What the New York Yankees might really need right now is a chance to get away from the Bronx cheers.
They could not travel much farther away than Seattle, where they will open a three-game series Tuesday night against the Mariners.
“We understand what’s at stake, and I think we understand the hole we’ve dug for ourselves,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “We’re going out West with a lot on the line.”
Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and closer Aroldis Chapman, who were announced as members of the American League’s All-Star team Sunday, were booed off the mound during a 10-5 loss to the visiting New York Mets in the opening game of a doubleheader.
The loss, their seventh in eight games, dropped the Yankees back to .500 for the first time since May 7. They rebounded to win the nightcap 4-2 behind Gio Urshela’s three-run homer and three perfect innings from reliever Chad Green to avoid a sweep in the Subway Series.
Boone faced questions whether the Yankees would re-evaluate Chapman’s role at the back end of the bullpen.
“Yeah, we’ll continue to talk through that,” Boone said.
Chapman entered in the seventh and final inning of the opener with the Yankees leading 5-4. He allowed a leadoff homer to Pete Alonso to tie the score, then hit a batter and issued a walk before being replaced. He failed to record an out and was charged with three runs.
That came after Chapman allowed four runs in one-third of an inning during a blown save June 30 against the Los Angeles Angels, after which he switched his Instagram account to private.
After allowing just one unearned run in his first 18 innings this season, Chapman has a 22.24 in ERA over his past nine appearances.
“It’s another awful loss, there’s no other way to put it,” Boone said. “All the sayings and whatever, it’s really freaking hard right now and we gotta go find a way and go compete …”
The Mariners defeated Texas 4-1 on Sunday for their 11th victory in their past 15 games. Chris Flexen pitched six innings and allowed just one run, while Luis Torrens and Shed Long Jr. homered.
“Good series for us, coming off a productive road trip,” said Mariners manager Scott Servais, referring to a 4-2 trip against the Chicago White Sox and Toronto. “We’ve got a day off and then we’ve got the Yankees coming in. And we are looking forward to that.”
Tuesday’s opener will feature a matchup of former first-round picks.
Justus Sheffield (5-7, 5.88 ERA) is scheduled to get the start for the Mariners as the left-hander attempts to halt a three-game slide. Seattle acquired Sheffield as part of a trade with the Yankees for lefty James Paxton in November 2018. Sheffield is 0-1 with a 10.38 in one career start against New York.
The Yankees are set to start right-hander Jameson Taillon (3-4, 5.43 ERA), who has won his past two starts. He’s 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in one start against Seattle back in 2016.
