Yankees’ Ron Marinaccio searching for consistency, mechanics: ‘It’s been a battle’
The Yankees have a few problems to deal with as the trade deadline approaches. Ron Marinaccio isn’t anywhere near the top of the list, but he’s put himself on there with a poor July.
The right-handed reliever has a 9.72 ERA this month after allowing nine earned runs and three homers over 10 games and 8.1 innings. Opponents are slashing .353/.488/.706 against him over that span.
Marinaccio’s ERA for the season inflated to 4.33 on Tuesday after he surrendered two earned runs and a walk over a third of an inning in a loss to the Mets. Afterward, Aaron Boone said the pitcher’s woes start with his command, as he’s issued nine walks over this stretch. The manager also noted that Marinaccio is “essentially a two-pitch guy” who relies heavily on a fastball-changeup combo. So he’s a little more predictable than pitchers with expanded repertoires.
That’s fine when Marinaccio is on point. Lately, however, he’s been “a little off,” as Boone put it.
“Whenever you don’t have your best stuff, it’s not the most comfortable feeling,” Marinaccio told The Daily News. “It plays with your confidence a bit with throwing certain pitches. I just have to stick it out and try and throw everything with as much conviction as I can. If you’re not convicted in a pitch, it’s not going to be as good as it can be.”
Marinaccio admitted that “it’s been a battle” this season, as he also endured a rough patch in mid-May. He said that he’s been “searching for consistent mechanics” and that he’s “been a bit too rotational at times.”
In other words, he’s been fighting his own momentum on the mound and pulling himself in the wrong direction.
“It’s kind of getting me across my body a little bit and making it tougher for me to get back to the glove side,” Marinaccio said, adding that that impacts his control. He also said his velocity has been affected.
Marinaccio’s four-seamer averaged 94.6 mph last year. It has averaged 93.8 mph this year.
“We’re trying to create as much force as we can driving down the mound,” Marinaccio continued. “I feel like I’m getting stuck over the rubber at times and I don’t have much power at the end of my throw. And that probably speaks to velocity ticking down at times. It’s been up and down for me. I feel like I’ve been getting close at times. Then I’ve had outings where I haven’t felt great, too.”
Boone said that he believes Marinaccio is healthy after he dealt with a dead arm and a shin injury during his breakout rookie season last year. The Toms River, New Jersey native burst onto the scene in 2022, recording a 2.05 ERA and 56 strikeouts over 44 innings.
That performance left little doubt that Marinaccio would break camp with the Yankees this spring. However, his recent outings and the eventual return of Jonathan Loáisiga — who is expected to start a rehab assignment this weekend — could spell trouble for Marinaccio. The 28-year-old still has minor league options, which means the Yankees could demote him if they wanted or needed to.
That, however, is not on Marinaccio’s mind as he tries to work through his woes.
“I don’t think about that,” he said. “I just think about trying to get a little bit better every day. Whatever the situation might be, I’m gonna keep working my best to bring the best out of myself and help the team wherever I am. I’m always hoping to be here.
“I’m sure there’s gonna be rough patches throughout my career, hopefully, shorter than this one has been. But I’m just gonna keep battling and keep trying to stay positive and keep on trying to improve.”
