It was jarring to learn before the first pitch that Nestor Cortes had been placed on the injured list for 15 days and was receiving imaging of his left elbow. He has been the Yankees’ best starter for over a month, with a 1.58 ERA and a 2.99 FIP in his last seven appearances, including just one earned run in his last 15.1 innings. His absence is already making itself felt, as it meant Marcus Stroman returned to the rotation in time to replace Cortes after his initial demotion to the bullpen.

That trade went about as badly as expected, with the previously unseated starter allowing 6 runs on 10 hits in 3.1 innings. The deficit proved too big to overcome, and the Yankees squandered their second consecutive chance to win the AL East, losing 9-7 (with most of the offense coming late).

Stroman looked like a pitcher who hadn’t been in a game in eight days, allowing six consecutive singles to start the first inning. His defense certainly didn’t help him, but that only mitigates some of the blame. Gunnar Henderson started things off with a soft ground ball to Anthony Volpe, whose throw was a little too slow to beat the speedy shortstop to the base. Jordan Westburg then hit a sharp grounder that Volpe couldn’t catch as he jumped to his right. Those were tough plays, to be sure, but you almost expect them from a Gold Glove-level shortstop, especially when he can’t consistently impress with his bat.

Anthony Santander hit a single up the middle to load the bases with no outs, and that’s where things got really dicey. Colton Cowser hit a fly ball to the left corner, and for the third time in 13 games, Jasson Domínguez ran over a ball to his right that landed on the warning track and scored two runs. Santander was thrown out at third base on that play. More on that Domínguez error later.

Ryan Mountcastle singled to score the third run for Cowser, and a single by Ryan O’Hearn refilled the bases, but Stroman escaped unscathed.

Despite scoreless second and third innings, Stroman’s hit parade was not over yet. He allowed two singles to Ramón Urías and Cedric Mullins to start the fourth inning, and a steal by Mullins at second base put runners on second and third with one out. Henderson then brought both home with his third single of the game, extending the Orioles’ lead to 5-1 and knocking Stroman out of the game. Aaron Boone called Clayton Beeter to pitch first out of the bullpen in his second career appearance. He allowed two two-out doubles to Santander and Cowser, both of which Juan Soto misplayed to right, allowing two more runs to score.

The Yankees had early chances to score, but failure to capitalize on those opportunities, coupled with the Orioles’ early onslaught, seemed to take the wind out of New York’s sails. They managed four walks from Zach Eflin in the first two innings, but only one run was scored in the second inning, on an RBI single from Anthony Volpe. It wasn’t until the team was in a seemingly insurmountable hole that things improved: Anthony Rizzo opened the fifth inning with a single and scored on a two-run homer to right by Soto, his 41st of the year.

However, after a walk by Wells and a single by Giancarlo Stanton loaded the bases, Jazz Chisholm Jr. flew out on the first pitch he saw, leaving the other players under pressure and the score remained 8-3.

The two biggest talking points of this game involve Stroman and Domínguez. Stroman reminds me of Brian Cashman’s infamous comments from 2019, where he said he didn’t see Stroman as a player who could contribute to the rotation for the playoffs. Five years later, I’d be concerned if he got anywhere close to a postseason game, let alone a starter. He just doesn’t have what it takes to miss batters or make light contact anymore—virtually everything that came into play today was crushed, and he finished his day having allowed six runs on ten hits in 3.1 innings.

As for Domínguez, another defensive blunder only adds uncertainty to the Yankees’ upcoming decision on their postseason starter in left field. Domínguez has talked about how difficult it was for him to adjust to the dimensions of left field, and one can’t help but feel that the Yankees have wasted valuable opportunities to use him there by continually giving Alex Verdugo undeserved playing time. Now one has to wonder if the team will use these defensive blunders as justification for starting the vastly inferior offensive player Verdugo in the playoffs.

Cody Poteet came in to replace Beeter, who was making his first appearance in over three months after being injured, and held the Orioles to three hits in 3.1 innings, including a base-loaded eighth inning. One wonders why he didn’t just start this game, or at least show up as the first long man out of the bullpen ahead of Beeter. Mark Leiter Jr. then pitched a scoreless ninth inning with three strikeouts, setting up one of the Yankees’ most impressive comeback attempts all season.

Against former Yankee Matt Bowman, Rizzo and Torres singled on an RBI single by Soto, forcing Judge to bat with runners on the corners, and after taking full advantage of the count, the captain hit a three-run home run – his 57th of the year with 142 RBIs – into the visiting bullpen, and suddenly the deficit was just two runs.

Unfortunately, that was where the highlights ended. Keegan Akin came into the game and both Austin Wells and Stanton were thrown out to break up the brave comeback and secure Baltimore’s 9-7 victory.

The Yankees’ task is simple: Avoid the sweep tomorrow and they’ve won the AL East. It’s just the big game that fits the occasion, with Cy Young winners Gerrit Cole and Corbin Burnes going head-to-head. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast on YES.

Result