Yankees Pitchers Struggle to Keep Balls in the Yard Against Royals

New York's pitching staff looks to bounce back after allowing 13 home runs in their previous four games.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 6:36am

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A cubist, fragmented painting depicting the motion of a baseball pitcher, with sharp geometric shapes in navy, green, and orange hues conveying the dynamic energy of the game.The Yankees' pitching staff faces a geometric challenge in keeping the ball in the yard against the Royals' lineup.Kansas City Today

The New York Yankees are coming off a series against the Los Angeles Angels where they allowed 13 home runs over four games. As they host the Kansas City Royals for a three-game set, the Yankees' pitchers will need to find a way to keep the ball in the ballpark after the team's recent struggles with the long ball.

Why it matters

The Yankees' ability to limit home runs will be crucial in this series, as they look to get back on track after losing 7 of their last 9 games. Preventing the Royals from hitting home runs could help the Yankees regain their early-season form and get their season back on track.

The details

In their previous series against the Angels, the Yankees allowed an average of over 3 home runs per game. This is a stark contrast to their first 15 games of the season, when they had only allowed 3 home runs total. The warmer weather in New York seems to have played a factor, as the average game-time temperature was 82 degrees, compared to under 60 degrees during their initial homestand. Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged that the team's inability to keep the ball in the ballpark was the story of the Angels series.

  • The Yankees allowed 13 home runs in their previous 4 games.
  • The Yankees' first 15 games of the season were played in temperatures under 60 degrees, during which they allowed only 3 home runs.
  • The average game-time temperature was 82 degrees during the Yankees' series against the Angels.

The players

Aaron Boone

The manager of the New York Yankees.

Aaron Judge

The Yankees' star outfielder, who hit 4 home runs in the series against the Angels.

Giancarlo Stanton

The Yankees' slugging outfielder, who also homered in the team's last game.

Ben Rice

A Yankees player who also hit a home run in the team's most recent game.

Cam Schlittler

The Yankees' starting pitcher who will take the mound in the series opener against the Royals.

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What they’re saying

“The story of the series was we didn't keep the ball in the ballpark and that's something we've done really well up until this series and they kept coming at us.”

— Aaron Boone, Yankees Manager

What’s next

The Yankees will look to Cam Schlittler to set the tone on the mound in the series opener against the Royals, as they try to get their pitching staff back on track and limit the long ball.

The takeaway

The Yankees' recent struggles with home runs have been a concerning development, but they have an opportunity to get back on track against a Royals team that has not hit for a lot of power so far this season. If the Yankees' pitchers can regain their early-season form and keep the ball in the ballpark, it could help them get their season back on track.