Five Sweeps the Yankees Couldn’t Complete, and the Reasons Why

The New York Yankees have been all over the map in terms of consistency, but even when they’re at their best, one strange trend has remained consistent.

This team struggles immensely when trying to complete a series sweep.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there is a great deal of value when you win a series. If you win two out of every three games in a season, you’re performing at a record-breaking pace. That said, it’s even better when you can sweep a team, win every game you play, and leave them looking for answers as you sweep them out of the stadium.

The Yankees have had a few chances to close a series out, and have struggled to get the W in the final game. Here are the games they’ve dropped, and the reasons why.

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@Cleveland, April 25 – Jameson Taillon’s early season struggles

Now, Nick Nelson wasn’t great out of the bullpen in this one, either. But, you could point to Taillon’s early season rust, and his inability to consistently hit spots and get out of jams, the finger points to him on this one.

vs. Houston, May 6 – Bullpen

The oft-reliable Chad Green gave up a home run to Jose Altuve, and Justin Wilson surrendered two runs of his own. It was a tough day for the back end of the Bombers’ pen.

@Tampa Bay, May 13 – Ummm…everything?

Taillon wasn’t good, but neither was the bullpen. The offense didn’t score a run until the top of the 9^th, when the score was 9-0. It was just bad, all around.

@Baltimore, May 16 – Bullpen again

The back end of your bullpen, with newly-acquired Wandy Peralta and Luis Cessa, gave up four runs each in the final two innings of at-bats for the Orioles. A game that was neck-and-neck throughout was blown open late, with a chance to sweep going by the wayside.

@Minnesota, May 10 – Chapman

We said it earlier today on The Drive with Charlie and Dan. You have to account for a few poor performances from even the best closers, and last night, Aroldis Chapman simply did not have it.

It’s hard to say if there is a common thread, but the bullpen has struggled in a few different situations when attempting to lock down games. This isn’t an issue that you can necessarily address or diagnose, but it’s something that fans should watch moving forward. On to Philly we go!