Masahiro Tanaka Looks To Follow Up His Fantastic Outing As New York Looks To Rebound As They Take On Chicago

New York right -hander Masahiro Tanaka will look to follow up  his fantastic outing against Texas in Chicago tonight as New York looks to rebound from Tuesday's 4-3 loss against the White Sox at Guranteed Rate Field. 

As for Masahiro Tanaka's last outing  outpitched countryman Yu Darvish in that June 23 gem against the Rangers, firing first-pitch strikes to 26 of 28 batters over eight scoreless innings. He permitted just three hits while striking out nine, but outings of that caliber have been difficult to reproduce for Tanaka, who is 5-7 with a 5.74 ERA in 15 starts. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239072426/tanaka-faces-rodon-whos-making-17-debut/?topicId=26688836

Tanaka threw a first-pitch strike -- including balls in play -- to 26 of 28 Rangers batters he faced in his last outing. That 92.9-percent rate is the highest this season by any starter with at least 25 batters faced."according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239072426/tanaka-faces-rodon-whos-making-17-debut/?topicId=26688836

"Obviously you want to try to build on this, but I try not to think that way," Tanaka said through an interpreter. "Just prepare for the next game, prepare well and try to go into the game and give your best performance." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239072426/tanaka-faces-rodon-whos-making-17-debut/?topicId=26688836

After spending the first 11 weeks of the season on the disabled list with left biceps bursitis, Carlos Rodon will have a good challenge as he makes his season debut against the Yankees in the third game of a four-game series. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239072426/tanaka-faces-rodon-whos-making-17-debut/?topicId=26688836

The White Sox hope that the left-hander can offer a sense of stability to their rotation as he completes his lengthy recovery, returning to a big league mound after making one rehab start with Class A Winston-Salem and three with Triple-A Charlotte this month. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239072426/tanaka-faces-rodon-whos-making-17-debut/?topicId=26688836

"My goal is just to go out there and pitch like it's another game. It's just the first one that is here," Rodon said. "Just try to pound that into the zone, pitch with that energy and bring it to the game and to the glove."  according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239072426/tanaka-faces-rodon-whos-making-17-debut/?topicId=26688836

After walking in his first plate appearance Tuesday, Aaron Judge will enter Wednesday's contest with a 29-game on-base streak, the longest in the American League this season. It is the longest single-season on-base streak by a Yankee since Derek Jeter reached base in 34 straight to end the 2012 season. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239072426/tanaka-faces-rodon-whos-making-17-debut/?topicId=26688836

It will be a key for Tanaka to keep the ball in the yard. He has already permitted 21 home runs this season, which is just one shy of his total from 2016, when he pitched 199 2/3 innings. Only the Angels' Ricky Nolasco (23) and the Reds' Bronson Arroyo (23) have served up more homers in all of baseball. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239072426/tanaka-faces-rodon-whos-making-17-debut/?topicId=26688836

 Rodon has not enjoyed much success against the Yankees. He is 1-2 with a 9.64 ERA in three career starts vs. New York, permitting 15 earned runs in 14 innings. Meanwhile, Tanaka is 3-0 with a 2.05 ERA in four career starts vs. the White Sox. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239072426/tanaka-faces-rodon-whos-making-17-debut/?topicId=26688836

As for their last game, Who would have thought that the relief pitcher for New York Dellin Betances who wears number sixty eight and who is also 6"8 would be the one to give up the lead and blow the save for the second time this season? 

Chicago  had one hit among their eight baserunners over the final two innings of a 4-3 win over the Yankees on Tuesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field. But that one hit was enough to produce their second walk-off victory of the season and snap a four-game losing streak. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239072086/white-sox-top-yanks-on-jose-abreu-walk-off-hit/

Jose Abreu's 's single with two outs in the ninth set the excitement in motion by scoring pinch-runner Willy Garcia  and Alan Hanson  Abreu beat Dellin Betances , who walked two and hit one to load the bases with one out. Melky Cabrea  flew out to left for the inning's second out, with all three runners holding, before Abreu delivered. Abreu had a chance with the bases loaded and nobody out in the eighth against  Tyler Clippered  but struck out swinging.http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239072086/white-sox-top-yanks-on-jose-abreu-walk-off-hit/

In the at-bat before the last one, I went up thinking of just getting a good fastball to hit against Clippard," said Abreu through interpreter Billy Russo after recording his third career walk-off hit and his first since April 23, 2016, vs. Texas. "He didn't throw me a good fastball and I couldn't make the adjustment. But in the last one, I was just ready to hit the ball, just to focus on a good pitch to hit and I did it. That was probably the change between the last two at-bats."

