Although Blake Snell was thoroughly frustrated about giving up three homers in his biggest start of the season, the Tampa Bay ace at least had a grudging appreciation for the New York Yankees’ swings on each ball that cleared the wall at Petco Park on Monday.
The Rays’ breaking-ball maestro was a whole lot more disappointed about the pitches on which he could not get the Yankees to swing at all.
“They were just a lot more patient today with certain guys that are usually swingers and more carefree, so that was interesting to see,” Snell said.
Photo: AFP
Snell pitched five inconsistent innings in the Rays’ 9-3 loss in the American League Division Series opener, failing to match New York ace Gerrit Cole and putting Tampa Bay in an early series hole.
Snell appeared to have much of his usual dip and movement, although he claimed he did not feel great. The results spoke loudly: Snell generated only five swing-and-misses — just four on his vaunted breaking pitches — on 84 pitches to the Yankees.
New York made contact on 31 of their 36 swings (86.11 percent), the third-highest rate by a team facing Snell during his career, according to MLB.com.
Photo: AFP
“When you play the Yankees, you’re going to get very professional at-bats,” Tampa Bay catcher Mike Zunino said. “They’re going to come in with a plan against our pitching staff, and I thought they did a good job. They worked themselves into some good counts. I think if we get some commitments early on in some at-bats, we’re in a different spot.”
With his first chance to face the Yankees in the post-season, the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner could not bamboozle a disciplined, patient lineup with his fluid array of curves and sliders.
Snell still took a 3-2 lead into the fifth, but surrendered it on homers by Kyle Higashioka and Aaron Judge. Higashioka’s shot on a fastball after taking two breaking balls was a prime example of the Yankees’ patience, while Judge’s blast of an errant curve was simply a product of Judge being one of the game’s greatest power hitters.
The Rays were not blown out until New York’s five-run ninth, but the AL’s best regular-season team were unable to capitalize on their top pitcher’s first start — often a bad omen in any short series
Snell “didn’t get away with any mistakes tonight,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “Pitching against that lineup, it’s tougher when you’re behind on them.”
He was not awful, but Snell still had his worst statistical start of the season on the biggest stage.
He matched his regular season highs while allowing six hits and four earned runs, and his two walks were one off his worst mark of the year.
“The solo shots, the three home runs, that’s frustrating,” Snell said. “It was just a weird night for me. I couldn’t really get in a rhythm. I couldn’t find consistency in pitches, so that was frustrating.”
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