LA Angels Enjoy Second Consecutive Shutout, Irritating the Yankees
The Yankees got a dose of both good and bad news as they took off from Fenway Park, learning that Rafael Devers was traded to the San Francisco Giants from the Red Sox, but they were still figuring out why their offense was freezing up.
This skid started after a shutout loss and, currently at 29 innings, the Yankees are in the midst of a scoreless streak - the seventh time they've been blanked in three straight games in their lengthy history. The last time this happened was in September 2016, a season plagued by injuries and disappointments.
"We are one of the best offenses in the league," manager Aaron Boone admitted. "We've had a tough few days."
In their recent three-game drought without a run, the Yankees went a measly 14-for-92. That last occurred back in July 1975, when they spent two frustrating seasons at Shea Stadium and met formidable opponents like Bill Lee, Roger Moret, and Vern Ruhle.
This time, the Yankees faced a different trio: Brayan Bello, Jose Soriano, and Kyle Hendricks. While Soriano and Bello had no trouble hitting high-90s with their fastballs, Hendricks, an experienced vet, slowed things down, topping out at 89.2 mph in six innings against the slumping Judge.
The Yankees seemed to trouble themselves with Hendricks' slower pitches, resulting in some poor swings and a minor discussion about their plate work.
"There's always a certain point where it's not going your way, and you feel the pressure to get the job done," Cody Bellinger said. "We had some good conversations."
Not ones to rest on their laurels, the pesky Angels reveled in their success against the Yankees, who had not been shut out in consecutive games since May 1999. That series featured the likes of Chuck Finley and Omar Olivares, who punished the Yankees' struggling offense.
This time around, the Angels made things difficult once again, peppering Judge with 12 pitches and keeping him off balance with a mixture of speeds and locations.
"Just don't throw anything over the middle," Hendricks advised his fellow pitchers. "I got lucky there, too, but he did chase some mistakes."
Recent stats show that although Aaron Judge is having a stellar season, the Yankees encounter challenges as a whole at the plate. High strikeout rates and middling batting averages suggest that despite star contributors, the team is prone to inconsistency, especially when faced with top-tier pitching rotations like the Angels'. However, their robust run differential of +101 indicates that solid pitching and defense help keep them on top, even when the offense struggles.
Ron Washington, the former Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels manager, might offer some insights on the Yankees' current struggles at the plate, as he coachered both Cody Bellinger and Kyle Hendricks during their early careers. Additionally, the Angels, who recently had success against the Yankees, seem to present a challenge for the Yankees' offense, similar to the one they faced against Bill Lee, Roger Moret, and Vern Ruhle in the past.
