New York Yankees: Five Losses That Cost Them A Legitimate Playoff Chance

Allison Case • 10/05/2016

Aug 16, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Anthony Swarzak (41) hands the ball off to New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi (28) after being taken out of the game against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

3. 8/16 vs. Blue Jays, 12-6 loss

This time, the rain did not help the Yankees. After four innings of play, the Yankees had built a confident 5-0 lead over the 68-52 Toronto Blue Jays. Then Mother Nature had her way at the Stadium.

Putting Pineda back in to pitch after the 42-minute rain delay was questionable, but he managed to finish his five-inning performance without giving up a run. He handed off the 6-0 lead to Anthony Swarzak, who promptly gave up four runs to a tough Toronto offense. After eight more unanswered runs, the Yankees were done.

Trying out new bullpen additions was necessary, but not in this situation. The Yankees took a gamble and it didn’t pay off … and showed a massive vulnerability in the bullpen without No Runs DMC.

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Allison Case

Allison is just a girl with an enormous passion for the game of baseball and the written word. Based in Upstate New York, her life-long relationship with the New York Yankees is something that she developed through close relationships with her mother and grandfather. An aspiring sports writer, she graduated with a journalism degree and is finding places to share her excitement about the sporting world and how it affects us all.