Just when the Yankees were looking for a ray of hope, they found a Ray of hope.
Over the last month, coinciding with their revival from disappointment to distinction, the Yankees have become the $200 million Rays — more interchangeable and diverse offensively, more capable of reaching out nearly anywhere on the pitching staff for big outs.
Is it sustainable? Who knows? The Mets had this earlier this year with Jose Peraza, Kevin Pillar, Jonathan Villar and just about every pitcher deployed providing big moments or more — and then, poof, it was gone amid the revealing long season.
But the Rays have made this a way of not just surviving their payroll mandates, but thriving in a division of mammoths. The Rays have done a good job the last two years, in particular, of annoying the Yankees by playing David to the Yankees’ one-tract Goliath; essentially Tampa Bay embraces an underdog spirit and deploys what amounts to tournament baseball for six months, morphing within games from one kind of team to another depending on the situation. They are baseball Transformers.
The Yankees have done that most of the second half, becoming first a different kind of roster out of desperation mainly due to injury and COVID-19 and then out of inspiration at the trade deadline. Consider that:
- They are more diverse. Before Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo joined the lineup on July 30, the Yankees had the majors’ second fewest lefty plate appearances. Entering Thursday, they had the 10th most since and their lefty-hitting OPS — .630 before the trades — had been .740 since.
- They are faster. The Yanks had a major league-low 20 first-half steals. Greg Allen joined the Yanks to begin the second half. Tyler Wade began to play more. They ran and it began to influence a whole team. The Yanks went into Thursday with 29 second-half steals, the most in the majors.
- The defense is better. Forget about a stat. Just think about the play that finished the Yankees’ sweep of Boston on Wednesday night — Andrew Velazquez in the shortstop hole, Rizzo with the in-between hop scoop. Does Gleyber Torres or Luke Voit complete either end of that play?
- The pitching depth has grown. The Yankees blew out the Orioles by a combined 23-4 on Aug. 3-4. They followed that by winning 11 of 13. The 11 wins have been by one run three times, two runs six times and three runs twice. Seven different pitchers earned wins in that span and — more stunning — seven different relievers earned saves.
Anthony Rizzo mans first base for the Yankees. Getty ImagesThere is nothing more Rays-like than the pitching usage. Tampa Bay traded its save leader (Diego Castillo) at the deadline, believing (as always) that its collection of talented arms could do the work. The Yanks have constructed much of their recent surge with Aroldis Chapman hurt and Zack Britton ineffective and Nos. 1 and 2 starters Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery out with COVID.
What the Yanks should not lose as their health improves is the spirit and tactics that have fortified them throughout this run. The Rays’ success has much to do with the energy and mindset they bring, notably in acceptance by most of the roster of being so interchangeable. A lot of that is financially driven as Tampa Bay refuses to spend big at any one spot and, thus, find less expensive players whose blended talents produce a satisfying whole.
The Yanks, of course, are on the other end of the payroll spectrum. But for the duration of this season, at least, egos and paycheck figures need to be left at the door; as has been the case for a month. During this strong run, for example, Aaron Boone has pulled Giancarlo Stanton two-thirds of the way through games the Yanks lead when he starts in the outfield as part of an overhaul of their late-game defensive alignment. So when Torres returns, for example, Velazquez could still play defense late at short, especially since Torres is unlikely to return before rosters can expand to 28 in September and the Yanks can continue to carry Velazquez.
The Yanks should not be afraid to run for a slower starter late with Wade, Velazquez, Brett Gardner or (if they return Sept. 1) Allen or Jonathan Davis. Nothing should be sacrosanct. For example, no player has more plate appearances since his last homer (going into Thursday) than DJ LeMahieu’s 195. If Boone feels there is a better starting or late-game option for LeMahieu, then those options should be used.
Andrew Velazquez has been a surprise for the Yankees. Getty ImagesAnd that specifically goes for how he deploys his pitching. The Yankee season ended out of Chapman’s hand the last two postseasons. There is no pinstriped commandment that Chapman be used exclusively in save situations. The Yanks have greater interchangeability, and in the coming weeks with, perhaps, Corey Kluber, Domingo German and Clay Holmes returning, they could have a wealth of arms to attack September (and perhaps October).
It is always folly to believe you have enough pitching. But, until proven otherwise, Albert Abreu, Nestor Cortes Jr., Luis Gil, Wandy Peralta and Joely Rodriguez have earned the right to keep getting the ball. Maybe it is smoke and mirrors. Or maybe it is Rays-like in that the Yanks have built surprising, trustworthy depth.
If so, they have stolen the identity and tactics of the team they are pursuing in the AL East. At the moment, they can be charged with — and happily plead guilty to — Tampa-ring.
