Frustration over the Yankees’ recent poor performance filtered out of the dugout and onto the field Thursday night.
With the Yankees down 5-3 to the Rays in the top of the eighth inning, Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake was ejected by home plate umpire Edwin Moscoso.
Blake’s frustration erupted after Moscoso called two strikes on pinch-hitting catcher Jose Trevino with one out and a runner on second base.
Trevino eventually struck out on the sixth pitch against Rays left-hander Collin Posch on what appeared to be a low, inside pitch.
It was Blake’s first sending off of the season and his first since May 2023.
Yankees fans seem to be siding with Blake and not Moscoso. 1 post about X“The umpires are doing a terrible job.”
Last season, Moscoso ejected Aaron Boone when the Yankees played the Orioles in May.
After Trevino struck out, shortstop Anthony Volpe walked, but center fielder Trent Grisham hit a fly ball to left field to save the bases from a jam with the bases loaded.
The calls, combined with the errors, exacerbated the Yankees’ struggles with base congestion on Thursday.
The Yankees are coming off a hard-fought 2-1 win over Tampa Bay on Wednesday night, but the franchise is a dismal 4-11 in its past 15 games.
As a result of this latest slump, the Bronx Bombers have lost their spot atop the American League East to the Orioles and are now in the top Wild Card spot.
The Yankees ultimately lost to the Rays 5-4, marking their third straight loss and their eighth straight winless streak.
New York is 56-39 this season and 15-18 against AL East opponents.
The Yankees will look to bounce back against the Orioles and then travel to Baltimore on Friday looking to end the first half of the year on an unofficial note of optimism.
