Not a Good Way to Go Into the Series With the Mets

For the Yankees, Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore has often been a home away from home. Not this week.

Ryan Weathers started on Monday night, and took a no-hitter into the 7th inning, striking out 9. But the Yankees didn't hit for him, either. Ben Rice hit a home run in the 3rd inning, but they stranded 2 runners in the 1st, stranded 1 in the 3rd, wasted a leadoff double by Aaron Judge in the 6th, and wasted a 1-out double by Max Scheumann in the 7th.

Weathers ran out of gas in the 7th, allowing a single and a walk. Aaron Boone, as he occasionally does in such situations, panicked, and brought in Brent Headrick. He gave up a home run to Colby Mayo, turning a 2-0 Yankee lead into a 3-2 Oriole lead. That would be the final score, as the Yankees got just 1 baserunner in the last 2 innings.

Will Warren started on Tuesday night, and got into the 6th inning, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 1 walk, striking out 6. This time, the Yankees hit right away: Paul Goldschmidt hit the 1st pitch of the game for a home run. It was the 376th of his career, surpassing the still-active Manny Machado, and tying Carlton Fisk. Next up, at 377: Norm Cash and Jeff Kent.

Austin Wells led off the top of the 3rd with a single. After Goldschmidt flew out, Judge and Rice drew walks to load the bases. Cody Bellinger grounded into a force play that scored Wells, Amed Rosario singled Judge home, and Trent Grisham hit a home run. That was enough, as the bullpen allowed no more runs. Yankees 6, Orioles 2.

But yesterday's game was a disaster -- perhaps not just on the scoreboard. Max Fried started, and had to leave with arm stiffness after allowing 3 runs in 3 innings. We finally got Carlos Rodón off the Injured List, and Gerrit Cole will be coming off it soon, and now, we may have to put Fried on it.

Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough were no better, and it wouldn't have mattered if they were. Here are all the Yankee baserunners on the day: Grisham led off the game with a walk, but was eliminated by Judge grounding into a double play; a Chisholm double and a Spencer Jones walk in the 5th; a Rice walk in the 6th; a Jones walk in the 8th, erased when J.C. Escarra grounded into a double play; and a leadoff walk by Grisham in the 9th, stranded.

Orioles 7, Yankees 0, the worst game of the season.

We can now officially say that the Yankees are in a slump. They have lost 6 of their last 8. They trail the Tampa Bay Rays by 2 games in the American League Eastern Division, 3 in the All-Important Loss Column.

They had today off. Then, it's a weekend series, against The Other Team at Pity Field. Getting at least 2 out of 3 is an absolute must. Here are the projected pitching matchups:

* Friday, 1st pitch 7:15 PM: Cam Schlittler vs. former Yankee reliever Clay Holmes.

* Saturday, 7:15: Carlos Rodón vs. a pitcher to be determined (TBD). If the Mets hold to their rotation, it will be Huascar Brazobán.

* Sunday, 1:40: Ryan Weathers vs. TBD. If the Mets hold to their rotation, it will be Freddy Peralta.