Poteet shines in return as Yankees complete sweep against Guardians
Welcome back to the major leagues, Cody Poteet.
After not throwing a pitch in the big leagues in 2023 while recovering from Tommy John surgery in the minors, Poteet dominated the Guardians’ lineup through six innings to help complete the Yankees’ doubleheader sweep in Cleveland with an 8-2 victory Saturday at Progressive Field.
The Guardians’ first hit against the right-hander came in the third inning on a David Fry leadoff single to right. Trouble didn’t ensue afterwards with Poteet (1-0) quickly retiring the next three hitters in the frame.
His quick work against Cleveland’s hitters was the theme of the night. Twenty-six was the most pitches he threw in a single inning on Saturday. He got through with just nine in the opening frame and needed 34 to get through the first three. The Yankees gave Poteet an early cushion by going up 2-0 in the first inning. Guardians starter Triston McKenzie (1-2) got off to a rocky start after walking Anthony Volpe and Juan Soto, as a fielder’s choice and error then loaded the bases. Anthony Rizzo followed with a two-out single to score Volpe and Giancarlo Stanton walked to bring Soto home.
In the fourth, McKenzie completely lost control of the game. The 26-year-old started the frame with walks to Torres and Alex Verdugo. After getting two outs, he faced the torrid Volpe, who singled to center to score Torres.
Soto later hit a three-run shot over the center field wall to extend the lead to 6-0.
The rough fourth inning ended McKenzie’s outing. He finished by giving up four hits, six walks, six runs (five earned) andgetting just one strikeout.
He was replaced by reliever Tyler Beede, who didn’t entirely stop the bleeding.
After carrying his team to a 3-2 win in Saturday’s first game with a two-run homer, Oswaldo Cabrera hit an RBI double to extend the lead to 7-0. Catcher Austin Wells, who replaced Jose Trevino in the lineup, hit a sacrifice fly to score Verdugo.
After recording 10 hits in the first game Saturday, the Bombers added nine more in the nightcap. The hit party was on display, with each starter in the Yankees’ lineup — except Stanton and Wells — getting a hit. But Poteet stole the show with a sharp outing in his first action on a major league mound since July 2022.
Former Yankees outfielder Estevan Florial accounted for the lone run on Poteet after hitting a 365-foot homer to right field in the fifth inning.
Before his departure, Poteet ran into trouble in the sixth with runners on the corners and pinch-hitter Ramon Laureano at bat, but he struck Laureano out. Poteet finished with six hits, one earned run, four strikeouts and no walks in six innings of work. The 29-year-old threw just 77 pitches (50 strikes) on Saturday.
Reliever Dennis Santana recorded two scoreless innings, while Ron Marinaccio gave up a ninth-inning homer to Josh Naylor before getting three outs to secure the Yankees’ 12th win of the season.
The two teams will finish the threegame set with a matchup on Sunday.