Another valiant outing from a New York Yankees starter flushed down the toilet. Another bullpen meltdown from Devin Williams, who unnecessarily roped Luke Weaver into it, too. Another totally avoidable defeat that’s building on a concerning trend for the Bombers yet again.
On Monday night, the Yankees and Padres were hit with multiple rain delays, and we know how that always goes for New York (they lose). They jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning thanks to a Trent Grisham homer and then extended it to 3-0 in the sixth after an Anthony Volpe sacrifice fly.
Carlos Rodón gave up just three hits and a walk across 6 2/3 scoreless innings. But the tag team of Aaron Boone, Williams and Weaver oversaw this most recent collapse.
For whatever reason, Boone called on Fernando Cruz to throw two pitches in the top of the seventh to relieve Rodón after he had gotten into some trouble. Instead of bringing Cruz out for the eighth inning, Boone brought in Williams, who couldn’t handle the bottom of the Padres’ lineup.
After striking out Martin Maldonado, Williams walked Tyler Wade (former Yankee) and gave up a broken bat single to Brandon Lockridge (former Yankee). Then it felt like he was coming back. He struck out leadoff hitter Fernando Tatis Jr., which snowballed into drama. Tatis Jr. was ejected for jawing at the home plate umpire because he didn’t like one of the strike calls, and then Padres manager Mike Shildt was the next to go after he blew a gasket.
Devin Williams incompetence, Padres ejections fuel another Yankees meltdown
But Williams couldn’t capitalize. He walked Luis Arráez on four pitches to load the bases and left Boone no choice but to call on his closer. Weaver was asked to handle the unfavorable conditions and stop the bleeding, but he faltered for the first time in 2025.
Weaver allowed a two-run double to Manny Machado and then a two-run single to Xander Bogaerts. Just like that, the Padres led 4-3. Williams was charged with three earned runs on one hit and two walks while Weaver allowed one earned run on two hits and a walk. Through seven innings, the Padres had only four baserunners. In the eighth inning alone, they had six. Williams was booed off the mound again in front of the home crowd again, by the way.
And that’s another narrow loss in the books, as the Yankees continue to pile up one of the worst records in the league in games decided by two or fewer runs.
After his starter essentially went seven innings, Boone ended up using his FOUR best relievers (Tim Hill appeared in the ninth!) in a losing effort. The malfeasance, top to bottom, is already on full display in early May. We tried — we really did — to remain optimistic in April, but another one-of-a-kind, impossibly incompetent stretch of baseball (5-9 in their last 14 games) has Yankees fans right back to where they were when the Dodgers were dancing on the Yankee Stadium field after Game 5 of the World Series. In many ways, nothing has changed. At all.