After Thursday’s flurry of moves, the Yankees made waves by building one of the most prestigious bullpens on paper and by having a strong trade deadline overall.
Their greatest loss of the season, however, was mostly caused by their most recent arrivals.
In the Yankees’ heartbreaking 13–12 loss to the Miami Marlinson on Friday night, Agustin Ramirez’s tapped RBI single completed a three-run bottom of the ninth.
The bullpen was a nightmare all around, and it culminated with Camillo Doval giving up three runs, two of which were earned in the last session thanks to a mistake by Jose Caballero on a two-RBI single by Xavier Edwards, which moved Edwards to third base with one out and set up the winning single.
Even if he was the last straw, Doval wasn’t the only one who struggled.
Recently purchased The wheels started to come off when Jake Bird entered with a 9–4 in the bottom of the seventh.
Miami was within one run after Bird hit Marlins star Kyle Stowers with a grand homer. The game was tied at nine when the 29-year-old then gave Javier Sanoja the game-winning basket.
When the Bombers fell behind 10-9, Aaron Boone called on his blue-chip trade acquisition, David Bednar, to clean up the mess. However, Bednar gave up the lead on a Ramirez single and the tie on a solo shot from Javier Sanoja. It was a difficult start for the new Yankees.
None of the Yankees’ leads against the lowly Marlins were secure, as they led 6-0, 9-4, and 12-10. The Yankees failed to capitalize on Friday’s loss to the Royals, and they now trail the AL East-leading Toronto Blue Jays by 3.5 games.
In the top of the ninth, Ryan McMahon, one of their prior additions, came very close to saving the Bombers. They took a short-term 11-10 lead in the ninth when the third baseman hit a game-winning RBI single.
Having already recorded a walk-off double against the Phillies on July 27, McMahon delivered a second Yankee victory. Along with McMahon, Anthony Volpe also had a strong showing for the Yankees. His four-hit night was highlighted by a crucial game-tying solo homer in the eighth and an insurance RBI double in the ninth.
The shortstop, who has been hitting home runs lately, hit his seventh since the All-Star break and his 17th of the season, tying Kyle Schwarber for the most in MLB.
It was clear that the Bronx Bombers were playing on Friday night despite the chaos.
Giancarlo Stanton, a former Marlin, opened the scoring with a three-run, 116-mph bomb to left field in the top of the fourth inning with the score tied at zero. It was Stanton’s ninth in just 33 games this season. Additionally, Trent Grisham gave the Bombers what appeared to be a decisive 9–4 lead with a three-run blast off the right-field foul pole. As his career-best season continues, the 28-year-old hit his 19th home run of the year.
When Aaron Judge returns from his elbow injury, the Yanks will have a numbers problem with too many players and too enough positions, and Grisham and Stanton will be at the center of it. Judge, who practiced on the field before Friday’s game, will take live batting drills at their Tampa complex with the hope of being activated as the DH on Tuesday or Wednesday, manager Aaron Boone informed reporters prior to the game.
Stanton hasn’t played an inning in the outfield since 2023, so it’s unclear what will happen with him.
Carlos Rodon recorded a poor outing despite taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning. The southpaw walks five and strikes out nine in 4.2 innings pitched, giving up four runs on two hits.
On Saturday, against Marlins star Eury Perez, the Yanks will turn to Cam Schlittler to tie the series.
