Sports

Chad Green blames struggles on his ‘different role’

Zach Britton’s arrival from Baltimore last month bolstered an already strong Yankees bullpen, but it also bumped Chad Green down in the hierarchy of the relief corps.

The right-hander had emerged as one of the most important arms on the staff with a breakout season a year ago and was in consideration for the All-Star team just a month ago.

But in his past 12 appearances, Green hasn’t been nearly as effective and those struggles continued in Friday’s 12-7 loss to the Rangers, as he allowed two runs in the eighth inning.

He gave up one-out singles to Rougned Odor and Elvis Andrus before Adrian Beltre laced a two-run double to left that made it 12-5.

In those dozen outings, Green has surrendered nine earned runs in 12 innings, with three walks and three homers.





That’s after he gave up just nine earned runs in his first 34 appearances covering 42 ¹/₃ innings.

Green blamed his slump on some fastball command issues, but also acknowledged he’s not being used the same as he was in 2017 — or even in earlier parts of this season.

“It’s a way different role,’’ said Green, who has already appeared in as many total games (46) as he did last season, split among the Yankees, Class-A Tampa and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. “I was throwing multiple [innings] every time out and throwing twice a week. This year, it’s more often. Obviously, I’m trying to command the ball a little bit better and work on my secondary pitches to try to get more consistent. The past three weeks or so, they’re getting some hits that maybe were hit right at people before.”





On Friday, he was mostly displeased with the double he allowed to Beltre.

“He got to a fastball away and that was the outing,’’ Green said. “I made some good pitches on those two singles. I can live with those pitches all day.”

But Green hasn’t often entered games in which the Yankees trailed by five runs.

With Adam Warren and Chasen Shreve gone, it is sometimes left to Green to fill those innings.

“[My role] has changed as of late because of the four guys at the back end of the pen and somebody’s got to throw the other innings,’’ Green said of Britton, Dellin Betances, David Robertson and Aroldis Chapman. “I have no problem with how they’re using me. … You’ve still got to pitch, regardless of the situation.”





Aaron Boone said he hopes Green’s fortunes change soon.

“I feel like we keep seeing signs of him righting the ship,’’ the manager said. “He has to be able to trust that he can go to his secondary stuff, his changeup and slider, to keep them honest. … We’ve seen flashes of those secondary pitches the last month, but it’s still a little inconsistent.”





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