I was sure that manager Brian Cashman's orders to have his lackey Aaron Boone wear the bullpen out, especially starting Chad Green yesterday, was going to come back to bite the team. Sure enough, yesterday afternoon, in the finale of the series away to the Kansas City Royals, it did.
Domingo German started, looking to extend his surprising 9-1 record. This time, he had nothing: He went 5 innings, allowing 7 runs on 9 hits, including 4 home runs. The facts that he walked none and struck out 6 were good, but it was his worst performance of the season.
It was 7-1 Royals going to the top of the 6th inning. But the Yankees got a couple of runners on, and Gleyber Torres hit a home run. Suddenly, at 7-4, the lead seemed surmountable. Nelson Cortes pitched the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th innings, and while he allowed 4 hits and 2 walks, he allowed no runs.
The top of the 9th inning included the kind of comeback that championship teams make. With 1 out, Clint Frazier and Gio Urshela hit back-to-back singles. Brett Gardner struck out, but DJ LeMahieu singled Frazier home. Luke Voit drew a walk to load the bases. Aaron Hicks singled, tying the game. There was hope. But Gary Sanchez flew out to end the inning.
Cortes got into trouble in the bottom of the 9th, but got out of it. It was on to extra innings. Kendrys Morales walked with 1 out in the 10th, but both Frazier and Urshela popped up.
Cashman, through Boone, didn't want Cortes out there for the 10th. So he called on Jonathan Holder, who's been, Cliche Alert, consistently inconsistent. He struck Martin Maldonado out. But, Cliche Alert: Walks can kill you. He walked Billy Hamilton, who then stole 2nd. Holder got Nicky Lopez to ground out. But Whit Merrifield hit a bad-hop single to left to end it.
Royals 8, Yankees 7. WP: Kevin McCarthy (1-1). No save. LP: Holder (3-2).
*
So here's where things stand, after 52 games, 32 percent of the way through the season, nearly 1/3rd:
* The Yankees are 34-18, in 1st place in the American League Eastern Division, despite not having had Luis Severino, Dellin Betances and Didi Gregorius at all this season; despite not having Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Miguel Andujar and Aaron Hicks for most of it; and despite not having James Paxton, their only big off-season acquisition, for much of it.
* They lead the Tampa Bay Rays by 2 games (1 in the loss column), the Boston Red Sox by 6 1/2 (6), the Toronto Blue Jays by 13 1/2 (14), and the Baltimore Orioles by 18 1/2 (19).
* If the current standings hold to the end of the season, they would have the 2nd seed in the American League Playoffs. Only the Minnesota Twins, currently running away with the AL Central Division, have a better record. In the National League, only the Los Angeles Dodgers have a better record.
* Injury updates: Paxton possibly this week; CC Sabathia in early June; Judge, Stanton, Gregorius, Betances and Troy Tulowitzki by mid-June; Severino, Jonathan Loaisiga and Jordan Montgomery after the All-Star Break; Greg Bird unknown, Andujar next season, and Jacoby Ellsbury will probably never play for the Yankees again.
The Yankees come home to start an Interleague series with the San Diego Padres, including a Memorial Day matinee today. (The era of holiday doubleheaders is over.) Here are the projected pitching matchups:
* Today, 1:05: The Yankees are as yet undecided, while the Padres intend to start Matt Strahm.
* Tomorrow night, 6:35: Masahiro Tanaka vs. Eric Lauer.
* Wednesday afternoon, 1:05: Again, the Yankees are undecided, while the Padres intend to start Chris Paddack.
Then, on Thursday, The Scum come to town. I hope the Yankees don't use up all their runs on the Padres. Because that's been done before: Score a lot of runs in the series before facing the Red Sox, and then not having enough to beat them.