The New York Yankees stroll into Camden Yards on Friday night riding the high of a statement win, but the mood is less about celebration and more about preparation. Their 7-0 shutout of the Baltimore Orioles in Thursday’s opener was emphatic, yet looming ahead is a far tougher obstacle: Trevor Rogers.
Rogers has been nothing short of unhittable this season. The Orioles’ southpaw owns a microscopic 1.43 ERA and allows just 0.3 home runs per nine innings — both the best marks in baseball among qualified pitchers. His dominance is the kind that changes the energy in a ballpark before the first pitch is even thrown. If Thursday was a joyride, Friday will feel more like climbing Everest without oxygen.
The Yankees, however, aren’t walking in unarmed. They lead the league with a .790 OPS again