The Pinstriped Paradox: How Short Starts Are Sinking the Yankee Ship
Published on: August 9, 2025
The Bronx Bombers are sputtering. The narrative swirling around this underperforming Yankees squad has, for months, focused on the bullpen's late-inning meltdowns. Fingers point to blown saves, inherited runners scoring, and the general sense of impending doom that seems to settle over Yankee Stadium whenever a reliever trots in from the bullpen. But folks, let's not be fooled by the smoke and mirrors. The real culprit, the festering wound at the heart of this team, isn't the bullpen. It's the starting rotation. Or, more accurately, the lack of starting rotation.
This ain't about pointing fingers at individual pitchers. It's about a systemic issue that’s slowly but surely strangling this team's playoff hopes. The Yankees' starters, once a source of pride, have morphed into a five-inning-and-done assembly line, leaving a depleted bullpen to clean up the mess inning after inning, night after night. And frankly, the relievers are starting to resemble overworked dishwashers in a greasy spoon diner – constantly scrubbing, but never quite catching up.
Let's dive into the hard data, the cold, unfeeling numbers that paint a grim picture. Since late June, a date that should be circled in infamy on the Yankees' calendar, their starters have managed to complete six innings in a paltry five out of 33 games. That’s right, folks, five. You could count them on one hand, and still have fingers left over to point at the glaring problem on the mound. Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Will Warren, and the now-departed Marcus Stroman account for those rare glimpses of starting pitching competence. The rest? A parade of early exits, quick hooks, and a frantic scramble to the bullpen phone.
This isn't a slump; it's a trend. It's become the norm, the expectation. Boone's managing every game like it's Game 7 of the World Series, desperately trying to cobble together nine innings from a patchwork of relievers. In that same dismal stretch, the Yankees' rotation has coughed up a 5.20 ERA, the fifth-worst in the majors. That’s not just bad; it’s borderline catastrophic.
Now, let's talk about the domino effect, the cascading consequences of these abbreviated starts. The bullpen, forced into action earlier and more often than any relief corps should endure, has logged a staggering 127 innings during this period, the sixth-most in MLB. And their ERA? A ghastly 6.02, second-worst in the league. When your high-leverage arms are being ridden like rented mules three or four nights a week, they're bound to break down. They either become unavailable, nursing sore arms and weary spirits, or they become ineffective, serving up meatballs to opposing hitters who are licking their chops.
Boone, bless his heart, keeps preaching the gospel of pitchers protecting each other. But when starters are bailing before the sixth inning, there's no protection to be had. Every game devolves into a high-wire act, a desperate scramble to find someone, anyone, who can throw strikes and prevent the inevitable implosion.
The recent series against the Rangers provided a textbook example of how short starts can drain a roster dry. On Monday, Fried, despite a decent outing, needed 105 pitches to navigate five innings, leaving a precarious 5-4 lead to a beleaguered bullpen. Boone was forced to deploy Weaver, Doval, Bednar, and finally Williams, who promptly blew the save in the ninth.
Tuesday’s game followed a similar, depressing script. Warren, after laboring through 98 pitches, managed five innings before handing the baton to the bullpen. Again, Doval and Weaver were summoned in the middle innings, setting the stage for Williams to surrender the go-ahead runs in the eighth. A single additional inning from Warren, just one more frame, could have kept Williams fresh and out of harm's way.
Wednesday's game was the coup de grâce. Rodón, after a promising start, issued a leadoff walk in the sixth that sealed his fate. With 93 pitches on his ledger, he was yanked, forcing Boone to bridge the final four innings with a motley crew of Leiter Jr., Hill, De Los Santos, and finally, a five-out save attempt from Bednar. Why? Because Weaver and Williams were spent, and Doval was on emergency-only status, like a backup generator sputtering to life during a blackout. That’s how you end up with lower-leverage arms thrust into high-pressure situations they're simply not equipped to handle.
The Yankees didn't shell out big bucks for Fried and Rodón to be five-and-dive pitchers. These guys were supposed to be aces, workhorses, the anchors of a championship-caliber rotation. Both dominated in the first half, with Fried posting a dazzling 1.92 ERA and Rodón a respectable 2.92. But the second half has been a different story, a tale of regression and frustration. Fried's ERA has ballooned to 5.81 in his last six starts, while Rodón's sits at a less-than-stellar 4.50 in his last seven.
The problem isn't just hits; it’s walks. Free passes are inflating pitch counts and driving both starters out of games before they can even face a lineup for the third time. Fried himself acknowledged the issue, admitting the need to be more aggressive and avoid falling behind in counts. Those “uncompetitive walks,” as he called them, are a killer, especially for a team desperately seeking length from its starters.
The Yankees’ bullpen overhaul at the deadline was supposed to be a luxury, a finishing touch on a championship contender. Instead, it's become a life raft, desperately trying to keep the team afloat amidst a sea of short starts. Unless Fried and Rodón rediscover their first-half form and start pitching deeper into games, Boone will be forced to continue overtaxing his relievers until they inevitably crumble.
