Today on Pinstripe Alley - 5/12/23

The Yankees again looked listless last night, dropping the opener of this important four-game set against the Rays. There’s hope, though, as Gerrit Cole is the man on the mound tonight. It feels very important that Cole deals, in part because he needs to bounce back after last Sunday’s tough start in Tampa, and also because this team just needs to avoid losing more ground in this series.

This morning, we’ll see Matt recap a light day of AL action, and Sam provide the latest entry in our 1998 Yankees diary, while Josh examines the Rays early schedule, to try and gauge how much poor competition impacted their incredible start. Later on, John will analyze the Yankees’ defense in detail, and Casey speaks on the confidence Harrison Bader brings to the field, while Madison delivers the answers to this week’s mailbag.

Today’s Matchup:

New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Time: 7:05 p.m. EST

TV: YES Network, Bally Sports Sun, MLB Network (out-of-market only)

Radio: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280

Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

Questions/Prompts:

1. How many home runs will Harrison Bader hit this season? (his career high is 16)

2. Will Cole be able to rebound after the ugly finish to his last start?