On September 15th, Dellin Betances pitched in relief for the first time in the 2019 season. He only threw 8 pitches against the Blue Jays but struck out the two batters he faced.
Two days later, Luis Severino finally made his first start of the 2019 season. He didn’t end up with the win but had a great line of 4.0 innings pitched, two hits were given up, two walks, and four strikeouts. From who you would have expected to be your ace for the year, that is a great line for his first start. Loaisiga ended up getting the win, as the Yankees beat down the Angels 8-0.
Ready, steady, Sevy. @budweiserusa pic.twitter.com/cmql4yW5sj
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 18, 2019
Things are looking great Tuesday night. The Yankees just beat the Angels, Sevy is back, Dellin is back, the power-hitting Giancarlo Stanton is scheduled to come back during this homestand, and the Yankees could clinch the AL East for the first time in years with a few more wins. Yankees fans should be happy, right?
Wrong.
As everyone is leaving the game feeling as happy as can be Tuesday night, a notification on everyone’s phone just takes the happiness, throws it on the ground, and steps on it.
Dellin Betances is hurt, again. And he will not be returning for the rest of this season. He partially tore his Achilles tendon awkwardly jumping off the mound.
I mean… you can tear your Achilles doing this?!?!? pic.twitter.com/Ok9kXHny8U
— Mike Medvin (@MikeMedvin) September 18, 2019
He just threw a nasty breaking ball to strike someone out and hopped off the mound thinking there were three outs. He goes right back into it and strikes the next batter out to end the inning. Who would have thought that in that time he tore his Achilles tendon? No one. That is who would have thought that. Absolutely no one.
The man just can not catch a break this season. He worked insanely hard to be back at all, and gets hurt after pitching to one batter. Unbelievable.
Wednesday rolls around and Stanton is back in the lineup, batting fifth and playing left field. In his first at-bat, he laces a double, and destroys that ball.
Giancarlo ropes a double in his first AB ? pic.twitter.com/kilNTxJKM0
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 18, 2019
He ends the night with three at-bats, a double, a strikeout, and an out. He was pinch-hit for by Tyler Wade before his fourth at-bat. A decent showing in the former National League MVP’s first game since June 25th.
On Thursday, the baseball world learns that Domingo German has been placed on administrative leave as a result of him violating the MLB’s domestic violence policy. There are many conflicting reports as to what happened, but regardless, he is on administrative leave and has no contact with the team while the MLB investigates the incident.
The Yankees can’t catch a break. Two players come back, but two players are stripped away from the team. Yankees fans can only hope the team takes these situations in stride and continues their winning ways.
Featured Image: Lynne Sladky - Associated Press
