Yankees Pitchers Have to Hit But Can They?

Thankfully it is just for two games but nonetheless for the next two games, the first coming tonight, the New York Yankees must send their pitchers up to the plate for three or more at bats. Interleague play was nice when it was just for a couple weeks before the All-Star Game but now that it is all season long I am liking it less and less the more I see New York’s pitchers struggle to handle the bat at the plate. This offense is dry enough without adding an automatic out into the mix but I digress.

It is a common conception that the American League pitchers cannot handle the bats but in this era where every stat and almost every action on a baseball diamond is quantifiable we no longer have to give in to common misconceptions. Now we can quantify and check the stats to make up our minds for us and that is what we are doing today as we look at the career batting lines for this series starters Ivan Nova and Nathan Eovaldi.

Nathan Eovaldi:

Year	Age	Tm	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
2015	25	NYY	27	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	.000	.000	.000	.000	-100
2016	26	NYY	12	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	.000	.000	.000	.000	-100
6 Yrs			122	155	6	11	0	0	1	0	4	86	.080	.106	.080	.187	-47
162 Game Avg.			162	206	8	15	0	0	1	0	5	114	.080	.106	.080	.187	-47

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Ivan Nova:

Year	Age	Tm	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
2011	24	NYY	28	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	.000	.000	.000	.000	-100
2012	25	NYY	28	9	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	6	.143	.143	.143	.286	-22
2013	26	NYY	23	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	.000	.000	.000	.000	-100
2014	27	NYY	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2015	28	NYY	17	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2016	29	NYY	13	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
7 Yrs			123	17	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	13	.071	.071	.071	.143	-61
162 Game Avg.			162	22	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	17	.071	.071	.071	.143	-61

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

And since we’re here and quantifying and all here is what the Rockies group of hitters have done against these same two Yankees pitchers throughout their careers.

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and ESPN.com