Yankees' Struggles Continue with Painful 5-4 Loss to Rays

Former ace CC Sabathia's cryptic tweet sums up the team's frustration after being swept in a three-game series.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 9:40am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a baseball game or match, with sharp, overlapping geometric planes in vibrant colors of navy blue, forest green, and burnt orange, capturing the raw energy and tension of the game.The Yankees' frustrating loss to the Rays exposes the team's early-season struggles, as they search for a way to simplify their approach and regain their early-season form.St. Petersburg Today

The New York Yankees dropped a 5-4 decision to the Tampa Bay Rays, completing a three-game sweep at Tropicana Field. The loss extended the Yankees' losing streak to five games, dropping their record to 8-7 after starting the season 8-2. The Yankees' offense has struggled mightily during the skid, hitting just .156 with a .519 OPS over the last five games.

Why it matters

The Yankees were widely expected to be a World Series contender this season, but their early-season struggles have raised concerns about the team's ability to live up to those lofty expectations. The sweep at the hands of their division rival Rays has only added to the frustration, as the Yankees have now lost six of their last seven one-run games.

The details

The Yankees were dominated for most of the game by Rays starter Drew Rasmussen, who held them to one hit through six innings. The Yankees finally got to the Tampa Bay bullpen in the seventh, scoring two runs to make it 3-2, but the Rays answered back with two more runs to push the lead to 5-2. Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer in the ninth to bring the Yankees within one, but Ryan McMahon grounded out with the bases loaded to end the game.

  • The Yankees entered the weekend series against the Rays with an 8-2 record.
  • The Yankees left the series with an 8-7 record after being swept in three games.
  • The Yankees have now lost five straight games and six of their last seven one-run games.

The players

CC Sabathia

A former ace and franchise icon for the Yankees, Sabathia watched the game from afar and expressed his frustration with the team's performance in a cryptic tweet.

Drew Rasmussen

The Rays right-hander held the Yankees to one hit through six innings, continuing his dominance over the Yankees with a 1.03 ERA and 0.78 WHIP in eight career appearances against them.

Aaron Judge

The Yankees' star outfielder hit his fourth home run of the season in the ninth inning, but it was not enough to overcome the team's early struggles.

Ryan McMahon

The Yankees infielder grounded out with the bases loaded in the ninth inning to end the game, continuing his early-season struggles at the plate.

Cam Schlittler

The Yankees' starting pitcher struggled, allowing seven hits and three runs in five innings, as the Rays' lineup had no trouble with his fastball.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Bad weekend for us, obviously. Staying in some close games, we got to find a way to get over the hump and obviously do a better job finishing these games off.”

— Aaron Boone, Yankees Manager

“I think we need to simplify some things at the plate, trying to hit every single pitch we see up there and kind of getting ourselves in some bad counts and bad situations.”

— Aaron Judge, Yankees Outfielder

What’s next

The Yankees will look to right the ship as they return home for a seven-game homestand starting Monday against the Los Angeles Angels.

The takeaway

The Yankees' early-season struggles have raised concerns about the team's ability to live up to their World Series expectations, as they have now lost six of their last seven one-run games. The team's offense has been particularly problematic, and they will need to simplify their approach at the plate in order to turn things around.