Yankees Overcome Athletics in 5-3 Victory
On Tuesday, Cam Schrittler showed a bit more of a human side compared to his earlier outings this season. Though he faced some challenges, he still played a key role in helping the Yankees secure a 5-3 comeback win against the Athletics in the brisk Bronx air.
After an impressive start to the season with 13²/3 consecutive scoreless innings, Schrittler ran into trouble in the third inning, yielding four hits and three runs.
“I think we did well overall, but we made that one mistake in the third that cost us three runs,” he said, reflecting on the game.
The Yankees started their rally with an infield hit from Max Muncy, a soft roller down the third baseline where Amed Rosario was a bit too cautious. Following that, former Mets player Jeff McNeil contributed with a single to right field, and Denzel Clark’s sacrifice bunt advanced the runners.
Schrittler then made a costly mistake, tossing a fastball to Nick Kurtz, who doubled, bringing in two runs and flipping the score to 2-1. Just an out later, Tyler Soderstrom followed up with a double down the right field line, stretching the lead to 3-1.
Manager Aaron Boone commented on Schrittler’s performance, noting, “Not as dominant as his first two starts. You’d think he would just breeze through, but it’s not always that simple. Sure, he had a long at-bat tonight, and his command wasn’t quite where it needed to be.”
Despite a minor setback due to some lower back pain during spring training, Schrittler has impressively avoided any walks this season. He managed to throw 84 pitches while striking out seven batters.
In other news, Jazz Chisholm Jr. twisted his left ankle while running to center field in the eighth inning. He appeared to be in some discomfort but continued to play until the ninth inning.
On a different note, Gerrit Cole participated in live batting practice on Monday. If all goes well, he could pitch again this coming Sunday as part of his recovery from Tommy John surgery.
Boone remarked, “We’re not sure if it’ll be a live setting or a game setting yet.”
As for Cole’s rehabilitation plan, he’s been adhering to a timeline that keeps him out of major league play until at least mid-May. Meanwhile, pitchers typically have a 30-day window for rehab assignments, which can be extended for those coming back from Tommy John surgery.
In a side note, Cade Winquest, a Rule 5 pick, hasn’t yet made his MLB debut. He was warming up in the eighth inning when the Yankees were ahead by two runs but ended up remaining on the sidelines.
“There have been chances he almost got in,” Boone shared. “But we’ve been managing a full bullpen and, some days, quite short. We just have to wait for the right opportunity.”
