The New York Yankees are spiraling, and Monday night’s heartbreaking loss to the Texas Rangers added to their woes. After giving up a game-tying homer in the ninth and a walk-off in the 10th, the Yankees suffered their fourth consecutive defeat, now tied for the final AL wild-card spot.
While much of the postgame discussion focused on the bullpen’s late collapse, it was a bizarre misplay by starter Max Fried that truly encapsulated the Yankees’ recent struggles.
In the second inning, with the bases loaded and one out, Fried had a 2–2 count on Corey Seager. Rather than focus on the batter, he attempted a pickoff at second base a puzzling choice. The throw sailed into center field, allowing a run to score and giving Texas a 4–3 lead. The error was emblematic of the Yankees’ error-prone play during their slump, and this particular decision by Fried was especially baffling given the situation.
The Yankees will try to snap their losing streak in Tuesday night’s rematch, but Fried’s misstep summed up a team currently plagued by mistakes and poor judgment.