Luis Severino set a career high with 12 strikeouts and didn't issue a walk over seven innings of one-run ball. It wasn't until the Yankees rallied for three runs in the eighth off reliever Tommy Kahnle  that Severino had a chance for victory, as they erased a 1-0 deficit. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239072086/white-sox-top-yanks-on-jose-abreu-walk-off-hit/

Through seven, this game featured a battle between Severino and White Sox starter Jose Quintana The White Sox ace gave up two hits over 6 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out six and walking four. He left with a 1-0 lead, an advantage erased by  Aaron Judge's two-out single to center off of Kahnle bringing home Tyler Wade to tie the game. Gary Sanchez  followed with a double to right-center scoring two and giving the Yankees a short-lived advantage. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239072086/white-sox-top-yanks-on-jose-abreu-walk-off-hit/

The folded piece of cardboard in Joe Girardi's pocket offered a reminder that he could not call Aroldis Chapman's name, which is why Dellin Betances  remained seated as rookie Domingo German  and the struggling Tyler Clippared tried to protect a two-run lead in the eighth inning on Tuesday. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239210250/yanks-bullpen-has-tough-night-on-south-side/

When Clippard wriggled free with just one run home, the Yankees thought they had cleared the roughest neighborhood they'd see. Then Betances coughed up the lead in the ninth, permitting Jose Abreu's  walk-off two-run single in a 4-3 New York at Guaranteed Rate Field. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239210250/yanks-bullpen-has-tough-night-on-south-side/

The young right -hander had this to say about his outing. 

"I just feel like I became very predictable," Betances said. "These guys are smart hitters. Sometimes they don't get you; this time they got me." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239210250/yanks-bullpen-has-tough-night-on-south-side/

Thirteen of Betances' 21 pitches were breaking balls, including each of the last nine. After getting a quick first out, Betances walked Kevan Smith  on four pitches and then issued a six-pitch free pass to Alen Hanson  before plunking Yolmer Sanchez with a curve to load the bases. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239210250/yanks-bullpen-has-tough-night-on-south-side/

Melky Cabrera  flew to left for the second out, but Betances fell behind Abreu 2-1 and snapped off a curve that caught too much plate. Abreu whacked it into left field for the game-winner, handing the Yanks their first loss in 31 games this season when leading after eight innings. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239210250/yanks-bullpen-has-tough-night-on-south-side/

Dellin Betances had this to say about his outing "I've got to be able to rely on my fastball more, obviously," Betances said. "I got too breaking ball-happy. I know I've got a good fastball, I've been using it this year. I feel like I never really went to it and I got myself in trouble." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239210250/yanks-bullpen-has-tough-night-on-south-side/

Girardi said that he could not use Chapman, who threw 14 pitches on Sunday and 20 on Monday. Betances was working for a third straight game, having thrown 14 pitches on Sunday and 11 on Monday, but his workload has been light this month. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239210250/yanks-bullpen-has-tough-night-on-south-side/

Girardi added that he was not going to use Chad Green , who threw 29 pitches on Sunday against Texas. Instead, Girardi tried to slip by the eighth with German, saying that he liked the rookie's power and his changeup. Back-to-back walks prompted a quick hook. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239210250/yanks-bullpen-has-tough-night-on-south-side/

"After he walked the two guys, I said, 'Heck, I'm just going to go with Clip,'" Girardi said. "This might be what gets him going." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239210250/yanks-bullpen-has-tough-night-on-south-side/

Clippard had struggled mightly in his past six outings, allowing 11 earned runs and 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings (27.00 ERA), and it looked like more of the same when he uncorked a wild pitch and walked Cabrera on four pitches.

But he zipped a 91.1 mph fastball past Abreu for strike three and got Avisail Garcia to fly out before losing Todd Frazier  on a close 3-2 pitch that home-plate umpire Joe West didn't like, forcing home a run. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239210250/yanks-bullpen-has-tough-night-on-south-side/

"Those were borderline calls, man. It was kind of a tight zone," Clippard said. "Not to say that he missed a bunch, but they were calls that could have gone either way and we didn't really get any of them." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239210250/yanks-bullpen-has-tough-night-on-south-side/

Clippard then battled Matt Davidson  in a 10-pitch at-bat, getting the strikeout on a 78.4 mph changeup, and said he "felt like myself again." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239210250/yanks-bullpen-has-tough-night-on-south-side/

The Yanks have tallied 14 blown saves through 75 games; they had just five over that same span last year. Betances said that the bullpen remains confident in its abilities. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239210250/yanks-bullpen-has-tough-night-on-south-side/

"Obviously, a lot of these losses were tough, but it's a long season," Betances said. "We've got to keep going and try to be better next time." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/239210250/yanks-bullpen-has-tough-night-on-south-side/

New York dropped to 41-34 while Chicago improved to 33-43 on the season. With the loss New York is now one back in the American League East behind their rival Boston who has a record of 43-34. 

Will Masahiro Tanaka have as great an outing as he did his last time out where he tossed eight scorless frames in his last start against Texas  after losing six of his previous seven starts? Will the New York offense be able to backup his start? If New York does get the lead will the bullpen be able to keep it and not give up? 

First pitch is set for 8:10pm. The game will be televised on Yes. "acccording to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/yankees-vs-white-sox/2017/06/28/491274#game_state=preview,lock_state=preview,game_tab=,game=491274