The Yankees followed their most impressive victory of the season with their most impressive victory of the season.
Basically, they returned serve on what the Rays did to them last weekend in St. Petersburg, Fla., when Tampa Bay rallied late to win two games, including one in which it trailed 6-0 to Yankees ace Gerrit Cole.
The Yankees surged to victory on Friday night and recovered from a six-run deficit against Rays ace Shane McClanahan to win 9-8 in a Saturday matinee. Their at-bats were superb even while they were being shut out for four innings by the terrific McClanahan, and in the fifth inning they just relentlessly piled one tenacious, quality plate appearance after another to knock out the starter, who began the game 7-0 with a 1.76 ERA.
McClanahan had not permitted more than two runs in any of his first two starts before not recording an out in the fifth inning Saturday and allowing four runs.
But even within a stirring win, it is hard to ignore why the Yankees were in that 6-0 hole. Because starter Nestor Cortes, who allowed six earned runs in 4 ¹/₃ innings, is just too important to the big picture of this season to keep having the same start over and over again — essentially going from efficient to eviscerated around the fifth inning and particularly the third time through a lineup.
“He’s got to get it right,” pitching coach Matt Blake said. “And I think he knows the expectations for him. The ways he’s performed the last couple of years, he’s arguably been the most consistent starter in the majors. So nothing that has happened has changed our belief in that.”
Nestor Cortes reacts on the mound after giving up a grand slam during the Yankees’ win over the Rays on May 13. Robert Sabo for the NY PostLuis Severino is at least one more minor league rehab start away from returning, Carlos Rodon (optimistically) is at least six weeks away and Frankie Montas has not even begun a throwing program, so Cortes needs to be a co-stalwart with Cole in the rotation.
Instead, he has followed up three strong season-opening starts (2.60 ERA) by allowing 21 runs in 25 innings over his past five starts. And those starts have been near clones of one another — good beginnings followed by a loss of command, stuff and endurance.
On Saturday, Cortes had limited Tampa Bay to one run in four innings on just 47 pitches. But then with one out in the fifth, he walked Manuel Margot, was charged with a pitch-clock walk to Jose Siri and surrendered a single to No. 9 hitter Francisco Mejia after falling behind 3-1. That turned the lineup over for a third time … and welcome to Cortes’ kryptonite. Yandy Diaz hit a grand slam, Wander Franco followed with a double and Cortes was done.
Cortes called that, “The story of my season.”
His effectiveness has waned the second turn through the lineup and he has become essentially batting practice the third. Opposing hitters are 15-for-33 with four doubles and an MLB-high-tying six homers in the third turn versus Cortes — that is a .455 average, .1.121 slugging percentage and 1.607 OPS.
“It could be a mix of things,” Cortes said. “The third time through the lineup. It could be running out of gas. Command has not been great. I have to command better.”
Nestor Cortes gives up a grand slam during the Yankees’ win over the Rays on May 13. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
Nestor Cortes is pulled from the Yankees’ win over the Rays on May 13. Robert Sabo for the NY PostCortes, who had a hamstring injury during spring training and a recent cold that forced him to be pushed back, said he feels great. He traditionally works quickly and does not feel the pitch clock is messing with him. But Blake said there is a possibility that having to go quickly over and over is a factor. Blake said Cortes is fighting his delivery a bit and that has led to inaccuracy with his fastball command. Blake sees fixing that as Job 1.
“I’ve got to work on it,” Cortes said. “Hopefully, I can fix it.”
Like with the other rotation issues, the Yankees are weathering well overall and the past two games showed great resolve. The Yankees and Rays have split six games. Five have been decided by one run. The Rays have a nice division lead, but are just 9-7 within the heavyweight AL East while they are 21-4 otherwise, largely against soft competition that is mostly still to come on the Yankees’ schedule.
The Yankees need Nestor Cortes to return to his dominant form. Paul J. BereswillAgainst McClanahan, who came in with a 31.4 percent strikeout rate, the Yankees whiffed just three times. Kyle Higashioka battled from a 1-2 count to hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, following a Jake Bauers lefty-on-lefty walk. Gleyber Torres walked twice in front of Aaron Judge homers; in the fifth after falling behind 0-2. Anthony Volpe energized the Yankees in the sixth with a leadoff bunt single, stole second and third to become the first Yankee ever to begin his career with 13 straight successful thefts and scored on a wild pitch.
Overall, it was a victory of talent and temperament against a foe that has both as well. The Yankees followed one galvanizing win with another. But to get where they want, they can’t have Cortes as a four-inning starter.
A key in the coming weeks is not just Severino returning, but Nasty Nestor too.
