New York Yankees fans understood what rock bottom felt like on Friday during the team’s latest meltdown at the hands of the Miami Marlins.
The Bronx Bombers held a comfortable 9-4 lead entering the seventh-inning stretch at loanDepot park in Miami, Fla. The scene set the stage for the Yankees to trot out the three bullpen arms the team acquired before the trade deadline: Jake Bird, David Bednar, and Camilo Doval. The trio could not have had a worse debut in pinstripes.
Bird took the mound to start the bottom of the seventh. He got just one out before allowing a grand slam to Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers.
KYLE STOWERS GRAND SLAM pic.twitter.com/m7LQMUV4JF
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) August 2, 2025
Bednar came in and allowed two runs of his own through 1.2 innings of work. The Yankees offense was able to answer with three more runs to take a 12-10 lead to the bottom of the ninth.
Instead of shutting the door on the Marlins, newly acquired closer Doval blew his first-ever save opportunity in a Yankees uniform. It wasn’t all Doval’s fault. Right fielder Jose Caballero also committed a brutal error while trying to field an RBI single to right field. The Marlins won the game 13-12 one batter later.
The Yankees debut’d their new and improved Super Bullpen tonight:
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 2, 2025
2.1 innings pitched
9 runs allowed
pic.twitter.com/X0cvgKzV17
Several Yankees fans took to X to let out their frustrations. Many called the loss the team’s worst of the season.
Welp, thats the worst loss of the year. #Yankees
— John Jastremski (@john_jastremski) August 2, 2025
Worst loss of the year for the Yankees pic.twitter.com/wS1iEzVrKc
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) August 2, 2025
EVERY Yankees trade deadline acquisition has messed up tonight.
— Scott Reichel (@ReichelRadio) August 2, 2025
Jake Bird: 0.1 IP, 4 ER
David Bednar: 1.2 IP, 2 ER
Camilo Doval: Blown Save & Loss
Jose Caballero: Brutal 9th Inning Error
That was one of the worst baseball losses I've ever seen in my life. pic.twitter.com/OOl3IkZtxF
While fans are often guilty of recency bias when calling something the “best” or “worst” thing of the season, Friday’s implosion had a pretty strong case as the team’s toughest loss of the year.
The single-game collapse was bad enough. But it also had fans questioning the Yankees’ string of moves at the trade deadline. New York’s 5.65 bullpen ERA in July was the worst in the American League.
Bird, Bednar, and Doval were supposed to remedy the Yankees’ relief pitching woes. The trio instead collectively unraveled in the worst way possible.
The cherry on top was Caballero, whom the Yankees also acquired at the deadline, committing arguably the biggest mistake of the night.
