Some games feel like a statement. Others feel like survival.
Sunday night’s 7-3 win over the Dodgers was a little bit of both for the Yankees.
After being humiliated 18–2 on Saturday, the team needed to respond — not with fireworks, but with fundamentals and guts.
Ryan Yarbrough delivers when the Yankees needed it most
There was no top-tier arm ready to take the mound. Just a 32-year-old soft-tossing lefty with a plan.
Ryan Yarbrough gave the Yankees exactly what they lacked the night before — stability.
He pitched six strong innings, surrendering just one earned run while striking out five batters with precise location and savvy sequencing.
In a series dominated by star power, it was Yarbrough who saved face for the Yankees in the finale.
Early offensive spark set the tone
The Yankees’ offense wasted no time showing signs of life.
In the third inning, rookie Ben Rice sent a two-run shot over the fence to give the Bombers a 3–1 lead.
It was the kind of hit the Yankees had been missing — timely and meaningful.
Rice ended the game with four hits and two RBIs, raising his slash line to .250/.430/.535.
The lefty slugger is legit and will certainly be in the mix as the primary first baseman in 2026.
Bullpen still leaves room for concern
After Yarbrough exited, the Yankees bullpen continued to look shaky, something that’s becoming a pattern.
Jonathan Loaisiga surrendered two earned runs in a single inning of work, pushing his ERA north of 4.00.
The relief corps has been exposed in high-leverage moments lately, and that’s a red flag as the summer stretch intensifies.
Reinforcements are coming, but the timing matters
Oswald Peraza continues to struggle and looks like the odd man out once Jazz Chisholm returns from injury.
Chisholm is expected to reclaim the hot corner, which should provide a much-needed jolt to the infield offensively.
The Yankees have managed to tread water with fill-ins and platoons, but that won’t hold when October looms.
The next challenge comes fast
Now the Yankees must pivot to another tough opponent in the Cleveland Guardians, who come to town Tuesday night.
Carlos Rodón is expected to start and will look to build on a solid recent stretch.
The Yankees have kept their division lead despite recent turbulence.
READ MORE:
Yankees’ veteran starter takes key step towards return from knee injury