Yankees Weekly Watch: Phillies, Orioles bats can cause problems

This week the New York Yankees will take on a pair of teams that will look to give their pitchers problems.

The New York Yankees have finished off their opening weekend against the San Francisco Giants. Next up, they’ll host three more games at home against yet another National League team before going on the road for three against a division rival.

It’s still too early to tell exactly what or who this Yankees team will be. They exceeded expectations early on in 2022 and practically ran away with the division. Compiling wins this week will go a long way toward helping them out later on if they do struggle in the latter months. It won’t be easy. Both teams they face have playoff aspirations with one fresh off a trip to the World Series and another that just missed the postseason in 2022.

This week has plenty to watch with a series against the defending National League Champions and a division rival many believe is ready to start giving the Yankees trouble again.

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Here’s what Yankees fans should be watching for this week:

Apr. 3 Yankees vs. Phillies

A rematch of the 2009 World Series, the Yankees invite the Philadelphia Phillies for their second series of the season. Something every team will share in the second series of the season is a chance to see the back and front of each other’s rotations. This means a series beginning with lesser starters and finishing off with some aces. The Yankees have a clear advantage in this regard. The Phillies are already turning to Bailey Falter and reliever Matt Strahm to start for them. One should get the ball in this game with the other taking it in the second of the series.

Apr. 4 Yankees vs. Phillies

While it’s the Phillies bats who strike fear into plenty of teams, don’t sleep on the Yankees teeing off on the weaker end of their rotation. April 4 will be the scheduled fifth game of the year for both ball clubs. This means a pair of number-five starters. If Aaron Judge hasn’t already hit his first home run against the Phillies, expect him to knock one here. Expect this to be the highest-scoring game of the year for the Bronx Bombers, but don’t be surprised if it ends up being something a little closer. There’s a reason they play the games. They are all impossible to predict.

Apr. 5 Yankees vs. Phillies

The series between the Yankees and Phillies ends with what should be a matchup of aces. Gerrit Cole will get the ball against Aaron Nola. The two are coming off of very different 2023 debuts. Cole was dominant against the San Francisco Giants at home while Nola got hammered by the Texas Rangers on the road. Two big lineups against a pair of aces could yield extremes in other directions. Prepare for a 1-0 shutout, 11-10 slugfest, or a blowout 15-2 conclusion.

Apr. 6 Yankees vs. Orioles

The Yankees go on the road for the first time beginning with a game against the longtime rival Baltimore Orioles. Baseball fans saw last year how much closer the Orioles are to creating havoc in the American League East again. Catcher Adley Rutschman will look to show the Yankees that there is value to having a catcher who can do more than play good defense regardless of how much they think it doesn’t matter much. He’s the kind of player New Yorkers will come to fear and respect at the same time. At the same time, Anthony Volpe gets to officially introduce himself to the Orioles fans. He can do the same exact thing to them.

Apr. 8 Yankees vs. Orioles

The Orioles may not have pitching that can compete with the Yankees, but New York has been forced to call upon Jhony Brito early for some help. This game projects to have Cole Irvin go against Brito. Irvin has found success in the past as a member of the Oakland Athletics. He’s a newcomer to Baltimore this offseason and the Yankees should see him at least a few times this season. This is probably the day when the bats need to show up most. The Orioles can slug and this is their opportunity to do it.

Apr. 9 Yankees vs. Orioles

The series in Baltimore wraps up on Sunday, April 9 with Nestor Cortes scheduled to take the mound again. Regardless of how the first two games go, he’ll look to put the Orioles in their place. The Yankees lefty will deal with a young Orioles lineup that could use a reminder of who won the division last year and why they are still the team to beat. The one concern could be the Yankees getting caught looking ahead. The day before traveling can sneak up on players and catch them napping. Sweeping the Orioles down in Baltimore won’t be easy anymore. Taking at least one of these games is a must.