By Joiner Martínez
May 31, 2024, 8:05 PM EDT
To date, the New York Yankees have the best record in the entire Major Leagues with 39 wins and 19 losses.
Those led by Aaron Boone have a great balance so far, having 279 runs produced for 182 runs received, the +97 represents the best example of how batting and especially pitching work in the best way.
As if that were not enough, the Yankees’ starters had 16 consecutive starts of at least 5.0 innings and two runs or less, until on Thursday Carlos Rodón gave up three runs in just over 6.0 innings.
From May 12 through Thursday, Yankees starters were 12-2 with a 1.00 earned run average (11 runs in 99 innings) – all without Gerrit Cole pitching a single pitch this season.
“I think we’ve done a good job internally to turn this into a little competition between us,” Cuban left-hander Néstor Cortés told MLB. “I feel like after seeing your partner do a great job the night before, you want to do the same. You want to pitch better than him and have a better pitching line.”
For his part, driver Aaron Boone said: “They have set the tone for us all year, and they have continued to do so up to this point. “It has been something very special from these guys.”
According to the Elías Sports Bureau, the previous mark of 14 consecutive starts of at least 5.0 innings pitched and two or fewer runs allowed was shared by three clubs: the 1907 Phillies, the 1968 Pirates and the 2022 Mets.
“I think every one of our starters has been incredible,” right-hander Marcus Stroman said. “It is a current of energy that each one of them transmits to the other. We all want each other to do well, and we’re doing all this without the best pitcher in baseball. “It has been a really fun stretch.”
The Yankees are also the only team in the Majors to have five pitchers who have made at least 10 starts with an ERA of 3.30 or better: Gil (1.99), Clarke Schmidt (2.52), Stroman (2.76), Rodón (3.09 ) and Cortés (3.30). Only one other team has at least three pitchers in that regard: The Phillies, with four.
“I think that’s the motivating part about us,” Cortes said. “We all want to get to the sixth or seventh inning. We know all the pride that exists within this rotation, and what it represents for the benefit of our bullpen. When we can throw deep in games and keep the opposition at bay, it’s impressive for us.”
Keep reading:
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