Yankees Secure Victory Despite Doval’s Struggles
Brent Headrick managed to navigate a tricky situation in the seventh inning, while David Bednar recorded his sixth save of the season in a 4-2 victory over Kansas City on Friday evening. It was a decent night for the bullpen overall, but Camilo Doval’s performance nearly turned the tide against the Yankees.
Doval, a right-handed pitcher, gave up a game-tying homer to Vinny Pasquantino, adding to a string of disappointing outings. Just days earlier, he had allowed a home run to Mike Trout in a loss against the Angels. In fact, he’s permitted seven runs in just six innings across his last seven games.
Aaron Boone, the Yankees’ manager, noted that he saw good things from Doval, calling him “really good and sharp.” Still, he acknowledged a misstep, particularly with the pitches that led to the homers. “He missed in the slugging zone, but the three outs around that were really good,” Boone commented. “I know he was hurt by a couple of long balls. He’s getting close.” Unfortunately, the Yankees have limited options and must keep utilizing Doval, who was intended to serve as a setup man.
Boone expressed confidence in Doval’s potential, stating, “He’s going to go into the fire. The good thing is he has all the tools to get it done. If he can find that last layer of consistency, the stuff he throws is there.” So, it seems they’ll keep giving him chances.
On another note, Jose Caballero stepped in as shortstop in the Bronx, filling in while Anthony Volpe continued his rehabilitation at Double-A Somerset. Caballero’s performance has been hit-or-miss; he struggled earlier in the season but has picked things up recently. When the Yankees got him from Tampa Bay, expectations were that he’d serve primarily as a utility player with speed and defensive flexibility, rather than a regular shortstop.
Caballero mentioned that Volpe is open to returning to a utility position when he’s ready to come back after his shoulder surgery. “I wish him the best of luck,” he said. “We hope he gets healthy as soon as possible. I focus on myself and my team.” It sounds like Caballero is trying to keep his head down and do what he can.
In another development, Boone confirmed he spoke to league officials regarding a balk called during Thursday’s game against the Angels. The call was correct, and Boone aimed to clarify what happened as it involved first base umpire Ryan Additon. Yarbrough, the left-hander, had attempted to pick off runners, but Boone noted that Yarbrough’s throw didn’t reach the base as intended. “You have to get to the base when it’s empty,” said Boone. “So I understand that call. We need to improve on plays like that.”
The Yankees also find themselves in a tight spot regarding pitching effectiveness. They were tied for 11th in attempted pitching success rate as of Friday, according to Statcast. Boone acknowledged that despite some unsuccessful challenges, he doesn’t want to halt their efforts. “We’re trying to learn from all of them,” he reflected on their approach moving forward.
