The New York Yankees lost 7-0 at home to the Athletics on Saturday. Aaron Boone's team was shut out by J.P. Sears and Co. in another poor offensive showing for the Yankees. While starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt was the one that took the loss, Allan Winans suffered the consequences. He pitched the last two innings of the game, his last major league outing for a while.
Winans appeared in two games this season, but after his outing against the Athletics, his ERA is north of 9.00. Giving up two runs in the last two innings of Saturday's game was the nail in the coffin. The Yankees optioned the 29-year-old to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after the game, the team announced on social media.
Injuries to New York starters like Marcus Stroman and Jonathan Loaisiga gave Winans a chance in the major leagues. However, he could not stay on Boone's roster. The Yankees' manager is trying everything he can to get his team back on track. After Saturday's game, New York only has a half-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East.
Article Continues BelowWinans performance adds another game to a concerning trend for New York. Boone's bullpen has struggled mightily over the last month. Winans is not the only player who has underperformed, but the team is done with him for the time being.
The Yankees enter the trade deadline season with a lot of areas to address. Both starting and relieving pitching top the list for a team under as much pressure as any other team in Major League Baseball.
Winans has done well in the minor leagues this season. However, he still has a lot of developing to do before Boone will rely on him as a reliever. Both of his appearances were in losses, one of which he was on the hook for.
He goes back to Triple-A with plenty of time to get back to Boone's roster. Winans hopes that when he returns, the Yankees offense will be able to back him up.