Despite Late Start, Yankees Will Still Win

Yankees vs. Padres, 9:40 ET

Travel days in baseball seem very different to me than in basketball or some of the other sports. Even hockey doesn't seem to have that big of an issue when teams play back-to-back in different cities. I also realize that baseball has a bit bigger roster and the teams are used to playing every day. However, I still think there are some issues - even if baseball isn't the most physically demanding of the sports - with flying from the East coast to the West Coast for a game. That's precisely what is happening tonight as the Yankees take on the Padres. 

The Yankees have been one of the best teams in the sport this season and it is due to their pitching staff's improvement from last season. I'm not pointing fingers, but they did kind of stink last year compared to their production from this season. I suppose it is a bit harsh to blame just the pitching. They had a number of hitters who put up below average production and left the team searching for answers in the offseason. That answer came in the form of trading for Juan Soto who makes his return to San Diego for the first time since he was traded away. Soto has held his end of the bargain, leading the team in both batting average and RBIs. He also is just one home run behind Aaron Judge to combine for one of the most lethal combination of hitters in the game. Another person that is finally holding up his side of the agreement is Carlos Rodon. If you've read me at all over the past two years, you'll know that Rodon is one of the players I like quite a bit. Typically, that's because he makes me a lot of money. He has put out six quality starts in his 10 outing this year, but has only allowed more than three earned runs once this season. He has been reliable and exactly what the rotation needed as Gerrit Cole went out with injury. 

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 07: Yu Darvish #11 of the San Diego Padres throws a pitch during the seventh inning of game one of the NL Wild Card Series against the New York Mets at Citi Field on October 07, 2022 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

On the other side of the equation is the Padres. What are we going to do with the Padres? They are a team that spends money and tries whatever they can to field a winning team, but they remain a .500 ballclub. I respect that they are trying things and looking to win, but nothing seems to provide sustainable results. I get that baseball is hard and everything needs to click, but there really isn't a huge, glaring flaw with this club. They have a better batting average than the Yankees and have scored just a few less runs. They have significantly less homers, but that actually doesn't bother me, because I feel like a home run is a bonus, not something you want to live and die by. Their pitching staff WHIP is just 1.21, but the ERA is around 3.91. The WHIP is good, but the ERA could be lower. Even still, it isn't the worst in the league or anything. Tonight they get their Ace, Yu Darvish, to take the mound. Darvish has been great for them this season with a 4-1 record and a 2.08 ERA. His WHIP is even better than the rest of the team at just 0.90. He is currently in the midst of a 24 inning scoreless streak as well. The bad news for the Padres is that Darvish has struggled against Yankee hitters. He has allowed 17 hits in just 43 at-bats, which leads to a .395 batting average against him. 

This game does have a bit of a concern for me with taking the Yankees because their body clock will have this game at almost 10 PM when it starts. That's late even if you're standing around in the field expending very little energy. However, at the dish, I expect the reaction time to be a bit slower. I think the Yankees win this game though. It is hard to bet against Darvish when he is pitching like this, but the past production doesn't really lie. I like the Yankees to win this one. 

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