Warren Schaeffer Doesn't Mince Words on Garbeil Hughes' Start Against Yankees

The performance was one that impressed Colorado's manager.

Colorado Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer Credit: Dale Zanine | Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When the calendar flipped from August to September, nobody was more excited than 25-year-old Colorado Rockies right-handed pitcher Gabriel Hughes. The Alaska native was roughed up last month to the tune of a 10.03 ERA over five outings in 23.1 innings.

He allowed seven runs each in starts against the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants, while also allowing five against the Tampa Bay Rays. He allowed four runs against the Washington Nationals and three to the Cleveland Guardians in his other two starts. In his last start on September 1 against the Baltimore Orioles, he allowed just one run and four hits in 4.2 innings of a 4-2 Colorado victory.

On Tuesday at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, Hughes got the start against the New York Yankees, and despite falling to 0-7 in a 5-3 Rockies loss, manager Warren Schaeffer raved about Hughes' performance.

Warren Schaeffer Liked Gabriel Hughes Start Against the Yankees

Colorado Rockies pitcher Gabriel Hughes Credit: Vincent Carchietta | Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hughes went five innings against New York, allowing just two runs, one earned, and four hits, with six strikeouts on just 79 pitches. His ERA dropped to 5.81 after the outing, but despite the loss, Schaeffer liked what he saw from the 6-foot-4 right-hander.

“Gabe was excellent tonight. He pounded the zone,” Schaeffer said, per Bill Ladson of MLB.com. “His stuff was sharp. The spin was good. The curveball, sweeper and slider were all good. ... It was very impressive.”

Hughes did everything he could to keep his team in the game. In a stadium that was rocking with the return of Aaron Judge to the Yankees lineup, Hughes struck out Judge the first time up and got him to fly out to center field in his second at-bat. Hughes failed to get any help from his defense, which gifted New York an unearned first-inning run.

Luis García Jr singled to left field and the ball was booted in the outfield. Jake McCarthy picked up the ball and threw it in toward home plate after Cody Bellinger moved up to third base, but catcher Hunter Goodman was not paying attention and the ball went to the backstop, allowing Bellinger to score.

The problem for Hughes and the Rockies was that Cam Schlittler, who is the favorite to win the American League Cy Young Award, matched Hughes pitch-for-pitch. The 25-year-old Schlittler allowed just three hits and one run with 10 strikeouts. It was a one-run game until Brennan Bernardino until he allowed a three-run home run to Heliot Ramos, who replaced Judge in the bottom of the eighth for a 5-1 lead.

It wasn't the result Hughes and the Rockies wanted, but the start was a good sign for the rest of the season for a team chasing all the wins they can get to avoid a fourth straight 100-loss season. It's certainly something to build off for Hughes and Colorado.