The Yankees Are in a 3-Game Freefall and Casey Mize Just Spilled the Tea on Why

Alright, you guys, this is wild. The New York Yankees, one of baseball's titans, are in a serious tailspin right now, dropping three straight games and four of their last five. Seriously, they even lost the series opener to Detroit on Monday, 5-3, with the Tigers lighting up Gerrit Cole for five runs! Tonight, they're set to face Casey Mize, a pitcher who has absolutely tormented them in the past, and you know what? Mize himself just dropped some truth bombs about his own struggles that might give us a clue into what the Yankees are feeling too.

Casey Mize Is Back, But He's Still Grinding

Mize, the Detroit right-hander, is stepping onto the mound tonight, looking to keep his Tigers' four-game winning streak alive. This dude has a knack for shutting down the Yankees. Last season, he had two quality starts against them: in April, he went six innings, giving up just one run and four hits in a 6-2 win, then again in September, he held them to two runs and four hits over six innings, striking out eight in a dominant 12-2 victory. His career numbers against the Yankees are solid too: 2-1 with a 3.63 ERA in four starts.

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But here's the kicker: Mize has been battling some serious health issues, hitting the injured list twice in the last two months for right adductor/groin strains. He just came back last Wednesday against the Astros, and it wasn't his best outing, allowing three runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings of a 4-2 loss. He was honest about it, too. "I got myself in some tough counts," Mize said. "That was probably the biggest thing. It wasn't about pitch selection or usage. Just a lot of three-ball counts, that was the issue. I feel like I went 0-2 to 3-2 and they reached base, which is frustrating. That's been unlike me. Just a little out of whack. Not super pleased with my strike-throwing (Wednesday). Tough counts lead to tough outcomes." This season, he's 2-4 with a 2.58 ERA and five quality starts in 10 outings, despite those injury-shortened appearances.

Yankees Are Pressured, But Goldschmidt Is Still Raking

Tonight, Mize will go up against Carlos Rodon, who's got a 3-2 record with a 3.50 ERA. Rodon has actually won his last two starts, but the Yankees' manager Aaron Boone pointed out that in his last outing against the White Sox, where he picked up a 10-5 win, Rodon needed 99 pitches to get through just five innings, giving up three runs and seven hits. Boone said, "His stuff was really good. Fastball (had) life, good profile to it. Secondary (pitches were) good. Got into a little bit of trouble; they made him work... They were able to get some guys on base to make it challenging and pressure him but he made enough pitches, had some swing and miss." Rodon's career record against the Tigers isn't exactly stellar either, sitting at 6-6 with a 5.44 ERA in 15 starts. It sounds like the Yankees' struggles are putting a ton of pressure on their pitchers to be absolutely perfect.

While the team is scuffling, Paul Goldschmidt is absolutely mashing the ball for New York. He ripped two singles in Monday's game against Detroit, making it his eighth multi-hit game this month alone! This guy is batting .293 with an .898 OPS for the season, already crushing 12 homers, which is two more than he hit in 146 games last year. Even with those incredible numbers, Goldschmidt is staying humble, saying, "It wasn't like I played horrible; I thought I did some good things last year. There's a lot of time left in the season. I've tried, honestly, to not even focus on the stats. It wasn't like, ‘Oh, I want to go out and prove I can play.' It was just that I want to try to help us win, in whatever the role is."

What's Next for the Bronx Bombers?

So, the Yankees are in a tight spot, facing a pitcher who's had their number, even if he's battling back from injuries himself. Can Rodon keep them in it, or will Mize extend Detroit's winning streak and send the Yankees deeper into their slump? It's Tuesday night, the middle game of the series, and there's a lot on the line for both clubs as they try to establish some momentum in this long season. No matter what happens on the East Coast, it's a good day to be a baseball fan, especially here in the Emerald City. You know our boys in blue and green just handled business, beating the Boston Red Sox 3-1! Go M's!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.