CC Sabathia picked the worst game to stumble off the mound.
The Yankees’ ace gave up four hits and two walks in the sixth inning on Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Rays. Throughout the 5 1/3 innings that Sabathia was on the mound, he gave up seven runs. After the game, the team’s ace described his feelings after his worst pitching performance of the year.
"I'm definitely disappointed," Sabathia said after the game, according to the New York Daily News. "This was a big game. Winning the division is our main goal and not being able to come through tonight, I feel bad. I feel like I let these guys down."
This loss allowed the Rays to come within one game of being the top dogs in the American League East Division. After looking at the rest of the schedule for the two teams, the AL East crown looks to be pointing to the Rays.
The Yankees have nine games left, six of which could be all-out wars against the Red Sox, and three against the Blue Jays. This is a huge problem for the Yanks, since the Rays will be hosting two last-place teams in the Orioles and Mariners before traveling to Kansas City for four games. The Yankees definitely needed that win Thursday night to position themselves to win the crown.
Despite being the only pitcher in the AL East with 20 wins, Sabathia’s ERA climbed from 3.05 to 3.26, pushing him down to eighth in the AL. The increase will make it that much harder for Sabathia to garner Cy Young votes over Mariners ace Felix Hernandez, who has a 2.31 ERA.
Even more pressing for the Yankees is the loss, as the Yankees and Rays could very well end up squaring off in the ALCS, in which home-field advantage could be the deciding factor. Sabathia and the Yankees had a chance to put it away this week. Now, though, the door is wide open for the Rays.
