The Twins made their annual pilgrimage to The Bronx, briefly boosting the Yankees’ spirits like they usually do before surprisingly ruining the July 4 holiday game at the Stadium.
The Yankees’ unlikely 11-4 defeat to the $320M team’s perennial patsy — their eighth loss in nine games overall — isn’t nearly the worst of the weekend, either. The Yankees’ lone victory of the week came Friday, the very day it became clear via a double dose of unexpected, unwanted injury news that the Yankees will need to improve their bullpen and probably even their rotation via deadline trades.
Sources indicate starter Carlos Rodón could be four to six weeks from returning to an MLB mound with elbow inflammation, and star starter Max Fried is possibly still a month away, suddenly putting available starters on their wish list. The Yankees were already perusing the pen market when the 103-mph-throwing pen hopeful Carlos Lagrange was diagnosed with a shoulder injury that could end his season.
The Yankees’ third position of interest, which will surprise no one, is catcher. No amount of “great leadership” can fully mitigate that .151 batting average Austin Wells is toting.
