The New York Yankees have been riding high this season, but Saturday’s loss was a tough one.
Despite missing Anthony Volpe and Jazz Chisholm from the lineup, they still scratched across seven runs against the Red Sox.
Normally, that’s more than enough. But this time, the pitching crumbled like wet cardboard, and Boston took full advantage.
Ryan Yarbrough, who’s quietly been one of the Yankees’ better arms, simply didn’t have it and the damage came fast.
He gave up eight earned runs on nine hits in just four innings, sending the Yankees spiraling toward a 10–7 loss.
Yarbrough’s unraveling felt inevitable — but it still stings
Manager Aaron Boone had to yank Yarbrough after just 67 pitches, watching his command fade pitch by pitch.
For a low-velocity pitcher like Yarbrough, pinpoint control is everything — when it slips, the outing can unravel fast.
That’s exactly what happened. Yarbrough had been outperforming expectations, but there was always a sense this might happen.
Even with his strong stats, this kind of outing felt like it was lurking, just waiting for the wrong matchup.
He’s been a magician with soft contact, but eventually even the best illusionists lose control of the trick.
Underlying numbers still paint a strange, hopeful picture
Despite Saturday’s blow-up, Yarbrough’s metrics remain quietly elite in some surprising categories this season.
Opposing hitters are averaging just 84.1 mph in exit velocity, ranking him in the 99th percentile in that department.
He’s also posting a 95th percentile barrel rate and a 97th percentile hard-hit rate, meaning most contact still isn’t dangerous.
But that 87.5 mph fastball velocity puts him in the 1st percentile — and leaves no margin for error if he misses.
So when the command goes even slightly, the whole house of cards can come crashing down in a hurry.
One poor start won’t bury him — but it shifts the conversation
Yarbrough has earned the benefit of the doubt after giving the Yankees some much-needed innings early in the year.
He’ll likely get another shot, but the confidence in him as a consistent starter may have just taken a major hit.
Boone won’t say it aloud, but you can feel the urgency creeping into the front office’s thinking.
The Yankees know they can’t keep riding this rotation the way it’s currently built — too many question marks remain.
The rotation is still fragile — and the deadline is approaching fast
Luis Gil’s return from a lat strain is hopeful but far from guaranteed to bring stability or ace-level dominance.
Clarke Schmidt has bounced between promising and inconsistent, while Will Warren shows flashes but hasn’t nailed down rhythm.
Yarbrough has now joined that list of volatility, meaning Brian Cashman has a clear mission heading into the July trade deadline.
They need someone with durability and experience who can deliver five innings without putting the game at risk every fifth day.
Expect Cashman to be aggressive — this rotation, as brave as it’s been, isn’t built to last through October.
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