BREAKING: Aaron Judge Sends Strong Message To Aaron Boone after Yankees Closer Loss
The New York Yankees have started strong after the trade deadline. Their major acquisition, Jazz Chisholm Jr., hit two home runs in their July 30 comeback victory against the Philadelphia Phillies. Despite the win, closer Clay Holmes blew his eighth save. After the game, Yankees superstar Aaron Judge expressed his support for Holmes.
“That’s our closer,” Judge said, according to The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner. “I don’t know what else to tell you. That’s our guy. He’s been our guy. I want him out there in any situation, bases loaded and no outs or extra innings or bottom nine, top nine — that’s our guy. You can ask anyone in this room if they want him on the mound in that situation. He’s been there, done that, and we have faith in him. I really don’t care what anyone else has to say.”
Holmes allowed three hits and the game-tying run in the ninth inning against the Phillies, but the Yankees ultimately won the game 7-6 in extra innings.
Holmes Struggles
The Yankees attempted to add a closer at the deadline but were unsuccessful. Instead, they bolstered their bullpen with Mark Leiter Jr. and Enyel De Los Santos. However, Clay Holmes remains their primary closing option.
“Despite their apparent efforts, the New York Yankees didn’t add a closer before Tuesday’s trade deadline hit,” wrote Kirschner. “They had been connected to the Miami Marlins’ Tanner Scott, who was dealt to the San Diego Padres. They were also linked to the Tampa Bay Rays’ Pete Fairbanks and the Washington Nationals’ Kyle Finnegan, who stayed put.”
Since June 13, Holmes has posted a 6.28 ERA over 14 outings, pitching 14 1/3 innings. Kirschner noted that his 3.61 fielding independent pitching and a .368 batting average on balls put in play before July 30 might suggest some bad luck.
“The average exit velocity on balls the Phillies put in play against Holmes was just 72.8 mph — much slower than the 88.9 mph average exit velocity across the game this season,” wrote Kirschner.
Overall, Holmes has a 2.89 ERA in 44 games, with 21 saves, the seventh most in MLB. He was named an All-Star this season.
Yankees Trade Deadline
The Yankees acquired Jazz Chisholm from the Miami Marlins on July 27, and he has already made a significant impact. Chisholm has hit four home runs in three games as a Yankee, making two starts at third base and one in center field. According to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, he became the first player in Yankees history to hit four homers in his first three games with the club.
Mark Leiter Jr. and Enyel De Los Santos bring much-needed bullpen help to the Bronx. Leiter has a 4.10 ERA this season in 37 1/3 innings pitched and threw a scoreless inning on July 30, the same day he was acquired by the Yankees. De Los Santos has a 4.46 ERA this season, having pitched 40 1/3 innings for the Padres before being traded.
The Yankees, currently 64-45, are half a game back of the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East. Their trade deadline acquisitions addressed some flaws, but the true measure of their success will be determined by how far they go in the postseason.