Pittsburgh Pirates Set to Host New York Yankees for Two-Game Series

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 28: Clay Holmes #35 of the New York Yankees stands on the mound during the ninth inning of the game against the Oakland Athletics at Yankee Stadium on June 28, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

To beat the Yankees a team needs to pitch well

The Yankees have assembled one of the best pitching staffs in the American League. Taillon’s success this season has already been discussed, righty Luis Severino will start for the Yankees on Wednesday night and he is have a good season as well. Severino owns a 3.35 ERA, 3.65 FIP, 7.3% walk rate and a 28.9% strikeout rate in 14 starts (78 innings pitched) this season.

New York’s bullpen is one of the best in all of baseball. This makes getting a lead against their starters, which is not easy to do, key in victory. The Yankee bullpen has an ERA of 2.72 which is the second lowest in the American League. Their 24.6% strikeout rate ranks fourth in the AL, and 16 home runs allowed are tied for the fewest in the league.

Avoiding the back end of the Yankee bullpen led by former Pirate turned dominant reliever Clay Holmes is also important. If the Yankee back end relievers are given a lead, odds are, the game is over.

This will put a lot of pressure on Pirate starting pitchers José Quintana and JT Brubaker, who have been the team’s two most consistent starting pitchers this season. It will also add pressure to a Pirate bullpen to hold a lead if given one.

To beat the Yankees a team needs to pitch well

Schedule