The Yankees can still salvage this season, but the solution isn't rocket science. It’s not about acquiring more bullpen arms or tinkering with the lineup. It’s about the starting rotation stepping up, reclaiming their roles as workhorses, and giving the bullpen a much-needed breather. Without that, the bullpen will continue to drown, and the Yankees’ season will go down with it.
This ain't about pointing fingers at individual pitchers. It's about a systemic issue that’s slowly but surely strangling this team's playoff hopes. The Yankees' starters, once a source of pride, have morphed into a five-inning-and-done assembly line, leaving a depleted bullpen to clean up the mess inning after inning, night after night. And frankly, the relievers are starting to resemble overworked dishwashers in a greasy spoon diner – constantly scrubbing, but never quite catching up.
Let's dive into the hard data, the cold, unfeeling numbers that paint a grim picture. Since late June, a date that should be circled in infamy on the Yankees' calendar, their starters have managed to complete six innings in a paltry five out of 33 games. That’s right, folks, five. You could count them on one hand, and still have fingers left over to point at the glaring problem on the mound. Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Will Warren, and the now-departed Marcus Stroman account for those rare glimpses of starting pitching competence. The rest? A parade of early exits, quick hooks, and a frantic scramble to the bullpen phone.
This isn't a slump; it's a trend. It's become the norm, the expectation. Boone's managing every game like it's Game 7 of the World Series, desperately trying to cobble together nine innings from a patchwork of relievers. In that same dismal stretch, the Yankees' rotation has coughed up a 5.20 ERA, the fifth-worst in the majors. That’s not just bad; it’s borderline catastrophic.
Now, let's talk about the domino effect, the cascading consequences of these abbreviated starts. The bullpen, forced into action earlier and more often than any relief corps should endure, has logged a staggering 127 innings during this period, the sixth-most in MLB. And their ERA? A ghastly 6.02, second-worst in the league. When your high-leverage arms are being ridden like rented mules three or four nights a week, they're bound to break down. They either become unavailable, nursing sore arms and weary spirits, or they become ineffective, serving up meatballs to opposing hitters who are licking their chops.
Boone, bless his heart, keeps preaching the gospel of pitchers protecting each other. But when starters are bailing before the sixth inning, there's no protection to be had. Every game devolves into a high-wire act, a desperate scramble to find someone, anyone, who can throw strikes and prevent the inevitable implosion.
The recent series against the Rangers provided a textbook example of how short starts can drain a roster dry. On Monday, Fried, despite a decent outing, needed 105 pitches to navigate five innings, leaving a precarious 5-4 lead to a beleaguered bullpen. Boone was forced to deploy Weaver, Doval, Bednar, and finally Williams, who promptly blew the save in the ninth.
Tuesday’s game followed a similar, depressing script. Warren, after laboring through 98 pitches, managed five innings before handing the baton to the bullpen. Again, Doval and Weaver were summoned in the middle innings, setting the stage for Williams to surrender the go-ahead runs in the eighth. A single additional inning from Warren, just one more frame, could have kept Williams fresh and out of harm's way.
Wednesday's game was the coup de grâce. Rodón, after a promising start, issued a leadoff walk in the sixth that sealed his fate. With 93 pitches on his ledger, he was yanked, forcing Boone to bridge the final four innings with a motley crew of Leiter Jr., Hill, De Los Santos, and finally, a five-out save attempt from Bednar. Why? Because Weaver and Williams were spent, and Doval was on emergency-only status, like a backup generator sputtering to life during a blackout. That’s how you end up with lower-leverage arms thrust into high-pressure situations they're simply not equipped to handle.
The Yankees didn't shell out big bucks for Fried and Rodón to be five-and-dive pitchers. These guys were supposed to be aces, workhorses, the anchors of a championship-caliber rotation. Both dominated in the first half, with Fried posting a dazzling 1.92 ERA and Rodón a respectable 2.92. But the second half has been a different story, a tale of regression and frustration. Fried's ERA has ballooned to 5.81 in his last six starts, while Rodón's sits at a less-than-stellar 4.50 in his last seven.
The problem isn't just hits; it’s walks. Free passes are inflating pitch counts and driving both starters out of games before they can even face a lineup for the third time. Fried himself acknowledged the issue, admitting the need to be more aggressive and avoid falling behind in counts. Those “uncompetitive walks,” as he called them, are a killer, especially for a team desperately seeking length from its starters.
The Yankees’ bullpen overhaul at the deadline was supposed to be a luxury, a finishing touch on a championship contender. Instead, it's become a life raft, desperately trying to keep the team afloat amidst a sea of short starts. Unless Fried and Rodón rediscover their first-half form and start pitching deeper into games, Boone will be forced to continue overtaxing his relievers until they inevitably crumble.
The Yankees can still salvage this season, but the solution isn't rocket science. It’s not about acquiring more bullpen arms or tinkering with the lineup. It’s about the starting rotation stepping up, reclaiming their roles as workhorses, and giving the bullpen a much-needed breather. Without that, the bullpen will continue to drown, and the Yankees’ season will go down with it.
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