BUMBLING BOMBERS — HOW LOW CAN SLIDING YANKS GO?
By Peter Marx
The slumping Yankees were shut out in consecutive games for the first time since 2016, losing to Ryan Yarbrough and the Tampa Bay Rays 4-0.
Coming off a 3-0 defeat Sunday night against the Boston Red Sox, New York failed to provide any run support for ace Gerrit Cole, whose only run allowed followed a misplay in center field by Aaron Hicks.
“Obviously we gotta play better, we gotta do better than that,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
The AL East leaders were blanked for the fourth time in nine games and dropped to 8-16 since the All-Star break after a 64-28 start.
Yarbrough (1-7) pitched four innings as a bulk reliever for his first win in nearly a year, striking out six without a walk. He previously won Sept. 24, 2021 and had lost eight straight decisions over 14 appearances, matching the franchise record.
“It was nice,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I think Yarbs has pitched really well here as of late. He probably deserves a little bit better in the win-loss column, but he’s contributing in a big way.”
