He doesn't have to cost them 15 games to be a problem. This division will come down to a handful of games. Has Rocco cost them that many this year? Yes.
I don't care about the contact play. It should have never come down to that. This game was over and the manager served it up on a silver platter because his spreadsheet said Alcala was pitching a full inning.
Serious teams don't lose games like this one. Texas is all but eliminated. You're up 4-0 in the 7th. Jax and Duran both available. You pull Alcala after it's 4-2, you likely win.
Bringing Alcala in is one thing. Leaving him in to lose the game is quite another.
When a manager has zero feel for the game and instead sticks to predetermined scripts, this is exactly what happens. There wasn't even a mound visit. Jax was throwing. There was a delay. Ample opportunities to pull Alcala and get your best reliever into the game.
We're not talking about the end of April or something. It's late August. Every game counts at this point and this is a game they had won.
It's an awful loss and Rocco needs to own it. It's on him.
If the Twins take care of business, and with some help, they could be a game behind Cleveland and 1/2 game behind Baltimore for the top WC spot.
Pablo, be an ace today. Please!