The New York Yankees continue to search for answers offensively as they open a 10-game road trip with a matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday.
The Yankees split a doubleheader with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday, although they scored in just two of their 18 innings that day. New York dropped the opener 5-3, managing only six hits in the process, while the nightcap resulted in an uninspiring 2-0 triumph.
“We’ve got to improve (at the plate),” manager Aaron Boone said. “I feel like I’ve said that a lot here over the last month. We know we’ve got to produce better offensively, and consistently, night in and night out. We’re working to get that done. For us to reach our peak, we’ve got to get some guys going and be more consistent.”
New York continues to play without star outfielder Aaron Judge, who has been out since May 31 with a fractured right rib.
“It’s Aaron Judge; it’s a massive presence,” Boone said. “But again, he’s not there right now. Look at these names. We have a lot of good names here, capable, and we’ve got to step it up a little better.”
The Phillies’ offense has not been particularly impressive lately either, managing only one run in three of their six games since the All-Star break. Their bats showed some life in Wednesday’s 9-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, with Alec Bohm leading the way with a homer and three RBIs.
“Nothing in this series changes our thoughts,” said Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly, whose team dropped two of three to Los Angeles. “If we play well, we’re capable of being fine.”
Philadelphia has played well with Jesus Luzardo (9-4, 3.43 ERA) on the mound, having won his last 10 starts. The lefty allowed one run in five innings against the New York Mets on Saturday in his first start since the All-Star break.
“He threw a lot of pitches in those first couple innings, and then he settled in and quickened up after that,” Mattingly said.
Luzardo has struggled against New York in his career, going 0-3 with an 18.36 ERA in three appearances (two starts).
New York will give the ball to Will Warren (7-4, 4.00), who made a relief cameo in Wednesday’s doubleheader against Pittsburgh. The lefty threw two-thirds of an inning in the nightcap with one strikeout, allowing one hit and one walk in a 16-pitch effort.
Now, Warren will make his first start since July 12, when he yielded one run in five innings against the Washington Nationals. He was originally slated to start Tuesday’s affair against the Pirates before that game was rained out.
“As a starter, I feel like I’m being crafty and pitching a little more than just the blacked-out adrenaline, throwing as hard as I can in the ninth,” Warren said Wednesday.
The 27-year-old has made two career starts against the Phillies. Each resulted in a no-decision, and he holds a 4.91 ERA in 11 innings against them.
–Field Level Media
