Brent Headrick was solid in getting out of a jam he inherited in the seventh and David Bednar picked up his sixth save of the season in a 4-2 win over Kansas City on Friday in The Bronx.
But even on a night when the bullpen was mostly good, Camilo Doval nearly spoiled it for the Yankees.
The right-hander gave up a game-tying homer to Kansas City’s Vinnie Pasquantino, the latest chapter in another poor stretch from Doval — who also gave up a home run to Mike Trout in a loss to the Angels in his previous outing Monday.
He’s allowed seven runs in six innings over his last seven appearances.
Aaron Boone said Doval has been “really good, sharp [and] the strike-throwing is there.”
But the manager acknowledged he’s made mistakes to Trout and then to Pasquantino, who got Doval with two out and no one on in a one-run game.
“He missed in the slug zone, but the three outs around that were really good,” Boone said. “I know he’s gotten hurt with a couple of long balls. He’s close to being dialed in.”
Boone and the Yankees have little choice but to keep going to Doval, who was expected to be the setup man.
“He’s gonna be in the fire,” Boone said. “The good thing is he’s got all the equipment to get it done. If he can just get the last layer of consistency, the stuff and way of throwing is there.”
While Anthony Volpe continued his rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset on Friday, José Caballero was at shortstop again in The Bronx.
The results continue to be mixed, as Caballero has struggled at times in the field and was woeful at the plate until a recent uptick.
When the Yankees acquired Caballero last year from Tampa Bay, he was expected to be a utility player with great speed and defensive versatility — and not the everyday shortstop. He appeared in games at short, second and third last year, as well as left and right field.
Caballero said he’s fine returning to that role whenever Volpe gets back to the majors following offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
“I wish him the best,” Caballero said prior to Friday’s game. “I hope he’s healthy as soon as he can be.”
I try to focus on myself and the team and help as much as I can.”
Boone said he spoke to league officials Friday and acknowledged the balk called during Thursday’s loss to the Angels was the right one.
Boone wanted clarity on the play where first base umpire Ryan Additon called left-hander Ryan Yarbrough for a balk when he attempted a pickoff at first with runners on first and second.
On the play, first baseman Ben Rice was away from the bag and the play involved him going over to the base as Yarbrough threw to the bag — which was more of a challenge with Rice being “a moving target.”
Boone said he was told the issue was that Yarbrough’s throw didn’t go directly to first base.
“The reality is you’ve got to get it to the base when it’s unoccupied,” Boone said. “It definitely didn’t get to the base. My contention was intent and vicinity should have mattered. We were trying to throw to first base. It was a little behind and [Rice] had to adjust. So I understand the call. I certainly accept that. We’ve got to do a better job on a play like that.”
He added that despite their problem with the play, the Yankees won’t hesitate to try it again.
The Yankees entered Friday tied for 11th in their success rate for challenging pitches at the plate, according to Statcast.
Cody Bellinger challenged successfully Friday, but they lost both challenges in Thursday’s loss and Boone wasn’t thrilled with either attempt, as Trent Grisham and Jazz Chisholm Jr. missed.
“I thought our two challenges [Thursday] weren’t great,’’ Boone said before Friday’s game.
But he doesn’t want them to stop challenging.
“We’re trying to learn from all of them,’’ Boone said of the ABS system.
