Yankees Pitchers Were Dominant in Game 1 but Must Make One Key Adjustment Going Forward

The New York Yankees pitching staff needs to slightly change their approach against the Tampa Bay Rays.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler will look to even up the ALDS at 1-1 in Game 2 on Monday night. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Yankees earned an A+ in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. Gerrit Cole allowed a home run over five innings, but was otherwise spectacular. Ryan Weathers hasn't thrown an inning since the end of the summer but returned with three easy groundouts. Then Paul Blackburn and Brent Headrick shut the door on Tampa Bay.

However, one thing on the stat line did stick out, and it's not a positive. It also has little to do with the Yankees' pitchers and more to do with the Rays. Outside of Cole, Headrick, Blackburn, and Weathers couldn't generate a single swing-and-miss. Cole had 11 whiffs, while the rest of the Yankees' staff had a goose egg.

New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole was outstanding in Game 1 of the ALDS, but it didn't lead to a win over the Tampa Bay Rays. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If Cam Schlittler plans to blow away the Rays with his fastballs, that might mean an early exit in the fifth or sixth. In many ways, it could look like his start against the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he struck out eight but was yanked after 4.1 innings.

Pitching to contact

For Schlittler to succeed against the Rays, he'll probably have to lean more on pitching to contact. That could mean slightly changing his approach and throwing more sinkers. The sinker is already his second-best pitch statistically, according to run value. It has a 10 run value, and opposing batters are hitting .179 with a .265 slugging percentage against it. They also have a 36.9% hard-hit rate against the sinker.

Meanwhile, pitching to contact is why Weathers was successful in his return. It is one of his strengths.

New York Yankees pitcher Ryan Weathers returned to the mound in Game 1 of the ALDS. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Weathers has a 25.2% strikeout rate, and he can get you with a wipeout slider, but he also has a 49.5% groundball rate. That is in the 83rd percentile in baseball. Those ground balls to the first baseman were in his wheelhouse.

Max Fried might have the best shot of anybody on this Yankees' staff to go deep against the Rays. He relies heavily on soft contact. Fried has a 49.8% groundball rate, 29.8% hard-hit rate, and 2.4% barrel rate.

Rodon, however, has one of the worst groundball rates in the sport. His is at 37.3% this year. In his last start against the Rays, he went eight innings, recording eight strikeouts and inducing seven ground balls.

A groundball-to-short isn't as spectacular as a strikeout, but it's one way for the Yankees starters to go as deep as possible.

If the Yankees come away with a win in Game 2, it can change the entire complexion of this series. It just starts with one, and then they can go from there. Or they can drop this one and get bounced unceremoniously in the Bronx, the way they did last season.

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