A Big Win and A Big Loss: Yankees 9, Rangers 2

About Yesterday Afternoon: A Big Win and A Big Loss. Yankees 9- Rangers 2

By Tim Kabel

May 8, 2026

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The Yankees are playing tremendous baseball right now. They are 26-12, 14 games over .500. They have won eight of their last ten games. They lead the American League in wins and are tied with the Atlanta Braves for the most wins in the Major Leagues.

On Wednesday night, the Yankees lost to the Rangers and old nemesis Nathan Eovaldi. Yesterday, they were looking to win this series and the season series against the Rangers. Yes, they are finished with the Texas Rangers for this year. They will not play them again until 2027 unless they meet in the postseason. The Yankees were hoping to go 6-1 on this current homestand, after sweeping the Orioles to get off to a 4-0 start.

However, the scheduled starter for yesterday, Ryan Weathers was under the weathers, having suffered from a viral infection that caused him to lose nine pounds and be bedridden. I can lose nine pounds simply by trimming my mustache but for Weathers, that's a big deal. So, the Yankees turned to Paul Blackburn, who started the game and pitched one inning. They then used Brendan Beck, a 27-year-old making his Major League debut. Beck didn't pitch like dreck and gave the Yankees three innings, allowing two earned runs. He is not considered a major prospect but did a more than adequate job, keeping the Yankees in a game they ultimately won. After Beck, the Yankees used Tim Hill, Brent Headrick, Jake Bird, and Camilo Doval. Bird and Doval have been better of late. Those four pitchers combined for five innings of scoreless relief, allowing a total of four hits and two walks.

On the offensive side, Cody Bellinger had three hits, including a triple and drove in two runs. Trent Grisham, who is showing signs of life at the plate, had three hits including a double, with three RBI. Every starter in the lineup had at least one hit. The Yankees walloped the Rangers pitching to score nine runs.

Due to the circumstances of not having Weathers starting, and relying on Paul Blackburn and Brendan Beck, the Yankees could have easily lost this game to the Rangers. In previous seasons, they might have lost this game. The fact that they didn't is a very good sign. For the most part, it was a very good day for the Yankees.

Now, for the bad news. On the very first play of the game, Brandon Nimmo hit a deep drive to left field. Jasson Dominguez, who was playing the outfield for the second time since being recalled, made a spectacular running catch, slamming into the left field wall. The impact was such that his hat and sunglasses flew off. He immediately fell to the ground face first. Amazingly, he held on to the ball. He was down for quite a while. He was eventually evaluated by the trainers. He was placed in concussion protocol and was driven off the field in a cart. It put a damper on the game.

Dominguez has been playing well since being recalled and had done everything the Yankees asked him to do to improve his play. It does not appear that he will be gone for a significant period of time but I'm sure it will be significant to him. He was diagnosed with a low-grade AC sprain of his left shoulder and will be placed on the IL. Aaron Boone predicted that he would be gone for a few weeks. That remains to be seen. Remember, last week, Dominguez missed a few games because he was hit on the elbow by Nathan Eovaldi. I'm sure Jasson Dominguez is the happiest Yankee about the fact that they will not play the Rangers again until 2027. It appeared that Dominguez was going to have a lengthy run here, with Giancarlo Stanton suffering a setback and no clear timetable for his return. Now, Dominguez could return very quickly and pick up where he left off. Let's hope that he does.

Yesterday, the Yankees had a big win but suffered a a big loss. Hopefully, the loss will only be temporary, and the win will be one of many more they accumulate this season.

A Few Tidbits: 

·       Cody Bellinger has raised his batting average to 299. He has 5 home runs and 28 RBI. He has now passed Ben Rice, who missed the last four games, for second place on the team in RBI, behind Aaron Judge.

·       Ryan McMahon had two hits, raising his average to .223. While that doesn't exactly make him Wade Boggs, it is a major improvement for McMahon who was batting close to .100 for quite a while. This may prove to be his high watermark for the season but still, he deserves credit. 

·       The Yankees are off to an amazing start. No other team in the Major Leagues has more wins than they do. One would think that they would be way ahead of every other team in the American League East. Guess again. Those pesky Tampa Bay Rays sit one game behind the Yankees, with 24 wins as I'm writing this. They had a game scheduled against the Red Sox last night. If they won, they would only trail the Yankees by a half game. So, as great as the Yankees’ start is, the reality is that they are clinging to a very small lead over the Rays.

·       Spencer Jones was called up to take the place of Dominguez on the roster. Jones was batting .258 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI, which leads all of baseball. I don't just mean AAA. I mean every level, including the Major Leagues. He also has 7 stolen bases. This will be an opportunity for Jones to show that he is ready for the Major Leagues.

·       I have not written an article since the passing of John Sterling. I wanted to take a moment to reflect on his career, legacy, and impact. As we all know, John Sterling was the radio voice of the New York Yankees from 1989 to 2024. He called 5060 consecutive Yankees games from 1989 to 2019. He was known for his home run calls, his deep baritone voice, his tremendous love for the Yankees, his unique call whenever the Yankees won a game, being lovably pompous, occasionally missing calls, and of course for coining the classic phrase, “That's baseball, Suzyn.” Was he perfect? Of course not. No one is. Did he make an indelible mark on Yankees fans, players, and the organization? Absolutely. I think the patch that the Yankees will wear on their uniforms is an appropriate tribute. I also believe that he belongs in the broadcasters’ wing of the Hall of Fame. While Suzyn Waldman and Michael Kay were laying flowers at home plate in John's honor on Monday night, a leather-lunged fan shouted, “that's baseball, Suzyn.” The Yankee should find out who that fan is and give him season tickets for the rest of his life. Of all the tributes made to Sterling, that one was the most appropriate and the most touching.

The Yankees will open a series against the Brewers tonight at 7:40 PM at American Family Field.  Max Fried, (4-1, 2.39 ERA) will face Jacob Misiorowski, (2-2, 2.84 ERA).