On a rainy night in the Bronx, the New York Yankees found themselves in a familiar position: leading late in the game, only to watch it slip away. The Yankees were in control for most of their matchup against the San Diego Padres, holding a 3-0 lead heading into the eighth inning. However, a catastrophic collapse in that fateful frame saw the Yankees fall 4-3, marking their fifth loss this season when leading after the seventh inning, the most in Major League Baseball.
Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón was sensational, delivering 6.2 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out five. He seemed poised to secure the victory, but the Yankees' bullpen woes reared their ugly head once again, starting with Devin Williams. Williams, who was once a reliable arm in the Milwaukee Brewers' bullpen, struggled mightily after being brought in to protect the three-run advantage.
In the eighth inning, Williams quickly found himself in trouble. After issuing two walks and allowing a hit, he loaded the bases with two outs. Yankees manager Aaron Boone turned to Luke Weaver, who had been stellar in his previous 13 appearances this season without allowing a run. Unfortunately for the Yankees, Weaver's luck ran out. The Padres capitalized on the opportunity, with Manny Machado hitting a two-run double to left field, narrowing the gap to 3-2. Just moments later, Xander Bogaerts followed up with a two-run single, flipping the lead to San Diego and sending the Yankees into a state of disbelief.
Williams' performance was particularly alarming, as he allowed three runs during the inning, raising his ERA to a staggering 10.03 for the season. This marked a stark contrast to his previous two seasons combined, in which he surrendered just 13 runs. The pressure of New York's bright lights seems to be weighing heavily on him, and it’s clear he is struggling to find his footing in the Yankees' bullpen.
Meanwhile, Trent Grisham provided a silver lining for the Yankees early in the game, launching a two-run home run in the third inning off Padres starter Nick Pivetta. Grisham's blast marked his ninth home run of the season, matching his total from the entire previous year, and he continues to shine in the leadoff spot with an impressive OPS of 1.010.
Adding to the Yankees' scoring, Anthony Volpe contributed a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, allowing Paul Goldschmidt to cross home plate and extend the Yankees’ lead to 3-0. Goldschmidt's contribution was noteworthy, as he became the first cleanup hitter to reach base against Pivetta this season, who had previously been dominant against hitters in that position.
The game was not without its drama, as tensions flared in the eighth inning. After Fernando Tatis Jr. struck out on a controversial pitch, both he and Padres manager Mike Shildt were ejected for arguing with home plate umpire Adrian Johnson. This moment only added to the intensity of the game as the Padres rallied, fueled by a desire to overcome the ejections and claim victory.
Despite the Yankees' strong start, the night ended in disappointment. After the Padres took the lead, their bullpen, led by Robert Suarez, slammed the door shut. Suarez struck out two batters in the ninth to secure his league-leading 14th save of the season, cementing the Padres' sixth consecutive victory.
The Yankees have now lost three straight games and five of their last seven, raising concerns among fans and analysts about the team's ability to hold leads late in games. With Clarke Schmidt set to take the mound for the Yankees in the second game of the series against former Yankee Michael King, the pressure is mounting for New York to turn things around.
As the series continues, the Yankees must address their late-game struggles and find a way to regain their footing. The stakes are high, and with the season still young, there’s plenty of time for redemption. However, they must act quickly to avoid falling further behind in the competitive American League East.
