Yankees fall to Rays after Brian Cashman calls out team for poor play

scheduled tribe. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – The Yankees arrived at Tropicana Field on Tuesday hoping to shake themselves out of their week-long funk.

They also took the lead in the top of the first inning.

But the good feelings didn’t last long, as a troubling trend continued to sink the Yankees further into their skid.

Carlos Rodon allowed four runs before striking out, putting the Yankees in another early hole from which they could not climb out and lost 5–3 to the Rays.

With Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman in attendance, the Yankees (55–38) lost for the 17th time in their last 23 games, and Rodon’s first-inning troubles worsened, while his early reliance on his fastball once again backfired. Fell.

“I need to get better,” said Rodon, who owns a 10.57 ERA in his last five starts after posting a 2.93 ERA in his first 14 starts of the season. “Just really not giving my team a chance to win, giving up runs early.”

Ben Rice hit a two-run home run off lefty reliever Colin Poche in the seventh inning to put the Yankees within one run, 4–3.

But that was as close as they could get as the Rays (45-46) snapped their three-game losing streak.

Before the game, Cashman met with reporters and acknowledged the Yankees’ struggles and expressed confidence that they could turn it around.

But they failed in their latest opportunity to do so.

Rodon’s ERA in first innings is now 9.00 in 19 starts.

In four of his last five starts, he has given up leads of 4-1, 5-0, 3-0 and 3-0 in the first inning.

His ERA in the second innings is 5.68 but drops to 3.05 in the third to seventh innings.

“I think it’s partially, I try to attack the zone with the fastball, and they’re getting on some heaters,” Rodon said. “We come out there in the second, we start mixing it up, we mix up changeups, we mix up curveballs. I have to make that adjustment as soon as the game starts, I’m ready to use my full arsenal right from the start.”

Manager Aaron Boone thought Tuesday’s struggles were more due to Rodon’s lack of command than his pitch mix, but of his first 14 pitches — all it took for the Rays to go up 4–1 — nine were fastballs. There were and four sliders, before that even started. Mix others more regularly.

Taking a 1-0 lead before taking the mound, Rodon promptly gave it back.

Yandy Diaz led off with a run and then came around to score when Randy Arozarena lined a double down the left field line that allowed Alex Verdugo to field cleanly into the corner.

Amed Rosario singled before Rodon released a 96 mph fastball down the middle of the plate – intended to be high and away – which Isaac Paredes drilled for a three-run homer into left field for a 4–1 lead. Did.

“It’s going to be a shutout inning after we score one run,” said Rodon, who only lasted four innings as he had to throw 30 balls in the first inning and 31 in the third. “It’s hard to swallow.”

Boone left the door open for Rodan to be “creative” in how to quickly solve his problems.

“I know (pitching coach) Matt Blake and the pitching guys will meet with Carlos and see if there’s something we can unlock first, because once he gets settled, it seems like his The pass has a lot of ways to get you out.” Boone said.

For now, the Yankees’ decline only gained more momentum as they racked up their worst record in the majors since June 15 (5-16).

“It starts with me,” Boone said. “I filter through the trainers, and it’s about us trying to prepare these guys the best that we can, how to present ourselves. But it’s on us as coaches to put our players in the best position to go out there and be successful.”