The New York Yankees enjoyed a split roster series on Saturday, facing off against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies. The Bombers lost against the Pirates 3–0, failing to generate much offense and seeing starter Ryan Weber give up three earned runs over 2.2 innings.
In fact, there weren’t many positive takeaways from this unfortunate defeat, but there were a few individuals who stepped up and showcased quality moments.
Good news for the Yankees:
The Yankees are trying to get their infield as much work as possible, splitting things up between two games. Oswald Peraza manned shortstop against Pittsburgh, coming up with a few impressive defensive plays.
One specific moment that flashed was a ground ball that hit the Yankees pitcher and popped up into the air, in which Peraza snagged the ball and managed to transition it to second base to complete an improbable double play. There is no question he offers Gold Glove level defense, striking out once over three at-bats. Peraza has hit .200 with a .333 OBP this spring, so he’s had his fair share of ups and downs.
However, designated hitter Billy McKinney tallied two hits across three at-bats, and Andres Chaparro also added a hit to his impressive spring stat line. Chaparro is hitting .333 with a .417 OBP, making a strong push to be elevated to Triple-A Scranton.
As for the team’s pitching, Ian Hamilton performed well, striking out one batter over 1.1 innings. He did give up two hits but didn’t allow any runs. Nick Ramirez also had a solid relief performance, giving up a hit and striking out a batter over 1.0 innings. Specifically, Hamilton has had a very good spring, making four appearances and striking out four batters across 4.1 innings.
Bad news for the Yankees:
Aside from a few notable positives, the Yankees struck out 13 times in their offensive dud. Estevan Florial continues to bury his chances at a potential spot on the 26-man roster. He struck out twice in the loss, hitting .136 with a .208 OBP this spring. Josh Donaldson also offered minimal production, striking out once, hitting .200.
Ryan Weber, who got the start in the contests, gave up five hits and three earned runs across 2.2 innings. Weber has insane movement on his pitches but lacks velocity, making him a last-resort supplement in the bullpen. This game featured mostly reserve options, but the Yankees got a few flashes from their starters, which is ideal.
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