There are moments during a baseball season when a team stares in the mirror and doesn’t recognize the reflection.
For the New York Yankees, that mirror was shattered in Los Angeles on Saturday.
An 18–2 loss to the Dodgers didn’t just sting — it left the Yankees with a harsh realization about their rotation depth.
Winning against the weak masked a looming problem
The Yankees had been on a tear lately, stacking wins against weaker opponents and building confidence in their revamped roster.
But facing the Dodgers — one of the few true juggernauts — peeled the veneer right off.
They didn’t just lose. They were dismantled from the first pitch to the final out, especially on the mound.
That kind of lopsided loss tells you more than any string of wins ever could.
Will Warren fails big test under bright lights
Young right-hander Will Warren was thrown into the fire Saturday and barely made it out of the first inning alive.
He lasted just 1.1 innings, giving up seven earned runs, six hits, and four walks before being yanked after just 57 pitches.
Warren had shown flashes of value before, but the Dodgers treated him like batting practice.
It was a playoff-style atmosphere — and Warren looked far from ready for anything resembling October baseball.
Even the ace faltered under the pressure
Max Fried had been a rock all season, pitching like the Cy Young front-runner the Yankees hoped he would become.
But even Fried stumbled against L.A., suffering his first bad outing of the season and reminding everyone that no one is invincible.
While his meltdown can be forgiven as an anomaly, it added fuel to the doubt swirling around the Yankees’ pitching.
If Fried can be touched up, what happens when it’s not just the Dodgers, but every playoff team coming for blood?
Yankees have two arms they trust — and that’s a problem
Carlos Rodón has been outstanding lately, giving the Yankees another dependable piece in their rotation alongside Fried.
But beyond those two?
There’s a giant, gaping hole where a third reliable postseason starter should be.
And that void might be what ultimately dooms this team when the lights get bright and the pressure peaks in October.
Cashman expected to strike at the deadline
General manager Brian Cashman knows what’s at stake, and he’s already laid the groundwork for a July trade deadline splash.
He’s made it clear that adding another high-caliber starting pitcher is on the table — and this past weekend made it urgent.
Championship teams don’t gamble on young arms finding their stride in October. They buy security and experience.
The Yankees need that now more than ever.
READ MORE:
Yankees’ prized starter completes successful return to the mound as he works his way back