Mark Leiter Jr. was presupposed to be a difference-maker.
He was presupposed to strengthen the Yankees bullpen within the late innings.
He was presupposed to create a stronger bridge to nearer Clay Holmes.
Thus far, that has but to occur.
The previous Cubs right-hander has not pitched properly as a Yankee, with an astronomical 6.35 ERA.
He’s allowed 18 hits in 11 ¹/₃ innings.
And in 13 appearances, Leiter — who didn’t seem in Friday’s series-opening 6-3 win over the Cardinals in The Bronx — has held the opposition scoreless solely seven instances.
“I really feel good, I really feel like I’m for probably the most half making pitches. It’s simply the sport of baseball,” Leiter instructed The Publish earlier than the sport. “Generally issues are going to even out. You’ve gotten a streak the place you don’t surrender a success for 9 video games after which you have got a bit of little bit of a rougher patch. I attempt to not experience the wave an excessive amount of. Simply realizing that we play 162 video games. Not getting caught up on weekly traits. It’s a sport of changes and we’re continually attempting to make changes.”
He added: “In the event you have a look at every sport, it’s higher than most likely the numbers would say. You’ve gotten a sport the place you surrender two homers — I believe I did that after final yr as properly — it’s simply a part of the sport. It simply occurred to be after I acquired to a brand new workforce. If I might’ve executed that in Chicago proper earlier than I acquired traded, no person would’ve ever considered it.”
This has nonetheless not been the beginning the 33-year-old Leiter needed, however he doesn’t really feel he’s doing a lot in a different way than he was with the Cubs.
He had carried out very properly with them earlier than the July 30 deal, notching seven consecutive scoreless outings.
As Leiter mentioned, just a few unhealthy pitches have impacted the outcomes negatively with the Yankees. He’s nonetheless hanging out hitters — 16 whiffs in these 11 ¹/₃ innings.
The largest change is Leiter has been giving up extra extra-base hits, together with 4 house runs. He gave up solely two in 36 ¹/₃ innings with the Cubs.
“Generally they hit good pitches, that’s simply the way it goes,” he mentioned. “I don’t wish to overreact. The job is to contribute to wins, it’s an extended season and we’ll be judged on the finish of the season for the way we did. … I’ve been in fairly good counts, and the video games the place I possibly strike out three out of 4 hitters, is the sport I gave up a homer.”
Currently, Leiter has been used earlier in video games.
He was introduced in for the fourth inning of final Saturday’s ugly loss to the Rockies, though he did pitch within the seventh inning of Monday’s win over the Nationals.
“I really feel like he’s in a fairly good headspace with it. Clearly, you come to a brand new workforce, you wish to do properly,” supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned. “I really feel like there’s no concern, it is a man that desires the ball, has pitched properly, he’s simply had some outings the place he’s struggled, too.
“It’s actually simply ensuring he’s getting the ball to good spots, particularly his sinker that’s not an overwhelming pitch for him, however an essential pitch to assist him arrange his cut up and his different secondary pitches.”
