The Yankees rotation slide continued last night with Carlos Rodon allowing eight runs, all earned, in a 9-2 Blue Jays victory. This is now an eleven game slide. Over the team’s first 72 games, they were among the best in the majors. The group owned a 2.77 ERA, a 35-13 record, and good three-true outcomes. They allowed just 312 hits in 409 innings.

Since then, the rotation owns an 8.65 ERA and a 2-8 record. The big difference in the three true outcomes sit in the walk and home run columns. Despite strikeouts being in line, hits rose to 70 in 52 innings. Home runs went from 1.01 per nine IP to 2.42 per nine IP. It’s almost as if teams detected some pattern in the Yankees starters and are exploiting that knowledge. I find it tough to believe that three of four pitchers are simultaneously tipping their next pitch.

Unfortunately, injury may be the most likely reason for the decline. Even minor injuries can have a devastating effect on a pitcher. New York suffered a lot less than other teams in this regard, so a sudden rash on minor aches and pains may be tearing the group down. We’ll see how they try to recover from this poor stretch.