The Yankees return to the Bronx on Monday night looking to stop a frustrating stretch after dropping a series to a last-place team over the weekend in Queens. Despite flashes of offense during the Subway Series, the Yankees once again struggled to put games away.
Now, with a four-game series against the reigning American League champions on tap, the Yankees hope they can quickly turn the page on an ugly road trip. That stretch saw the team go 2-7 while also losing Jasson Domínguez (hurt in the getaway-day
game immediately prior), José Caballero, and Max Fried to the injured list.
The Blue Jays have had a rough go to start the season, but they did top the Yankees in 8 of 13 meetings last regular season and, of course, took the American League Division Series in a four-game set, losing just once. The Yankees send Ryan Weathers to the mound after the young left-hander turned in arguably the best start of his MLB career last time out in Baltimore.
Weathers carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before the Orioles finally broke through and eventually spoiled the outing after Brent Headrick surrendered the lead. Even with the tough-luck result, Weathers continues showing signs that he is settling into his role in the Yankees rotation.
Tonight also carries a small bit of family history for the lefty. Ryan’s father, David Weathers, was not only a former Yankee, but also originally drafted by the Blue Jays back in 1986. Ryan has only faced Toronto once previously at the big-league level, though that outing went quite well. In his final start of the 2024 season for the Marlins, Weathers tossed 6.1 innings of one-run ball against the Blue Jays while allowing just three hits and striking out six.
Weathers will face several familiar Blue Jays bats including George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Additionally, the Yankees get their first look at right-handed infielder Kazuma Okamoto, who came to Toronto from Japan this past offseason.
Toronto counters with veteran left-hander Patrick Corbin. Now 36 and on his third team in as many seasons, Corbin signed with Toronto after the season had already begun as injuries to José Berríos, Shane Bieber, and Trey Yesavage quickly stretched the organization’s pitching depth. To his credit, Corbin has provided Toronto with respectable innings so far this season, posting a 3.93 ERA through seven starts.
In fact, Corbin has quietly improved since appearing on the verge of being mashed out of the league from 2021 through 2024 with the Nationals. Yankees hitters will likely have opportunities against him, but Corbin’s slider remains capable of creating ugly swings if hitters become too aggressive.
That patience may be especially important for a Yankees lineup still searching for consistency behind Ben Rice, Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger. While the Yankees remain firmly in the playoff picture, the offense continues feeling capable of much more than what it has shown. However, one has to wonder how much longer some of these leashes are and what other options might eventually become available.
Tonight the Yankees give Rice a partial day off at designated hitter while slotting Paul Goldschmidt at first base and in the leadoff spot due to the southpaw Corbin on the bump. The Yankees are going right-hand heavy, with Amed Rosario starting at third base and Max Schuemann getting the nod in left field. J.C. Escarra will handle catching duties for the second-straight game and round out the lineup; he’s a lefty but Austin Wells is mired in an ugly slump, so Escarra will get another look while Wells takes a beat.
Monday night may not feature the flashiest pitching matchup on paper, but both teams badly need length from their starters. Toronto continues trying to survive a battered rotation while the Yankees would love to avoid leaning too heavily on a bullpen that has already seen its fair share of recent drama and heavy usage. Note that righty reliever Yovanny Cruz was recalled today and is out in the ‘pen now and could provide support as well. The 26-year-old has been a pro since 2017 and has pitched in multiple organizations, but this would be his long-awaited MLB debut.
After a rough finish in Queens, the Yankees now return home hoping a trip back to Yankee Stadium can help right the ship as the division race starts heating up deeper into the summer. Let’s boogie in the Bronx!
How to watch
Location: Yankee Stadium – Bronx, NY
First pitch: 7:05 pm ET
TV broadcast: YES, SN1
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280, SN590 THE FAN
Streaming: Gotham Sports App, MLB.tv (out-of-market only)
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