The New York Yankees capped off a series sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday, securing their fifth consecutive victory and moving closer to the top of the American League East standings. Ahead of the game, the Yankees promoted bullpen pitcher Ron Marinaccio to the major league roster to help manage the pitchers’ fatigue.
Yankees’ Recent Bullpen Moves
The Yankees’ recent strategies include acquiring pitchers Mark Leiter Jr. and Enyel De Los Santos. In Wednesday’s game, Leiter Jr. played a significant role, throwing 27 pitches and navigating a bases-loaded situation while allowing just one earned run. Although Marinaccio was ready to pitch if needed, the team chose to rely on more experienced relievers like Luke Weaver, Tommy Kahnle, and Clay Holmes.
Marinaccio’s Performance and Challenges
This season, Marinaccio has posted a 2.84 ERA over 19 innings, with an 85.9% left-on-base rate and a 39.1% ground ball rate. However, his performance metrics, such as strikeouts and walks per nine innings, suggest potential regression. His expected ERA (xERA) of 4.09 indicates that maintaining efficiency at the major league level could be challenging.
Issues with the Change-Up
Marinaccio, hailing from Tom’s River, has seen a decline in the effectiveness of his change-up, which has traditionally been his strongest pitch. This season, opponents are hitting .348 against his change-up with a slugging percentage of .696, and the pitch’s velocity has averaged only 82.1 mph.
In contrast, Marinaccio’s change-up was far more effective in previous seasons, holding batters to a .227 average last season and .141 in 2022. To reestablish himself as a reliable relief pitcher, Marinaccio will need to regain efficiency with this pitch. Meanwhile, his fastball continues to perform well, limiting opponents to a .100 batting average this year.
Looking Ahead
With a day off on Thursday, the Yankees will have a chance to rest before facing the Toronto Blue Jays in a three-game series starting at 7:05 PM on Friday. This series will be crucial as the team continues its push for a strong position in the playoff race.
