Yankees' Ron Marinaccio continues to flex pitching muscle

These numbers are getting ridiculous — as in ridiculously good.

Ron Marinaccio is a 27-year-old rookie for the Yankees. The righty reliever from Toms River, New Jersey, is on an exceptional roll. 

He pitched the seventh and eighth innings Thursday night when the Yankees edged Kansas City, 1-0, at Yankee Stadium on Aaron Judge’s walk-off homer in the ninth.

Marinaccio’s outing: Six up, six down, three Ks.

That meant his streak of scoreless appearances is now up to 15, dating to May 22. And his streak of scoreless innings is up to 19, the third-longest active streak in the majors.

In this stretch, the hitters have gone 1-for-57!

That’s a batting average of .018. The one hit off him was an infield single by Minnesota’s Gio Urshela on June 7.

Marinaccio hasn’t given up a hit in his last 11 appearances, tying Tommy Kahnle for the second-longest hitless streak in franchise history, one shy of Paul Assenmacher’s record of 12 straight in 1993.

Ridiculously good.

“I think it’s all just building the confidence,” Marinaccio said. “Yeah, my confidence has been growing. So I’m getting a little bit more convicted with some of the decisions I’m making and pitches I’m throwing.”

Aaron Boone is getting more convicted about using him in higher-leverage spots. It’s about trust.

“He keeps earning more and more,” the manager said. “He’s had a really nice year for us, coming off a really strong year last year [in the minors] to earn an opportunity in spring training and kicking the door in. 

“Now he’s in there in the seventh inning [Thursday night] in a scoreless game. And that’s because he’s earned those kind of opportunities. So he continues to be a real factor for us.”

Marinaccio made the expanded roster out of spring training, then got sent down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre late in April with an 11.25 ERA after four outings. 

This is his third stint, but it has lasted since May 21. He hasn’t given up a run in the majors since allowing three on April 28. He has struck out 22 and walked nine during the 19-inning scoreless streak. Overall, he’s 1-0 with a 1.96 ERA across 19 appearances.

“I think early in the year, he was getting his feet wet up here,” said Jameson Taillon, who went the first six against the Royals. “He needed to touch the mound a little more consistently. Ever since he’s gotten more opportunities, it seems like he’s just getting better and better. 

“He can pitch in leverage. He can pitch multiple innings. He has swing-and-miss stuff. He throws strikes. He’s got everything you’re looking for in a young guy to come up and pitch those big innings.”

His streaks were put on pause earlier this month. The Delaware alum, who was a 19th-round pick in 2017, missed 17 games with right shoulder inflammation and just returned Sunday. But he has picked up where he left off, delivering two more good outings. 

“My shoulder’s feeling strong now,” Marinaccio said. “A little more velo’s coming back with that. So that helps with the confidence in my fastball definitely, being able to use that as an effective pitch more often.”

His changeup also is an effective pitch.

“When he’s pounding the strike zone, that really good changeup gives him real good weapons against lefthanders especially,” Boone said.  

Marinaccio hasn’t allowed a hit in 16 of his appearances, the most in franchise history through  a pitcher’s first 19 career outings. He hasn’t allowed a run in 17 of them, which equals Joba Chamberlain for most scoreless outings in the first 19 games of a pitcher’s career in franchise history.

“Nothing really changes for me,” Marinaccio said. “It’s kind of just go out there and try to attack the zone, get outs, and the results will be what they are.”