Clippard gets hook as Yanks’ 7th-inning guy
BOSTON — Tyler Clippard is no longer the seventh inning guy. Joe Girardi has decided to go in a different direction, and will give Adam Warren and Chad Green a chance at being the bridge to Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman.
“I’m going to give Adam and Greenie some chances down there and use Clippard in different situations,” Girardi said before Saturday’s 4-1 victory over the Red Sox in 16 innings. “I spoke with him and I might use him in the fifth and sixth. If I don’t have a seventh inning guy, I’ll use him in the seventh. It’s nothing permanent, but right now, I’m going to go with those guys a little bit.”
Going into Saturday, Clippard had a 12.71 ERA and three blown saves over 13 appearances since June 4. He did throw a scoreless eighth inning on Saturday.
Warren hasn’t allowed a run in five appearances since coming off the disabled list.
Green has allowed just one earned run over his last 15 innings while striking out 23 — including the final five Red Sox hitters he faced on Friday night.
“I think his fastball plays up,” Girardi said. “I think he’s located it really well. He’s able to use his slider pretty effectively. He’s not really throwing a lot of changeups in that role. He’s kind of gone to a two or a two-and-a-half pitch (repertoire). He’ll throw some cutters as well. But it’s seemed to really help him.”
Green was unavailable on Saturday, but could eventually pitch on back-to-back days.
“That could change,” Girardi said. “We just felt that we needed him for two innings last night, but we could see that happening, yes.”
Betances, who has been struggling, had a nice outing on Friday night, striking out three and working around a hit-by-pitch. He threw a 1-2-3 ninth on Saturday.
“I think it was important,” Girardi said. “This is a team that’s seen him a lot too, so it’s not like he’s going to surprise anyone when he steps in. I think it was important. Baserunners got on, and he continued to make pitches. I think it’s a step in the right direction.”