Some losses don’t just sting — they gnaw at the corners of belief, like rust quietly eating away at iron.
Saturday night in Fenway was one of those for the New York Yankees. After another uninspired offensive showing and a crucial mental lapse on the basepaths, New York dropped a 4-3 heartbreaker to Boston.
Now, they’ll need a win Sunday just to avoid a sweep.
The Yankees, now 1-4 against their historic rivals this season, are learning the hard way that talent doesn’t mean much without execution.
Rodon battles through adversity, and it isn’t enough
Carlos Rodon has been a steadying presence in the Yankees’ rotation all year, but he wasn’t at his best on Saturday.
The left-hander allowed four runs, three earned, over five innings. He scattered seven hits, walked two, and struck out four. His ERA ticked up slightly to 3.01.
Rodon didn’t dominate, but at least he never let the game get out of hand. It was the kind of performance that keeps your team close — the kind that deserves a little offensive support.
Instead, he got silence for six innings and a baserunning mistake that felt like a gut punch after he left.
Hunter Dobbins owns the Bronx once again
Yankees fans are probably tired of hearing the name Hunter Dobbins — and with good reason.
The 25-year-old Red Sox right-hander, who made headlines by once saying he’d retire before signing with the Yankees, backed up his words again with another dominant outing.
Last week, he allowed three runs over five innings in the Bronx. Saturday? He took it a step further, tossing six scoreless innings while surrendering just two hits and one walk.
He struck out five and toyed with a Yankees lineup that looked a step behind all night.
Facing Dobbins has become like trying to open a locked door with the wrong key — no matter how many times the Yankees jiggle the handle, they can’t seem to get in.
Dominguez’s baserunning gaffe stalls comeback momentum
In the seventh inning, the Yankees finally showed signs of life. They scored twice to cut the Red Sox lead in half and had two men on with two outs. That’s when it all unraveled.
With the count 2-1 on Trent Grisham, he swung at a pitch to make it 2-2. Jasson Dominguez inexplicably wandered off second base.
Whether he mistakenly thought the inning was over or just zoned out, the moment was fatal. Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez — a former Yankee — pounced, initiating a rundown that ended with Dominguez tagged out at third.
Oh man… The Red Sox caught Jasson Dominguez sleeping on the base paths!
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/HzK1uGb40X
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 15, 2025
The inning was over, the threat extinguished, and a potential game-tying rally vanished. It was the kind of mistake you don’t often see in high-leverage games, let alone from a player of Dominguez’s promise.
Former Yankees shine in revenge game at Fenway
It wasn’t just Dobbins who gave the Yankees fits. The Red Sox leaned heavily on some familiar faces, and those players didn’t miss their chance to haunt their old club.
Carlos Narvaez, who wore pinstripes until last year, went 2-for-3 with a run scored and executed the game’s smartest defensive play. Greg Weissert, another ex-Yankee, recorded the save despite a late push from the Bombers.
Boston’s bullpen wasn’t perfect, but it did enough. Luis Guerrero allowed two runs in the seventh, but Weissert closed the door in the ninth, despite Anthony Volpe’s RBI and Dominguez’s clutch double with two outs.
Austin Wells represented the winning run, but his deep fly ball — hit to the worst part of the park for such a moment — settled into a glove for the final out.
Yerry De Los Santos turns in elite bullpen performance
One of the few true bright spots for the Yankees came from the bullpen, courtesy of Yerry De Los Santos. Called on after Rodon’s five innings, the right-hander spun three hitless, scoreless frames to keep Boston within reach.
He struck out one and worked with quiet efficiency, lowering his ERA to a sparkling 1.83. If the Yankees had managed to pull even, his effort would have earned far more attention.
Still, his performance didn’t go unnoticed by the clubhouse. De Los Santos kept hope alive — unfortunately, the offense just didn’t capitalize.
The Yankees know they’re built to win big games, but until they solve their Boston problem — and clean up mental mistakes — they’ll keep losing small ones.
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