The Yanks were leading 2-1 to start the top of the 8th on a “Bullpen Day” that reliever Ryan Yarbrough started, and Suzyn Waldman uttered a classic broadcaster jinx, saying “this bullpen day has worked out great for the Yankees.”
Within 30 seconds, Mark Leiter Jr. allowed a single in the hole between shortstop and 3rd that Anthony Volpe dove for, jarring his shoulder as the ball bounced off his glove for a hit. Volpe said afterwards he felt a pop in his shoulder, and lay on the ground for 5 minutes while the trainers rushed out.
Volpe finally got up, tested his shoulder and stayed in the game. But a walk, double steal, and 1-out bloop single later and it was a tie game. Volpe then booted a tailor-made double play grounder to 2nd, and Tampa had a 3-2 lead en route to the win.
Broadcaster Jinx!
The Yanks had taken the lead in the 1st on a solo homer by Aaron Judge (his 11th), and taken the lead again 2-1 in the 5th on a solo homer by Austin Wells. Yarbrough pitched 4 innings, followed by a shutout inning by Ian Hamilton and 2 shutout innings by Fernando Cruz, leading up to Leiter. Tim Hill relieved Leiter and pitched 1.2 shutout innings.
The Yanks had a chance to tie in the 8th with Aaron Judge up and a runner on 3rd and 2 outs, but Judge hit a sharp grounder to shortstop. Judge went 2-4 on the day and is batting .432.
“It happened quick — I just felt like a pop in my shoulder,” said Volpe afterwards, not knowing about the jinx. “Which is like — it happened quick and it was scary. After that I felt ok and I felt like I had my strength. They tested me and I felt good.”
“I got an Xray and it was fine,” added Volpe. “I want to see how it feels; sleep on it tomorrow and re-evaluate.”
NY falls to 19-14; Tampa improves to 15-18.
1. Judge HR in 1st
Zack Littell started for the Rays, the 6’4 righthander coming in with a 1-5 5.03 record. Aaron Judge got to him in the 1st with a bomb to center for his 11th homer of the year.
Another day, another Judge homer ?⚖️#AllRise ? pic.twitter.com/dLudritjwj
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 3, 2025
2. Yarbrough Good
Meanwhile Ryan Yarbrough “opened” for the Yanks, making it a “bullpen day” — as NY would exclusively use their bullpen to try and win the game, after Clarke Schmidt‘s start was pushed back due to him experiencing some “soreness in his flank”.
Yarbrough = “THE Opener”
Yarbrough of course is “THE” Opener — having been one of the key pitchers that Tampa started the movement with in 2018, when he went 16-6 out of the bullpen, “opening” 6 games, tben “opening” 13, 9, 21, and 9 games for Tampa the next 5 seasons, before signing as a free agent with Kansas City to start the 2023 season where he “opened” some more.
KC traded him to the Dodgers in 2023, where he “opened” a few games, then in 2024 for the first time in his career he didn’t open a game — with either the Dodgers or Toronto — going 5-2 3.19 exclusively as a reliever for both teams. In fact he threw 98.2 innings and allowed only 72 hits in 2024 — his best year in the bigs, as he typically allows more hits than innings pitched.
Despite that, Toronto released him on March 23 before the 2025 season began, and the Yanks Snatched up the 33-year-old, 6’5 lefty the next day.
Yarbrough = Mr. Offspeed Pitch
Yarbrough used lots of changeups, sweepers, cutters, and a very occasional 88-MPH sinker to do a job on his old team — pitching 4 innings of 1-run ball. Yarbrough’s changeup is 78 MPH, and his sweeper is 72 MPH, so there’s lots of slow pitches but lots of ground outs.
Yarbrough allowed his only run in the 2nd — caused by a walk, single, double steal, walk to load the bases with 1 out — and sac fly by Taylor Walls for a 1-1 game.
But he pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 3rd and 4th — with groundouts, flyouts, and a strikeout. A terrific performance. His line: 4 IP, 1 Hit, 1 Run, 2 K’s, 3 walks. His ERA is at 3.72.
Yarbrough got help by his infield defense, especially Ben Rice at 1st base who made a number of excellent plays.
Rice flashes the leather ? pic.twitter.com/NKAqlu6rbr
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 3, 2025
3. Littell Good Too
Meanwhile Zack Littell was good too. After the homer to Judge, he retired 11 in a row, pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.
4. Wells HR Puts Yanks Up 2-1 in 5th
Finally in the top of the 5th, Austin Wells put the Yanks back on top with a homer to right on a 3-1 pitch leading off the inning.
The Power of the Burrito ? pic.twitter.com/F803DSZP9Q
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 3, 2025
5. Hamilton & Fernando Hold Court
And the next two Yankee relievers protected that 2-1 lead — Ian Hamilton worked around a walk and a single to pitch a shutout 5th, and Fernando Cruz used his Nasty cutter to pitch a shutout 6th and 7th.
Cruz got into a little trouble in the 6th, allowing a 1-out single to Curtis Mead who stole 2nd with 2 outs, but got a lineout to center to end the inning, then pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 7th.
6. Suzyn Waldman Jinx in 8th
Which led to the top of the 8th and Suzyn Waldman’s unfortunate comment, on how the bullpen day was going great for the Yankees. 30 seconds later Christopher Morel ripped a grounder in the shortstop-3rd base hole that Volpe dived for — hurting his shoulder.
After 5 minutes, Volpe got up, tested his shoulder with the trainer, and play resumed. Chandler Simpson ran for Morel, and stole 2nd. Leiter walked Brandon Lowe, and Lowe and Simpson did a double steal of 2nd and 3rd.
Leiter fought the jinx by striking out Junior Caminero, but the jinx was all-powerful — Curtis Mead blooped a 1-2 curve to center for a hit and tie game.
Leiter got Jose Caballero to hit a double-play grounder to 2nd to end the inning with a tie game — but Volpe booted the ball and everyone was safe. Tampa 3 NY 2.
Tim Hill came in to get the last 2 outs of the inning.
7. Judge Ground Out Yanks’ Last Chance
Meanwhile Zack Littell shut the Yanks out in the 6th and 7th — coming away with 7 IP, 3 Hits, 2 r. He wins to go 2-5 4.61.
The Yanks rallied in the top of the 8th against Garrett Cleavinger — a leadoff single by Trent Grisham, and 2-out single by Cody Bellinger brought Aaron Judge to the plate with the tying run on 3rd. But Judge ripped a grounder to shortstop for the final out.
In the 9th, Pete Fairbanks got groundout, groundout, groundout for the old ballgame.
Be the first to comment