(Having been commissioned to be at Yankee Stadium for the home games during September, I kept a diary to submit to my publishers. I am now able to present some of my writings on the games here).

Before tonight’s game, the Yankees, who had been told in no uncertain terms in August by General Manager Brian Cashman that their season was a disaster, then had one of their best runs of the season winning 8 of their previous 10 games. Indeed, one of the two they had lost was due to a walkoff. They were pretty much in contention for every game.

However, the good times could not last. And a home game against the struggling Tigers was the occasion for it all to collapse.

Prior to this game, they had advanced to a win percentage that was over .500 for the first time since August 15. That was to be short-lived too.

The young lions who had recently been promoted from Triple-A Scranton played alongside Anthony Volpe in the line-up. Jasson Dominguez, Oswald Peraza, and Everson Pereira were all present, but produced only a combined 2-for-11. Pereira produced a double, but there was little else to shout about. It wasn’t even all positive for Pereira. He had a prime opportunity to bring in RBIs in the bottom of the second, instead hitting into an innings ending double play. 

However, the major difference was not the lack of experience in the Yankees’ ranks, but a player that they are perhaps going to have to over-rely on in the years to come. Carlos Rodon was signed as a free agent just prior to Christmas 2022. He was given a six-year deal, guaranteeing him $22m for the coming season, and then $27m for the next five years. He has a full no-trade clause. 

Rodon didn’t play at all until July 7th. And when he emerged from his period on the injury list, he lost his first three games. He pitched 14.2 games in these 3 appearances. He gave up 12 runs, all earned. Any hope that he might turn things around in August soon disappeared. After an improved final start in July, three of his four starts in the eight month lasted less than 5 innings. Prior to tonight’s game, his record was 2-4 with 3 no-decisions. Any signs that his appearance against Washington at the Stadium (August 22nd), and in Houston (September 1st) might be the first signs of an ongoing revival quickly disappeared. He took the loss, gave up 8 hits leading to 7 earned runs. By the time he was replaced in the last third of the fourth inning, the game was over. Randy Vasquez, Albert Abreu, and Matt Krook followed him onto the mound. Only Krook (amazingly!) showed any kind of quality, but by that time Detroit had largely stopped trying to score more runs.

The Yankees were lagging behind three runs to ten.

Detroit first baseman, Spencer Torkelson was at the heart of the victory with two home runs, and Eduardo Rodriguez, the Tiger’s starter, did more than enough to overmatch Rodon.

Bright spots for the Yankees? Gleyber Torres with 2 hits including a homer continues to show his strength. Nothing much else was good. Aaron Judge seems a little fearful of the basepaths since his injury, and is always swinging for the outfield wall. Today it didn’t work. He went 0-4, and was lifted for a defensive replacement (Oswaldo Cabrera) before the game’s end.

All a bit of a nightmare really, and the strong run came to a tumultous end.

We’ll be back at the Stadium tomorrow, for another report.