New York Yankees Catcher Brian McCann Continues to Make a Difference

Brian McCann (Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports )

On Sunday afternoon, the New York Yankees surrendered three early runs to their American League East foe Tampa Bay Rays. With Rays ace Chris Archer on the mound, who was 5-0 with a 1.78 earned run average in eight starts against the Yankees, a three run deficit for Yankees fans felt like an impossible feat.  With Archer rolling along and the Yankees only having two hits in the game it looked as though the Toronto Blue Jays were going to pick up another game on the Bombers until Brian McCann stepped to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning with a pair of runners on and two outs.

With everyone in the stands thinking the same thing, McCann delivered. The 31-year old catcher crushed a 96-mph fastball into the right field bleachers tying the game at three. His 25^th home run of the season ignited a Yankee Stadium crowd and the Yankees as on the very next pitch Alex Rodriguez landed a ball in the right field seats to give the Yankees a 4-3. The Yankees would go on to win the game 6-4, but the story of the day was McCann.

The slugger has hit multiple big home runs for the Yankees this year including a three-run walk-off shot in early July against these same Rays. McCann has contributed in every way for the Yankees and has been a key asset behind the plate catching .400 percent of runners stealing.

McCann has also joined an elite group of catchers in August as he hit his 20^th home run of the season in Cleveland. The receiver joined Mike Piazza and Yogi Berra as the only catchers to ever hit 20 plus homers in at least eight consecutive seasons. McCann is in his 11^th season and has compiled 48 home runs in Pinstripes.

McCann will be an asset for the Yankees as the playoffs approach and will need him to stay hot as the weather cools off.