Sweep at Hands of A's Exposes Yankees' Big Problem

This weekend the New York Yankees will play the Los Angeles Dodgers out in LA. For days, if not weeks, we have heard about this match-up being a potential World Series preview. Even the New York Post had the phrase "World Series Preview?" on its masthead.

Here's the problem. The series that has preceded this weekend's battle of baseball's titans, exposed a horrible truth about the Yankees: their pitching is down right awful.

I'm sorry to say it.  Calm down. Don't remind me how many championships the Yankees have won in the past. I know, 27 World titles, and 40 American League pennants. I know. Trust me, I know. But if the Yankees are going to change those numbers to 28 and 41 their pitching better improve, or it could be curtains for the Bombers early in the postseason.

Against the Oakland A's, the Yankees consistently found themselves behind the eight ball, down multiple runs before anyone could settle into their seats. In every game of this series in Oakland the Yankees were down four runs or more by the third inning.

Wednesday was no exception as the A's built a 5-0 lead using small ball rather than the mammoth homers the Yankees rely on it compete day in and day out.  Mashairo Tanaka, the teams' unquestioned ace, and outside of CC Sabathia, its only starter with any postseason experience, was shelled by the A's for five runs on eight hits over six innings. It was the sixth time in his last ten starts that Tanaka has given up four runs or more in an outing. His ERA which was once at 3.21 on June 22 is now at 4.68 two months later.

The others haven't been any better. J.A. Happ surrendered five runs to the A's over four innings on Tuesday, a 6-4 loss. He hasn't had a true quality outing since the Fourth of July in Tampa when he allowed a run over 5.1 innings of work.

How about Domingo German on Monday? Rinse and repeat. Six runs, five earned over 5.1 innings in a 6-2 loss to Oakland. German whose record fell to 16-3 with Monday's loss, has been the Yankees best pitcher, granted a lot of it has more to do with the Yankees offensive prowess than anything else.

Whats more the road ERA for the Yankees rotation is so ugly, it has to make you wonder how this team can win games in the postseason away from the Stadium. Tanaka's road ERA is 6.48. German, 5.82; Happ, 5.62; Paxton 5.21, and Sabathia 6.95.

This is the rotation Brian Cashman felt was good enough that he didn't give up top prospects for some starting pitching at the deadline? This is the rotation that didn't have room for Dallas Keuchel last offseason and Spring Training? When's Luis Severino coming back?

Now the Yankees are going to send inconsistent James Paxton to the hill in Game One in LA against Cy Young candidate Hyun-Jin Ryu. This could be tough. Saturday CC Sabathia and his aging 39-year old left arm toe the rubber for the Yankees. By the grace of divine intervention, he will go up against Tony Gonsolin. This should be a win for the Yanks, even if CC lasts only two or three innings.

Sunday the Yanks face Clayton Kershaw.  Something's gotta give there.

You want this to be a World Series preview? If the Yankees starting pitching can't improve now and moving forward into September, there won't be Yankees baseball come October 22.

Don't believe me still? Against Playoff caliber teams the A's, Indians, Astros, and Twins the Yankees are 7-13. Prelude of things to come? The Yankees hope it isn't.