TORONTO — Carlos Rodon’s ERA has risen from 2.93 to 4.42 in three starts, and it’s not just because of the Canadian exchange rate.
The Yankees didn’t just go from 49-21 to 52-31 in just over two weeks.
But one of the main reasons for the team’s recent slump has been the poor performance of its starting pitchers, and that continued on Thursday night at Rogers Centre.
The Blue Jays became the latest team to pounce on Rodon and his fastball, blowing an eight-run lead and handing the Yankees a season-high 9-2 loss for the fourth straight time.
Rodon, coming off a Subway Series in which the Mets rocked Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil, couldn’t stop his streak.
George Springer struck out two three-run homers off Rodon’s fastball before the left-hander got the fifth out.
The second was a 434-foot shot on a fastball down the middle that put the Yankees behind 8-0 early on and their struggling lineup couldn’t get out of the jam.
Rodon eventually regained his composure over the final five innings, but gave up 10 hits and eight runs after giving up 11 hits and eight runs in his previous game against the Braves.
He’s been thrashed over his last three starts, giving up 28 hits and 21 runs (20 earned) in 13 2/3 innings, looking like the 2023 Rodon he tried to erase from memory after his first 14 starts this season.
Rodon’s recent struggles are just part of the Yankees’ sudden problems.
Through June 14, their starting pitchers had the worst ERA in the major leagues at 2.77 through the first 72 games of the season.
In the Yankees’ next 11 games, their starting pitchers posted a combined 8.65 ERA and allowed 50 earned runs in 52 innings.
Not coincidentally, the Yankees have lost 10 of their last 13 games.
Before Thursday, they were one of the last four major league teams without four straight losses this season, but the Blue Jays (37-43) changed that.
The Blue Jays began fighting back with some great hitting before Springer hit his first home run.
Bo Bichette reached base on a grounder through the left side, then Rodon hit a 1-2 slider off former teammate Isaiah Kiner-Falefa’s leg, Rodon’s second of the night.
Next, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a double with a broken bat that went just past first base to make the score 1-0.
Justin Turner then poked a squiver down the first base line, but Ben Rice tried to make it foul.
But the ball stayed fair and bounced off the base, allowing Turner to get on base safely with an RBI single that epitomized the Yankees’ recent frustrations.
Springer came up next to bat and threw a 1-2 fastball that was just a little too close to the inside of the plate, making the score 5-0 after five batters of the inning.
After Springer hit his second three-run homer of the night in the second inning, Rodon struck out 12 of the last 15 batters he faced.
Aaron Boone took to the mound in the bottom of the fifth with two runners on and one out, but Rodon managed to convince him to stay in the game.
During that conversation, relief pitcher Phil Bickford had begun a run from the bullpen in right field but had to quickly change course when Boone left the mound without a signal.
The only source of offense the Yankees had against Jose Berrios on the night was a two-run home run by Trent Grisham in the fifth inning.
