20 July 2023
ANAHEIM — After falling to the Angels one last time, the Yankees find themselves in hell.
The Halos beat the stumbling Yankees, 7-3, on Wednesday at Angel Stadium, thus completing their first sweep over New York since July 2009. The loss brought an end to a hellish road trip that also saw the Yankees lose 2-of-3 to the Rockies, the worst team in the National League, immediately following the All-Star break.
The Yankees will fly home in last place in the American League East after Carlos Rodon endured his worst start since signing a six-year, $162 million contract in December. The southpaw surrendered four hits, six earned runs and two homers over 4.1 innings while walking five and striking out three.
The homers, hit by Taylor Ward and Luis Rengifo, gave the Angles a 4-0 lead after just two innings. As Rodon left the mound after the second frame, he was caught blowing a kiss in response to jeering Yankees fans behind the club’s dugout.
Rodon, who also gave up an RBI single to Mickey Moniak, later heard light booing when he left the mound for good.
Rodon, who had his season delayed by forearm and back injuries, hasn’t gotten off to the sharpest start. The Yankees’ biggest offseason addition owns a 7.36 ERA through his first three outings with the franchise.
Speaking of dull, Wednesday’s game featured another abysmal offensive performance for the Yankees, as Angels righty Chase Silseth set a career-high with 10 strikeouts.
Silseth entered the game with a 5.30 ERA, but that didn’t stop him from working the Yankees for 5.2 innings. The 23-year-old held the team to one run — a Giancarlo Stanton homer in the sixth — while only allowing four hits and two walks.
The Angels had one of the 10-worst rotation ERAs in baseball when this series began, but starters Silseth, Patrick Sandoval and Griffin Canning held the Yankees’ lifeless bats to just four earned runs over 18.2 innings. They combined for 29 strikeouts, as Canning also set a career-high with 12 on Monday.
The Angels series continued a stretch that has seen the Yankees flop against average and subpar starters. In Colorado, Austin Gomber and Chase Anderson combined for 11 innings and two earned runs despite having ERAs over 6.00, while Jameson Taillon and his 6.93 ERA blanked the Yankees for eight innings before the All-Star break.
The Bombers have scored 22 runs in six games since firing hitting coach Dillon Lawson and replacing him with Sean Casey.
On Wednesday, the Yankees’ second run came on an RBI single from Kyle Higashioka in the sixth, while Franchy Cordero added a solo shot in the eighth. But a hole had already been dug — on the scoreboard and in the standings — and the Angels added another run in their half of the eighth.
With the trade deadline approaching and the Yankees in the cellar, they will try to correct course at home after a Thursday off day. They have a great opportunity to rebound against an awful Royals team on Friday, but the Yanks haven’t exactly handled lesser opponents the way they’re expected to.
Since June 6, the Yankees have gone 1-2 against the White Sox, 1-2 against the Mets, 2-1 against the A’s, 1-2 against the Cardinals, 1-2 against the Cubs, and 1-2 against the Rockies. All of those teams are in last place and/or under .500.
The Angels were below .500 when their series with the Yankees began.
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