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The Yankees Blew An Unbelievably Massive Opportunity Last Night

New York Yankees v Detroit Tigers

Tigers 12 Yankees 11

Anytime you’re playing the Detroit Tigers you have to win. Anytime you lead 6-0 you have to win. Anytime you score 11 runs you have to win. Anytime the Houston Astros lose by 14 you have to win.

The Yankees did not win last night despite all of the above happening. They blew three separate leads of 6-0, 7-6, and 11-10 to lose 12-11 to the 43 win Detroit Tigers. Fucking brutal. They were given the golden opportunity of taking a one game lead over Houston for home field advantage in the American League. With division all but a formality at this point, home field in the American League remains the most important task as this season comes to a close. You have to get home field. Blowing a game like they did last night is just unacceptable. All the guys in the clubhouse know that. They may not tell you that in their postgame interviews, but you cannot lose a game like they did last night.

To be fair, the Yankees did use almost every pitcher they had. The only available people not used last night were Aroldis Chapman and newly activated Ben Heller. They went Nestor Cortes-Luis Cessa-Cory Gearrin-Lasagna-Dull-Ottavino-Britton-Chance.

Kahnle had some wrist tendinitis and was unavailable. That left Boone with Chapman, Chance, and Heller for the 9th inning to extend this game to extras. I can understand not going with Chapman there I guess, but I’d go Heller over Chance no brainer. I know it’s his first game back from Tommy John, but he’s plenty good enough to pitch in that spot.

In 11 appearances this year, Chance has given up at least one run in 9 of them. NINE. You just can’t be throwing him out there in a tie game in the 9th inning of a game like that. I love Chance, he’s a great dude, but he’s struggled mightily this year. No pun intended, the Yanks stood no chance in that 9th inning with him out there.

Brutal loss. As some of Yankees twitter will say, we can’t beat the Astros because of last night. Slap yourself in the face. Wake up. We’re not going to be pitching Nestor Cortes, Luis Cessa, Ryan Dull, Cory Gearrin, or Chance Adams in a playoff game. It was just a massive blown opportunity to gain a lead on Houston. I really hope that doesn’t come back to bite them in the ass.

The boys will come to the park tonight locked in ready to cook. CC on the bump in one of his last starts ever. Yankees by 100.