Yankees fall to Rays after Brian Cashman criticizes team for poor play

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Yankees arrived at Tropicana Field Tuesday hoping to break out of their weeks-long slump.

They even took the lead from the start of the first round.

But the good feelings didn’t last long, as a disturbing trend continued to push the Yankees further into their slide.

Carlos Rodon allowed four runs before recording an out, putting the Yankees in another early hole from which they couldn’t climb out as they lost to the Rays, 5-3.

With Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman in attendance, the Yankees (55-38) lost for the 17th time in their last 23 games, and Rodon’s early reliance on his fastball backfired once again.

Ben Rice hit a two-run home run off left-handed reliever Colin Poche in the seventh inning to bring the Yankees within one run (4-3). But that was as far as they could get, as the Rays (45-46) ended their three-game losing streak.

Before the game, Cashman met with reporters and acknowledged the Yankees’ struggles while expressing confidence in their ability to turn things around.

But they failed at their last opportunity to do so.

Leading 1-0 before taking the mound, Rodon quickly made it back.

Yandy Diaz led off with a single and then came around to score when Randy Arozarena hit a double down the left-field line that Alex Verdugo struggled to catch cleanly in the corner.

Amed Rosario followed with a single before Rodon dropped a 96 mph fastball to the bottom of the zone that Isaac Paredes hit for a three-run homer to left field for a 4-1 lead.

From there, after throwing fastballs for nine of his first 14 pitches, Rodon began to settle in a bit while mixing in more of his secondary pitches, including an effective changeup (which generated seven whiffs on 26 pitches).

Yet the left-hander lasted just four innings as it took him 95 pitches to record 12 outs – using 30 pitches in the first inning and 31 in the third.

After posting a 2.93 ERA in his first 14 starts this season, Rodon has now posted a 10.57 ERA in his last five starts, hitting eight home runs in that span.

The Yankees struck first when Gleyber Torres, returning from a two-game absence with a sore groin, singled to bring home Juan Soto.

The Rays then added an insurance run in the eighth inning when Jose Siri singled against Michael Tonkin and came around to score on Jonny DeLuca’s double against Tommy Kahnle.