SAD NEWS: Yankees Hit With Major Setback as the Loss a Key Player…

The narrative surrounding a player can change dramatically in just a couple of starts, as Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodón discovered after being rocked by the Braves in an 8-1 loss on Friday night at Yankee Stadium.

Rodón, who had previously delivered a seven-inning gem against Kansas City, saw his ERA dip below 3.00 in a performance that seemed to indicate a return to form. However, his recent struggles have cast a shadow over his early season success.

In his next start against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, Rodón gave up five earned runs, taking the loss. His outing against the Braves was even worse, as he surrendered 11 hits—just one shy of his career high—and seven earned runs. Atlanta hitters capitalized on his mistakes from the outset, with leadoff man Jarred Kelenic getting a base hit on Rodón’s first pitch and second baseman Ozzie Albies following up with a two-run home run on the very next pitch.

Atlanta continued to punish Rodón, with Austin Riley hitting a solo shot in the first inning and Matt Olson adding a two-run blast in the fourth. When catcher Sean Murphy drove in another run with an RBI double later in the inning, Yankees manager Aaron Boone decided to pull Rodón from the game. Yankees fans expressed their displeasure with loud boos as Rodón left the mound.

“It’s just part of it,” Rodón said about the boos. “I didn’t perform to the best of my ability and that’s just how it goes here.”

Boone and Rodón found some solace in the adjustments the left-hander made during the game, mixing in more secondary pitches. However, Rodón acknowledged that the Braves were simply having a great night, executing their swings and attacking his fastball effectively.

“They came out swinging,” Rodón said. “They did some damage on some fastballs. Two pitches in, two runs down. I was trying to get [the fastball up] and they attacked me on my strengths and executed their swings. I tip my cap to them. Not the way I wanted to go, but just gotta turn the page on that one.”

Rodón’s ERA has now ballooned to 3.86, raising questions about his ability to maintain his performance deep into the season and handle the emotional toll of rough outings. Television cameras captured Rodón expressing frustration with a coach early in the game and being consoled by teammates after his exit.

Rodón explained that his dugout outburst was an emotional reaction to his poor first inning. Boone, however, had no issue with Rodón’s intensity, viewing it as a testament to his desire to succeed.

“We’re playing for a lot,” Boone said. “No issue with his intensity. He wanted and expected more.”

Despite his recent struggles, Rodón had been a reliable presence in the Yankees’ rotation, particularly during Gerrit Cole’s absence. However, two bad starts have now cast doubt on his reliability and the overall stability of the Yankees’ starting rotation.

Yankees starters had previously thrown four-plus innings in their first 76 games this season, the seventh-longest season-opening streak in MLB history and the longest in franchise history. That streak ended on Thursday when Luis Gil was pummeled by the Orioles in a 17-6 loss, lasting only 1 1/3 innings and giving up seven earned runs. Rodón’s poor performance marked the second consecutive short outing for the Yankees’ starting staff.

These back-to-back poor starts have raised concerns about the rotation, which had been a strength early in the season. With Cole not yet fully built up and the bullpen struggling this month, the pressure on the starting rotation has increased.

In contrast, Braves starter Chris Sale dominated the Yankees, allowing just one run and one hit over five innings, striking out eight. The only hit he allowed was a triple by Jahmai Jones, who scored on a groundout by DJ LeMahieu.

Yoendrys Gómez provided a bright spot for the Yankees, throwing 4 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Rodón, the longest relief appearance by a Yankee since Jhony Brito’s five-inning outing last August. Gómez struck out five, allowing three hits and walking three batters.

Giancarlo Stanton extended his hitting streak to nine games, batting .371/.436/.629 with three home runs, nine RBIs, six runs, and three walks during that span.

Additionally, right-hander Phil Bickford made his Yankees debut, recording two outs in the ninth inning. He and Gómez were called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, with lefty Victor González designated for assignment and righty Ron Marinaccio optioned to make room for them.