NEW YORK — It didn’t make the back page of the Thursday’s New York tabloids, so the controversy seems to be limited to just the Yankees broadcast and Bronx Bombers fans … for now.
As Yusei Kikuchi dominated the Yankees over the first five innings on Thursday night, holding them hitless in an eventual 10-1 win, the YES Network cameras began to focus on his navy cap, specifically bottom part of the left side of the bill. Because Kikuchi has a pronounced bend in the bill, unlike most current major-league players, it was easily visible.
There appeared to be a substance in that area that the broadcast believed was pine tar that Kikuchi was using to his extreme benefit.