NEW YORK — The New York Yankees’ gamble on Paul Blackburn ended in disaster Saturday afternoon. The newly signed right-hander surrendered seven runs in the ninth inning of a 12-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.
General Manager Brian Cashman’s decision to sign Blackburn, who had been released by the Mets just days earlier, backfired immediately. Manager Aaron Boone’s choice to use him in a late spot only highlighted the risk. The defeat was the Yankees’ eighth straight against Boston this season and pushed them 1.5 games behind in the American League wild card race.
Mets’ warning signs ignored by Yankees front office
Blackburn’s struggles with the Mets should have raised alarms. The 30-year-old carried a 6.85 ERA over 23.2 innings before being designated for assignment on August 16. He had battled right knee inflammation and shoulder issues throughout the year before being released on August 19.
The Yankees added him to their roster on Thursday. Boone defended the move, citing the bullpen’s lack of multi-inning options.
“Our pen right now is not filled with a lot of guys that give us a lot of length,” Boone said. “Obviously he has a track record of success in the big leagues.”
That record came mostly during his years with Oakland. His brief Mets tenure told a different story.
Boone’s decision to use Blackburn in crucial moment backfires
The Yankees trailed 5-1 entering the ninth inning when Boone handed the ball to Blackburn. After two clean innings earlier, he unraveled while trying to secure the final three outs.
Blackburn allowed hits to five of the first seven batters. Defensive mistakes worsened the inning, including an Anthony Volpe throwing error and a balk that forced in a run.
“Volpe made an error, which was his first one in a few weeks,” Boone said. “Been playing well out there. Bad throw and then [Rice] not communicating well enough with a new player on the 3-2 count where Ben’s playing behind him.”
Blackburn’s Yankees tenure likely over before it began
The disastrous outing left Blackburn with an 18.90 ERA in his Yankees debut. With Fernando Cruz set to return from the injured list, his roster spot is in serious jeopardy.
He threw 71 pitches — more than starter Will Warren managed in four innings. Blackburn’s collapse included a two-run homer by Carlos Narvaez after his controversial balk. The balk occurred when he threw to first base while Ben Rice was playing behind David Hamilton, leaving the bag uncovered.
“It was tough, but I think it’s a good place to start over,” Blackburn said earlier in the week when joining New York.
Red Sox continue dominance over struggling Yankees
Boston’s rout extended its dominance in the rivalry. The Red Sox have taken all three series this season, outscoring the Yankees 54-31 in nine games.
Garrett Crochet added to the misery, striking out 11 in seven innings while allowing just one run. He has now limited the Yankees to two runs across 15.1 innings this season.
“He’s one of the best pitchers in the game for a reason,” Aaron Judge said. “He can run it up to 100 miles per hour. Great feel for his secondary pitches, too.”
New York managed only seven hits. Stanton’s fourth-inning home run, his 16th of the season, snapped a 16-inning scoreless drought.
Yankees facing mounting pressure in wild card race
The loss dropped New York to 69-60, behind Boston in the standings. Against playoff-caliber opponents, the Yankees have struggled all year, going 11-20. They are 4-15 combined against the Red Sox and Blue Jays.
“We’ve got to play better,” Judge said. “That’s what it comes down to. Coaches can’t fix that, fans can’t fix that, media can’t fix that. It’s the players in this room. We’ve got to step up.”
The captain did not hide his frustration. “We’re definitely angry, especially against your rivals,” Judge said. “Don’t like the showing we’ve [had] here at home.”
Team searching for answers amid late-season slide
Stanton called the Yankees’ 1-8 record against Boston “unacceptable.” His solo homer was their only highlight on another dismal night.
The Yankees’ recent five-game winning streak against St. Louis and Tampa Bay has been erased by losses against stronger clubs. They have not beaten a winning team in a series since sweeping Seattle in mid-July.
“We’re not running out of time,” Boone said. “But if we don’t [play] better, we’re gonna fizzle out and we’re not gonna get to where we want to be.”
Boone admitted it has been a “really crappy weekend.” With one game left in the series, the Yankees are at risk of being swept at home. Blackburn became the 19th player to appear for both the Yankees and Mets in the same season, joining Rico Garcia in that distinction for 2025. His disastrous debut may be his only appearance in pinstripes.
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