a good arm,” Betts said afterward. “He’ll be good once he gets his opportunity.”"

With a suddenly inept Yankees offense, unable to score a single run until the final frame, the Bombers made their former starter Nathan Eovaldi look like a Cy Young winner. ‘Nasty Nate’ went eight strong, giving up just three hits and striking out four.

While it’s easy to blame the lack of runs on the loss of Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez, Postseason-worthy teams can’t crumble at the rate in which the Yanks currently are — even without two big boppers.

Now 8 1/2 games out of first place in the AL East, the Wild Card is looking more and more likely as the Bombers’ way into the playoffs. Holding a 3.5 game lead over the Athletics for the first WC spot, the Yanks picked a terrible time to lose four consecutive games (the first time they’ve done so this season).

For the second straight season, the Yanks have dropped the first four games in August — and are now 18-19 in their last 37 contests.