The Captain's Blog

For one week, Yankees Universe has become Bizzaro World. Once home to an infallible closer and dominant left handed ace, Yankee Stadium now features impostors who give up home runs at an alarming pace. Apparently, the rest of the American League has found the Yankees’ kryptonite.

The Yankees harrowing week started with a rare string of three straight games in which Mariano Rivera surrendered an earned run, a span that encompassed two blown saves and home runs allowed in consecutive appearances. As if Yankees’ fans weren’t busy enough fretting about the worry-free Rivera, last night provided another head scratching development.

One start after losing to Boston for the fourth time this season, all expectations were for CC Sabathia to continue his dominance against the rest of the American League. The Tampa Rays, however, had other ideas, and they used the long ball to express to them. When Sabathia’s outing was concluded, the big lefty had surrendered five home runs (including two hit by left handed batters), which was not only the highest total allowed in his career, but within one of the highest total allowed in the major leagues since 1919. Despite avoiding that infamy, Sabathia did tie a franchise record.

Yankee Pitchers Who Have Surrendered Five HRs in One Outing

Source: Baseball-reference.com

All season, Rivera and Sabathia have been close to automatic, so the thought of a week in which three loses are directly attributable to that dynamic duo is almost unfathomable. Before too long, you can all but guarantee the Yankees’ two super heroes will be back on the right path, but, in the meantime, it’s only natural to wonder what strange occurrence will come next? Maybe a complete game shutout by AJ Burnett? Scratch that. Even Bizzaro World has its limits.