*exaggerated sigh*
Top Play (WPA): None of them. They were all bad.
More technically speaking, Alex Rodriguez’s double in the sixth inning (0.198) was the most impactful play of the game. A-Rod represented Henry Owens’ last batter, and even though Rodriguez crushed it to the wall in center field, it was actually a pretty good pitch by the rookie down in the zone. It would be Owens’ last batter in a solid debut, and the beginning of the end in another fine showing by the 2015 Red Sox.
Bottom Play (WPA): All of them. They were all bad.
More technically speaking, Brock Holt struck out to end the top of the seventh (-0.118) with runners on second and third. Believe it or not, Boston was only trailing by one at this point, and a hit could have actually given them a lead! Instead, they reverted back into 2015 Red Sox mode and everything was bad and terrible from this point forward. But hey, Holt still has killer hair.
Key Moment: If we don’t talk about any moments, they never happened.
More technically speaking, the key moment was probably the entirety of the bottom of the seventh. The Yankees scored nine (9!) runs in the frame and sent 13 batters to the plate. Thirteen! One more than 12! That inning was more damaging to children than a half-hour of Winnie The Pooh.
Trends to Watch: If you’re going to watch trends, try to find some that don’t involve the 2015 Red Sox.
If you must watch the Red Sox, I’m sorry. But at least you have Henry Owens, who had a solid debut. His control was definitely an issue, and it led to a lot of pitches early on, but he settled in nicely later in the game. He had impressive poise on the mound, and should be fun to watch for the rest of the year even if the results are up-and-down.
The other trend to watch is the bullpen. But my mother always told me if I have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all. So I’m not going to talk about the bullpen anymore.
Coming Next: The rest of the season, unfortunately.
Boston continues their series in New York tonight with Steven Wright taking the mound. The good news is the Yankees are sending out top prospect Luis Severino for his major-league debut. So that’s an exciting thing that’s happening. Enjoy!
Photo by Andy Marlin/USA Today Sports Images