Sometimes, even showing up feels like the wrong move. On a day the rain nearly gave them an excuse to rest, the Yankees pushed through — and it may have made things worse.
The New York Yankees tried to claw their way back on Sunday afternoon but fell 7–5 to the Tampa Bay Rays in a game that spotlighted all their current flaws.
The offense showed flickers of life. The pitching gave them no shot. And now, the cracks are getting harder to ignore.
Rotation issues are reaching a breaking point
Will Warren once again struggled to put together a clean outing. He allowed seven hits, five total runs (three earned), and three walks.
Yes, he struck out eight, but the damage was already done by the time the Yankees mounted any kind of response.
His ERA now sits at 5.65, and despite some promising whiff numbers, he’s simply not executing consistently enough to warrant a rotation spot.
With a taxed bullpen and no margin for error, the Yankees can’t afford to keep waiting for it to click.
Carrasco isn’t the solution either
Carlos Carrasco stepped in to eat innings and fared no better, allowing five hits and two earned runs over three frames.
He’s now sporting a 5.91 ERA and has looked increasingly hittable with each appearance.
At 37, Carrasco was never meant to be a long-term fix, and it’s becoming clear his innings are more burden than bridge.
The problem is, the Yankees don’t have much left in reserve — not unless they dip back into Triple-A or explore the trade market.
Offense shows life, but it’s stretched thin
Despite the pitching problems, the Yankees nearly made a game of it late.
Cody Bellinger drilled a two-run homer in the sixth to finally get the Bombers on the board. He’s been quietly heating up over the past few days.
Trent Grisham added two hits, and Jorbit Vivas provided a pinch-hit single in the eighth to drive in a pair of runs.
They tallied five hits but drew seven walks and only struck out four times — a small positive in an otherwise grim loss.
Injuries have taken a toll on the lineup
The Yankees are without key starters Jazz Chisholm and Anthony Volpe, both of whom are sidelined with injuries. Chisholm isn’t expected back until June and Volpe is listed “day-to-day.”
Volpe’s presence has become particularly valuable with his recent slugging gains and elite defense, while Chisholm adds speed and chaos.
Oswaldo Cabrera continues to fill in but lacks pop at third base, and the lineup feels like it’s running on duct tape and adrenaline.
It’s survival mode — but it always is
Every Yankees season has a stretch like this. Injuries pile up. Pitching unravels. The bats try to bail water out of a sinking ship.
Right now, they’re in that survival phase — hoping for health, watching for reinforcements, and grinding through days like Sunday.
The storm usually passes. But until then, the Yankees will keep trying to tread water, even if they’re carrying extra weight.
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