The Yankees’ Sunday loss to the Tigers was partly due to Jasson Dominguez‘s hesitation during a key play, a scenario made all the more ironic by General Manager Brian Cashman’s year-long insistence that there was no spot for Dominguez at the major league level. Yet, there Dominguez was, batting fifth in a critical game against one of the American League’s leading Cy Young contenders. Unfortunately, his performance fell short, as he went hitless in four at-bats and struck out three times, struggling with pitch recognition.
Manager Aaron Boone’s other decisions also raised eyebrows. He opted to start Jose Trevino over Austin Wells, a move that may have gone beyond just matchup considerations. Additionally, Boone kept Anthony Volpe in the lineup despite the shortstop’s slump, where he has only managed five hits in his last 45 at-bats. This choice is particularly noteworthy given the availability of players like Oswald Peraza and Oswaldo Cabrera.
Had the lineup been structured differently, the Yankees might have seen better offensive results. A more composed showing from Holmes against the Tigers’ less-seasoned hitters could have tipped the game in the Yankees’ favor.
The team’s trade deadline approach, which involved acquiring just one semi-impactful bat and two interchangeable relievers, is now being scrutinized as their World Series hopes waver. The Yankees’ ongoing struggles could leave them vulnerable in the Wild Card round, especially if they allow the Orioles to stay competitive.
The series’ loss to what some view as a Triple-A caliber team underscores existing concerns. The Yankees’ recent offensive woes are stark, having scored just 20 runs over their last six games, with a lone 10-run outburst as the exception. The team seems to lack both consistency and direction, heavily relying on the contributions of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, while getting minimal production from the rest of the lineup.
Boone backs Holmes, who blows out Yankees
The New York Yankees endured a frustrating 3-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers in the Little League Classic, a game that stretched into 10 innings and saw Clay Holmes record his 10th blown save of the season, a moment that has sparked considerable debate.
Despite this setback, Yankees manager Aaron Boone continues to back Holmes in the closer role. Boone acknowledged the team’s other pitching options but emphasized that Holmes’ overall performance still merits confidence. He hinted that some of Holmes’ recent struggles might be more about bad luck than a drop in skill.
“Yeah. Look, we’ll see as we go,” the manager told after the loss. “We have a lot of really good options. Clay has had some tough breaks back there that’s led to [10 blown saves] … The reality is he’s throwing the ball really well. That said, we’ve got a lot of guys that are throwing the ball well in certain situations. Right now, Clay is the guy.”
The turning point occurred in the bottom of the 9th inning, with the Yankees holding a slim 1-0 lead. Holmes was called upon to close out the game, but things unraveled when he gave up a game-tying RBI single to Jace Jung with two outs, further fueling fan frustration. Holmes had been a reliable presence earlier in the season, but his recent difficulties have made him a target of growing criticism among Yankees supporters.
The Yankees, known for their strong bullpen, are now facing questions about their relievers’ dependability in high-stakes moments, especially with the postseason on the horizon. While the bullpen’s performance overall hasn’t been poor, concerns are mounting over who can be trusted in crucial late-game situations.
Boone’s remarks suggest that the situation is fluid, with the manager possibly reevaluating roles as the season advances. He appears to be weighing Holmes’ recent troubles against his track record and the potential contributions of other relievers as the team prepares for a critical stretch.
The Yankees and manager Boone seem to believe that Clay Holmes’ blown saves this season can be largely chalked up to bad luck, a view supported by statistical data. Holmes’ Batting Average on Balls in Play (BABIP) is notably high at .341 this season, according to Baseball Reference. This figure is a significant jump from his previous seasons with the Yankees, where his BABIP was .301 in 2023, .262 in 2022, and .254 following his 2021 trade from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | W | L | W-L% | ERA | G | GS | GF | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | IBB | SO | HBP | BK | WP | BF | ERA+ | FIP | WHIP | H9 | HR9 | BB9 | SO9 | SO/W |
| 2021 | 28 | NYY | AL | 5 | 2 | 0.714 | 1.61 | 25 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 18 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 103 | 270 | 2.1 | 0.786 | 5.8 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 10.9 | 8.5 |
| 2022 | 29 | NYY | AL | 7 | 4 | 0.636 | 2.54 | 62 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 63.2 | 45 | 21 | 18 | 2 | 20 | 2 | 65 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 260 | 155 | 2.84 | 1.021 | 6.4 | 0.3 | 2.8 | 9.2 | 3.25 |
| 2023 | 30 | NYY | AL | 4 | 4 | 0.5 | 2.86 | 66 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 63 | 51 | 22 | 20 | 2 | 23 | 0 | 71 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 262 | 152 | 2.65 | 1.175 | 7.3 | 0.3 | 3.3 | 10.1 | 3.09 |
| 2024 | 31 | NYY | AL | 2 | 4 | 0.333 | 2.88 | 51 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 50 | 51 | 23 | 16 | 2 | 14 | 1 | 56 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 215 | 145 | 2.46 | 1.3 | 9.2 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 10.1 | 4 |
Though Holmes has struggled with issuing walks during tough outings, the spike in his BABIP suggests that some of his recent misfortunes may be due to factors beyond his control. As a ground ball pitcher, Holmes’ success is closely linked to the infield’s defensive performance. While shortstop Anthony Volpe has been solid defensively, there are concerns at other infield positions, especially with Jazz Chisholm Jr. out injured. Gleyber Torres‘ defensive abilities are not considered top-tier, and DJ LeMahieu’s fielding has shown signs of decline.
