Yankees Hit .112 Over Three Games and Tampa Bay Smells Blood in Saturday Rematch

The Yankees walked into the Tropicana Field dome on Friday night hoping a climate-controlled environment might cure what's ailing their bats. It didn't. Not even close. New York lost 5-3 to Tampa Bay, and the numbers are starting to get scary for a team that looked unstoppable just five days ago.

After winning seven of their first eight games, the Yankees have now dropped four of their last five. In their last three games, they're hitting .112 (10-for-89) with 35 strikeouts. Thirty-five strikeouts in three games. In Friday's loss alone, New York struck out 12 times. The offense managed just two runs in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Cody Bellinger and a triple by Amed Rosario, then went completely silent until Ben Rice's pinch-hit homer in the eighth. That's a long stretch of nothing.

Boone Searching for a Spark

Manager Aaron Boone knows the situation. "I think up until the last game of the homestand, we've been walking a ton, giving ourselves an opportunity," he said. "Just got to get some guys clicking and get that big hit. We're not hitting a ton of long balls right now, but for the most part, approach wise we've been good. It's going to happen sometimes from the offense, and they'll get it rolling some people will pay the price."

That's the sound of a manager trying to stay calm while his team spirals. The Yankees need a reset, and they're about to get one Saturday night against a Rays team that just figured something out.

Tampa Bay Found the Answer in the Lineup

The Rays came into Friday hitting just .177 with 11 hits in their last 62 at-bats. They were getting outscored 15-4 in consecutive losses to the Cubs. So manager Kevin Cash made a move: he moved Yandy Diaz to the fourth spot after leading off in the Rays' first 12 games. Diaz responded with a two-run homer that tied the game in the first inning. Chandler Simpson moved into the leadoff spot, went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, and he's hitting .373 this season. Junior Caminero batted third after spending the previous 12 games in the three or four hole, and he reached base twice.

"Chandler is a very talented young hitter, and Yandy I think he can probably hit anywhere," Cash said. "He's so talented. We'll see how it goes. We'll continue to mix and match."

Cash might keep Simpson in the lineup Saturday because the outfielder is hitting .385 against left-handed pitching this year. Max Fried takes the mound for New York with a 2-0 record and a 1.35 ERA. The problem for the Yankees: Fried is 5-0 with a 0.77 ERA in five career starts against Tampa Bay. The Rays have batted just .121 in those games, and last season Fried held Diaz to one hit in eight at-bats.

The Yankees need Saturday to be different. Right now, they're not playing like a team ready for October.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.