With an upgraded bullpen, the New York Yankees had commanding leads of 6-0 and 9-4 in the fifth and seventh innings, but unfortunately, they were unable to secure a win.
All three of the team’s newly acquired relievers, along with another trade acquisition, found themselves on the wrong side of MLB history as the Miami Marlins staged a dramatic 13-12 comeback victory.
The game seemed to be in the bag going into the bottom of the fifth inning, but Carlos Rodon struggled to close it out. The Yankees then turned to veteran Jonathan Loaisiga, but he also faltered, allowing the Marlins to score four runs in the fifth.
Trent Grisham’s three-run homer in the seventh briefly gave the Yankees a five-run lead, prompting them to showcase their new bullpen additions. Unfortunately, things unraveled quickly.
Jake Bird, making his debut, gave up a grand slam after recording just one out. David Bednar, with a solid ERA entering the game, surrendered two runs on four consecutive hits, including a home run, allowing the Marlins to take a 10-9 lead.
Anthony Volpe tied the game with a homer in the eighth, and the Yankees managed to score two more runs in the ninth, driven in by Ryan McMahon and once again by Volpe. However, in the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees’ bullpen faltered once more.
Camilo Doval, brought in for the save, allowed the Marlins to score a run and tie the game at 12-12. An aggressive base running play by Xavier Edwards secured the winning run for Miami in a heartbreaking defeat for the Yankees.
According to OptaStats, it was the first time in modern baseball history that three different relievers each allowed multiple hits and runs in their team debut in the same game. It was also the first time since 1973 that the Yankees scored 12 or more runs in a game and lost.
Just two days prior, the Yankees had made history by erasing deficits in the eighth, ninth, and 10th innings to win in the 11th, but their luck ran out in this matchup against the Marlins.
The Yankees, currently chasing the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East, missed a crucial opportunity to close the gap with the division leaders after the Blue Jays’ loss earlier in the day.
