Trouble in River City? Brewers 4, Yankees 3

About Yesterday Afternoon: Trouble in River City? Brewers 4, Yankees 3

By Tim Kabel

May 11, 2026

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The Yankees ended their recent homestand with a record of 26-12, 14 games over .500. They had won eight of their last ten games. Then, they went to Milwaukee. The Yankees still have 26 wins, but they have now lost three games in a row. There is no need for hysteria but despite the tremendous start the Yankees had to the season, they are now in second place. The Tampa Bay Rays are in first place.

Now, it is very early. The Yankees are one game behind the Rays and the Rays have played fewer games. There is certainly no need to panic. There probably isn't even a need to worry. However, there are some things to keep an eye on.

Carlos Rodon returned to the starting rotation after his off-season surgery to remove the loose bodies in his left elbow. He had struggled in his last minor league rehab start. The Yankees could have given him another start in the minors but instead, they brought him up to pitch yesterday. Rodon held the Brewers hitless for the first 3 and 2/3 innings. Then, the wheels came off. Rodon started the fourth inning by walking William Contreras and Gary Sanchez and then hitting Andrew Vaughn with a pitch. Contreras was forced out at home before Sanchez scored Milwaukee’s first run on Garrett Mitchell's sacrifice fly. Blake Perkins then had the Brewers first hit with a two-run single to center field.

Rodon pitched 4.1 innings, allowing two hits, three runs and five walks. Rodon's velocity was up. He averaged 95.7 mph with his fastball, which is an improvement from the 94.1 MPH from last year. Unfortunately, his wildness increased as well. Yes, it was just the first start. Yes, he will likely improve. No, there is no need to be concerned about him. This was bound to happen. 

However, Rodon’s short outing put a strain on the bullpen which has been shaky. You never quite know what you're going to get from most of the pitchers out there. Jake Bird has been much better of late but remember, he was banished to the minor leagues temporarily earlier in the season. Camilo Doval has been inconsistent and seems to struggle in high pressure situations. That's not a good thing for a late-inning relief pitcher. He didn't pitch yesterday but his performances have been worrisome. David Bednar has been hittable this season. His record is now 1-3. His ERA is 3.71 and his WHIP is 1.35. He allowed the game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. We are very early in the season, but the bullpen could become a major issue, particularly as starters such as Rodon and Gerrit Cole need to round into shape.

 The offense was fairly lackluster again yesterday. Ben Rice was 0-13 in the series after returning from a bruised hand that caused him to miss four games. He did hit the ball hard a few times yesterday which is a good sign. However, Trent Grisham’s only hit yesterday and only hit in the series was because his ground ball hit Spencer Jones in the second inning, resulting in Jones being called out and Grisham being awarded a hit. Grisham is now batting .178 for the season. He has had some big hits, but they are few and far between. Jazz Chisholm had a double and drove in a run, but he is only batting.207 for the season. He has four home runs and fourteen RBI. He also has eleven stolen bases. This is Chisholm’s walk year. He will be headed into free agency. He is costing himself a lot of money right now. Remember, he predicted that he would have a 50-home run/50-stolen base season. He needs 39 stolen bases and 46 home runs to make that goal. Although Ryan McMahon has been hitting much better of late, he is still batting only .218. He has three home runs and thirteen RBI. Now, Chisholm and Grisham could get hot and have strong seasons. It's not too late for that to happen. I am less convinced that McMahon could do so. He did make adjustments to his swing but perhaps the pitchers are now making adjustments to him. That's baseball, Suzyn.

Could this three-game sweep in Milwaukee be the beginning of another Boon-Swoon? It could be, but perhaps it's just a blip on the screen. The Yankees will be playing the Orioles and then the Mets in the next six games. They could easily right the ship or at least stop it from taking on more water. Again, there is no need to panic but there are some things that need to be watched relatively closely. 

A Few Tidbits: 

·       Aaron Judge hit yet another first- inning home run, giving him seven for the season and 92 for his career. He is tied for the Major League lead with Kyle Schwarber with sixteen home runs.

·       Spencer Jones had his first Major League hit, a second inning RBI single, two days after his debut. 

·       The Brewers swept the Yankees in a series of at least three games for the first time since August of 1989.

·       The Brewers improved their interleague record since 2022 to a Major League best 116-65. They are 14-7 against American League teams this year and 8-9 against National League teams.

The Yankees will open a series against the Orioles tonight at 6:35 PM at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.  Ryan Weathers, (2-2, 3.03 ERA) will face Brandon Young, (3-1, 4.36 ERA). Hopefully Weathers is no longer under the weather and pitches the Yankees to a victory.