The Yankees couldn't take advantage of inferior competition on Monday night, as their offense went astonishingly cold in an ill-timed 7-0 loss to the Twins at Target Field.
Here are the takeaways…
— While the Yankees insisted pregame that Anthony Volpe was healthy enough to serve as a full-time player, they once again turned to the hot hand in utilityman Jose Caballero, who ironically made a pair of defensive miscues in the third inning. After a leadoff double, he struggled to handle a sharp short-hop grounder that produced an infield single. Then, with runners on the corners and one out, Caballero took too much time to flip a ball to Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base on what appeared to be a routine double play. The fielder's choice groundout allowed the Twins to take an early 1-0 lead.
— Simeon Woods Richardson entered Tuesday with a bloated 4.58 ERA, but it didn't seem as if the Yankees even knew that the Twins' starter was vulnerable. They were simply caught off-balance by the right-hander's slider-splitter pitch mix, as he delivered a career-high nine strikeouts through five innings while allowing a pair of hits and walks. Caballero logged one of those knocks — a one-out double in the fifth — but he was regrettably picked off trying to steal third, moments later. Woods Richardson added two more punchouts in the sixth, finishing with a stunning 11 on 92 total pitches.
— The lack of run support forced Carlos Rodón to work from behind, but the veteran left-hander still managed to grind through a quality outing. He struck out four across six solid innings (95 pitches), limiting the Twins to two runs on five hits and one walk. His biggest mistake came in the fifth, when he gave up a leadoff homer to Brooks Lee that bumped the Twins' lead to 2-0. Rodón has now allowed two or fewer runs in eight straight starts. His season ERA now sits at a solid 3.11 (182.1 total innings).
— Luke Weaver took over for Rodón in the seventh, and for the fourth time in September, the right-hander grappled with command. He served up a leadoff pinch-hit double to Trevor Larnach, who proceeded to score two pitches later on a double to right from Lee. Weaver then loaded the bases via walks, and just when another pitching change seemed warranted, he allowed a bases-clearing double to Austin Martin that pushed the Twins' lead to 6-0. Camilo Doval took over from there, giving up a stolen base and an RBI single to Luke Keaschall. It was a huge five-run seventh for the Twins.
— The Yankees' luck at the plate didn't change after Woods Richardson left, as three Twins relievers combined to record another three strikeouts over three scoreless frames. Cody Bellinger (2), Giancarlo Stanton (4), Ryan McMahon (2), and Chisholm (2) were responsible for more than two-thirds of the punchouts, and it was the Yankees' ninth shutout loss this season.
— Ben Rice entered as a pinch hitter for Caballero in the top of the eighth — he struck out on six pitches. In the bottom half, Rice moved to catcher as the replacement for Austin Wells,and Volpe took over at shortstop. The swap wasn't blemish-free, as Rice failed to corral a popup along the netting behind home plate.
Game MVP: Brooks Lee
Minnesota's shortstop raised his season RBI total from 58 to 60 with the solo shot and double. Those hits alone provided them enough cushion.
What's next
The Yankees (83-67) will continue their three-game series in Minnesota on Tuesday night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:40 p.m.
RHP Cam Schlittler (3-3, 3.05 ERA) is slated to take the mound, opposite RHP Zebby Matthews (4-5, 5.06 ERA).
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