The Yankees do have other bullpen options, such as Mark Leiter Jr. and Jake Cousins, but there are questions about whether they have the experience and skills to step into the closer role effectively.
Boone’s recent comments on Holmes’ role as the closer came with a cautious “right now,” hinting at a possible openness to change if necessary. However, the overall sentiment within the organization seems to lean toward Holmes still being the most reliable option for the ninth inning, despite his recent struggles.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
Maybe the clamoring Domingez fans will quiet down although one game does not
call for panic. Another closer should be groomed and used, if only for the change.
More importantly, the pressure placed on
the closer has to be reduced via hitting and
run scoring.
Yea, you’re right, Judge & Soto have NEVER struck out 3 times in their HOF-worthy careers, right?
If you’re foolish enough to think that, think back to Judge’s struggles hitting for the Entire Month of April.
Given Regular ABs, Dominguez is a Massive Upgrade over “Low Rent” Trent, a likely Big Upgrade over Verdugo.
As for grooming a closer, you don’t do that in August in the midst of a pennant drive.
That should have been addressed by Brainless Brian Cashman, whose answer to Holmes’ fading skills as a Closer where to bring in DFA-worthy Enyel De Los(er) Santos as part of his typically moronic “solution” to the problem at trade deadline.
As for Boonehead, more or less, defending Holmes, what else could he do? Who are his other options to close games at this point? There isn’t another bonafide closer on the roster, so, for once, I empathize with Boonehead on this problem, which is ALL CASHMAN’S FAULT!
I think if they had Volpe playing in a normal slot, Jung base hit would have been a 6-3 third out game over. To much of the shift up the middle leaving a big hole somewhere. Credit Jung for going that way.
Austin Wells was statistically The Best Cleanup Hitter in Baseball when Trevino was injured.
So, of course, Boonehead & Brainless Brian huddled & asked: “How Can We F**k This Up? Oh, I know, let‘s play 2 out of 3 games when he gets back, so we don’t have Wells going crazy protecting Judge & getting key hits consistently. Yea, that should work!”
Boonehead & Brainless Brian supply Hal with Overwhelming Evidence virtually every day that they should be fired, but Hal’s too busy counting the receipts from the gate, YES & streaming services to give a damn how much Boonehead & Cashman are F-ing Up!
As for Volpe, he needs a rest day once a week. Did you happen to notice he hit Crazy Good after the 4-day all-star break? Hmm, might there be a message in there for moron Aaron Boone?
Also, Paul O’Neill has pointed out Numerous Times on YES that Volpe goes into slumps when he gets pull-happy & his Front Hip Flies Open in His Swing.
Why hasn’t the Hitting Coach noticed that? And if he has, why isn’t he working with Volpe every day on that?
And if he’s done that, then Volpe needs some tough love, like the coach telling him this:
“Every time your hip flies open, you owe the Entire Coaching Staff a seven-course meal at NYC’s exclusive “Daniel” restaurant, where a seven-course meal costs $275 A Person!”
At the rate that Volpe’s hip has been flying open, he could end up spending his entire salary of $810,100 on meals for the coaching staff. Do you think that might get his attention?
I love Volpe as a player, but let’s nip this issue in the butt now, not in 7 years, like the approach Boone took with Torres’ moronic antics.
My bad, in paragraph 2 Trevinohis sentence should read: “Oh, I know, let‘s let Trevino play 2 out of 3 games when he gets back . . .”