The Other Mendoza Line

There’s no middle ground in the Yankees bullpen–either you’re among the charmed (Mariano Rivera, Mike Stanton, and uh…) or the damned (Jay Witasick, Mark Wohlers, Randy Choate). Fortunately, Ramiro Mendoza is among the charmed. Since the beginning of July, Mendoza is 4-1 with 3 saves and a 2.09 ERA in 38.2 innings out of the pen, and is allowing only 6.75 baserunners per 9 innings. Batters are hitting .190 with a 551 OPS against him since the All-Star break.

What’s more, he has been a model of efficiency lately. Here is the line from his last six appearances: 9 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO, 81 pitches.

Something tells me the Yanks are going to need him to keep pitching like that…