The New York Yankees can’t afford any injuries, especially with the postseason approaching.
Unfortunately, they may have lost an important bullpen asset, as right-hander Jake Cousins faced just two batters during Thursday’s game against the Seattle Mariners before being removed.
Cousins came in to replace starter Clarke Schmidt in the sixth inning and hit Josh Rojas with his second pitch. He then struck out Julio Rodriguez, but manager Aaron Boone and the training staff quickly came to the mound. After a short discussion, Cousins left with a trainer, and Tim Hill took his place. A couple of innings later, the Yankees announced that the 30-year-old was experiencing tightness in his right pectoral muscle.
Despite throwing only six pitches, Cousins’ velocity was noticeably down, which is unusual for a breaking ball specialist. His sinker reached just 90.4 mph, well below his season average of 95.1 mph, while his four-seam fastball maxed out at 91.8 mph, compared to a typical 94.9 mph.
Beat reporter Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News provided additional context, noting that Cousins had his throwing arm and shoulder wrapped “pretty good” during yesterday’s game. It’s also worth mentioning that he hadn’t pitched since Sunday prior to his brief appearance on Thursday.If Cousins’ pec injury turns out to be serious, it would be a significant setback for the Yankees’ bullpen. Since his call-up from the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on June 27, he has excelled, posting a 2.34 ERA with 48 strikeouts and 17 walks over 34.2 innings. He gradually earned the team’s trust and became a vital setup man in high-leverage situations.
The Yankees’ bullpen has struggled with consistency all season, to the extent that they lack a designated closer. Losing Cousins for an extended period could severely impact their chances as they head into October.
Leave a Reply