The New York Yankees are sitting in an unexpected position that includes health concerns, managerial decisions, but more relevantly, the closer scenario. The Yankees are sitting dead last in the American League East, and ironically, they are still two games above .500 with a 17-15 record.
The New York fanbase has been displaying their traditional outcry of disappointment through Twitter feeds and vocalized emotions at the stadium. Yankees manager Aaron Boone has been getting verbal assault, especially after making the late game call to pull starter Domingo German for closer Clay Holmes. German was rolling through 8.1 innings and a few outs away from a complete game shutout. German finished giving up only two hits, one earned run, and striking out six; his start was brilliant.
Right-hander Clay Holmes was summoned and quickly surrendered two runs to push the Cleveland Guardians past the Yankees. This heated up Yankee faithful on site. Aaron Boone took exponential heat and inquiries from the media.
Was this a good move? At the end of the day, Boone was doing his job and bringing out the right guy so that he could do his job; absolutely nothing wrong with that. Holmes is in a trial closer role and needs to be trusted in such scenarios; this game was not a do-or-die September or October game. An end-of-April match will not make or break you. The evaluation of your closer early in the season is crucial for the rest of your year. It would be a horrendous scenario to lose a game and explain why you did not use your closer as opposed to the other way around, within reason.
Yankees: Can Holmes withstand the role or does the team need to pull grass from the roots?
Clay Holmes is on thin ice with this position. Holmes has proven to be somewhat effective out of the Yankees bullpen, but may not be the guy to stop the bull knocking on the door in the ninth. Holmes has pitched in 12 of the 32 Yankees games this season; the Yankees have won nine of these games. Unfortunately, Holmes has blown four saves so far, which isn’t totally detrimental but measurable. Holmes is 23rd on the list of closer performances of all 30 closers in the league.
In rebuttal, it is incredibly early to make such a decision. Yankees nation is in panic mode and wants answers and reasoning for sitting in the AL East gutter. In 2022 Holmes saved 20 -games with a 7-4 record, 65 strikeouts, 20 walks, and a 2.54 ERA. This is not bad at all; in fact, he may be considerable for a set-up role if feasible. Holmes is an asset to this Yankees bullpen in one way or another. That being said, who can the pinstripes call on to test the waters of the stopper? Stay tuned!
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