Saturday’s rainout means a Sunday doubleheader for the Yankees, who lost a Friday heartbreaker to the Toronto Blue Jays.
That can only mean one thing on the Bronx Bombers’ mind: Doubleheader sweep.
Sunday’s tilt is a single admission double-header, so teams only get a 30-minute break between games. It’s a test of team health, bullpen management, and managing for the future all rolled into one. And given possibly-soon-to-be-ex-closer Devin Williams’ latest meltdown, don’t be surprised to see some must-win energy out of New York.
Time: Game 1, 1:35 p.m. ET; Game 2, approximately 30 minutes following the end of Game 1.
TV: YES
Run Lines: TBD
Pitching Matchups: Kevin Gausman (2-2, 3.16 ERA) vs Max Fried (4-0, 1.42 ERA); Chris Bassitt (2-1, 1.88 ERA) vs Clarke Schmidt (0-1, 7.45 ERA). New York faces a familiar foe in Gausman, a former top Orioles prospect, in Game 1. He has a long track record against the Yankees and, for the most part, is 50-50. He either beats them or doesn’t, and his 3.63 ERA ERA against them should be viewed as par for the course. Last season, however, he posted an awful 9.98 mark versus the Yanks, and he’ll have a hard time matched up against the ace-like Fried as it is.
Game 2, on the other hand, is a bigger test for Toronto. Bassitt’s numbers are legit, with a 1.49 FIP paired with his ERA. Bassitt also hasn’t given up a single home run across five starts (28.2 innings), and New York is his toughest opponent thus far. And that’s after getting hit fairly hard by the Astros in a Monday loss.
Fortune favors Bassitt here. He’s 3-0 with an 0.82 ERA in five starts versus the Yankees.
X-Factor: Cody Bellinger. Team captain Aaron Judge has a .297 lifetime batting average versus the Blue Jays, plus 38 home runs. He’ll need Bellinger to keep swinging his bat like he has the last two games. Belli is 5 for his last 7 and a .306 lifetime hitter against the Jays, plus a pair of homers.
Having Juan Soto protecting Judge in the order last season was enough to get the Yankees to the World Series. Cody Bellinger finally seems to be seeing the ball well again, so hopefully he can use this windy Sunday to swing the doubleheader in New York’s favor.
Prediction: If you find yourself browsing NY sports betting apps, be aggressive and pick a Yankees sweep with Judge to homer in one or both games. First, Gausman is generally streaky against New York and was god awful last year.
Second, and more importantly, Bassitt relies on his sinker, but his ground ball rate (GB%) is barely in the Top 30, at 45.5%. He could pitch well, but will need a lot from a Blue Jays lineup which currently ranks 14th in batting average, but 29th in home runs with just 12 on the year.
Game 1: Yankees 7, Blue Jays 2
Game 2: Yankees 4, Blue Jays 2
