Let's Keep It Going

  Although the Yankees missed an opportunity to sweep the Tampa Bay Rays, they are soaring high after taking two out of three from the Rays, their first series win at The Trop in two years. The Bombers are 11-4 over their last 15 games, and managed to accumulate a total of a .682 winning percentage in the games since starting the season at a 5-10 record. The pitching beyond ace Gerrit Cole has exceeded anyone's expectations, while the offense has occasionally shown glimpses of heating up during this stretch of winning four-straight series.

  This is a team that started the season all the way at the bottom of the A.L. East, and now they are in the midst of finding a way to fire on all cylinders to make a legit run for first place in the division.

  The team will be soaring so high that they will reach into the air space of Baltimore, where they will touchdown into Oriole Park at Camden Yards this evening.

  Now, let it be known that they head to Baltimore, where they last split a four-game series at the end of April. Given the very high expectations and aspirations of the respective teams this season, the pressure is on the visitors to come away with at least a series win. Especially, as the Yankees will want to build off their last series win against the Rays.

  Game one of the 3-game set will feature another start by Corey Kluber, as he will go toe-to-toe against Dean Kremer. Like Jameson Taillon, Kluber is a pitching experiment by the Yankee organization and so far, the Cy Young winner has turned his season around starting with his previous outing against the Orioles. In his last three games — including that 6.2 inning start on April 27th — Kluber owns a 1.33 ERA, 2.06 FIP, and 21 strikeouts against only three runs and six walks across 20.1 innings. For a pitcher that has dealt with an injury troubled past, he has been incorporating the changeup as a strikeout pitch, which has lead to him abandoning the four-seamer for a sinker/cutter combo that has become an integral part to Kluber’s rediscovered effectiveness. In addition, that just leads  to better command overall for the veteran starter.

As the veteran Yankee right hander currently has a 2-2 record across seven starts with a 3.06 ERA, 3.92 FIP, and 35 strikeouts in 35.1 innings, he will be going up against Dean Kremer.

  Dean Kremer should give the Yankee offense a boost of confidence, especially with the lost Gleyber Torres to COVID-19 complication (an Orioles killer). Kremer has allowed nine runs in two games against the Bombers, including six runs in 4.1 innings in the previous series. In six starts this year, he is 0-3 with a 6.23 ERA, 5.21 FIP, and 25 strikeouts in 26 innings.

  The Yankees, Corey Kluber....another A.L. East divisional clash. Let's get after it this evening to kickoff a three game set from Baltimore tonight.