Ever since sinkerballer Chien-Ming Wang became an ace for the Yankees, ground-ball pitchers have been coveted by Yankees fans, hoping that they would provide some kind of security against the hitter-friendly environment Yankee Stadium. Over the last few years, defensive shifts have also become extremely popular in Major League Baseball, with the Yankees fully embracing the defensive revolution. The only problem is that it hasn’t really worked.
In 2016, Yankee starters allowed 1.44 HR/9, the fourth-highest total in the league. For reference, and as a fun fact, Rockies starters allowed just 1.12 HR/9, despite being in Coors Field.