In blowout loss to Twins, Yankees’ bullpen -- even Isiah Kiner-Falefa -- were the heroes
As a famous Yankee once said, “it gets late early out there.” And that’s exactly what happened Thursday night.
Jhony Brito simply didn’t have it as he gave up seven runs in 0.2 innings pitched in the team’s 11-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins. Manager Aaron Boone said that the 25-year-old kept his pitches up and over the plate, and simply just struggled.
But he’s not worried for his young starter, who was making just his third big league start.
“He’s got a great head on his shoulders,” Boone said after the game. ”You get punched in the mouth in this game and he’s equipped to handle that.”
“I felt great warming up, physically. Everything was on point. It’s just one of those nights,” Brito said through the team’s interpreter. “You gotta have a positive mind even if it’s not the outcome you want. It’s how you come back and we’re going to make adjustments, whatever’s necessary.”
In his first two starts, Brito pitched 10 innings and gave up just five hits, three walks and one earned run while striking out eight. Thursday, aside from his short outing, gave up seven runs on six hits and one walk without striking out a batter.
The ineffectiveness left Boone no choice but to go to his bullpen early. And considering how lop-sided the game started it could have been much worse.
Thursday was the first of a four-game set between the two clubs, and when the Game 1 starter doesn’t go deep it can usually spell trouble for the rest of the series. Bullpen arms are stretched thin and are often unavailable in games later in the series.
While it's unknown if those who pitched Thursday will be available this weekend is unclear, but they did their job.
Colten Brewer was out in relief first. And while he wasn’t the most effective -- four earned runs over 3.1 innings -- it was the number of innings he was able to absorb for the rest of his teammates that mattered.
Ian Hamilton followed with three clean innings and Jimmy Cordero picked up a clean eighth inning.
“Those guys picked us up, big time,” Boone said of his bullpen. “Obviously that’s not ideal, but to stay away from a handful of guys. We should be in a decent situation going into tomorrow.”
Boone said that he and his club are discussing whether they’ll make a move to bring up another bullpen arm for the rest of the series, but a decision has not been made.
The Yankee manager did have his mind made up in the seventh inning when he told utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa to be ready to pitch the ninth inning. IKF has played just about every position on the field, aside from first base, in his career and Thursday marked the first time he pitched.
Giving up just one hit, IKF got the three outs in the ninth to save the Yankees bullpen an inning they may need later on.
“I love it. When the game is that big out of hand, to save our bullpen,” Anthony Rizzo, who had three of the Yankees’ four hits. “Our bullpen did a great job today. Saves us big time for tomorrow.”
The Yankees hope their bullpen use during Thursday’s blowout will bear fruit over the next three days. Nestor Cortes is scheduled to start Friday and the Yankees hope he can give the bullpen a reprieve. At least they know IKF is ready if they need him.
