Ryan Yarbrough moved quietly around Dodger Stadium during batting practice on Friday, wearing his 2024 World Series ring, a reminder of the innings he pitched for the Dodgers earlier last season. But these days, his focus is on the present, pitching for the New York Yankees.
On Sunday, Yarbrough delivered a strong performance to help the Yankees snap a tough losing streak in Los Angeles with a 7-3 win over the Dodgers. The crafty left-hander held the Dodgers to just one solo home run over six innings, outduelling ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who had dominated the Yankees earlier in the series.
“I went in with a solid game plan after studying what the Dodgers have done well this series,” Yarbrough said. “I focused on what I do best and keeping them off balance.”
Yarbrough, 33, has impressed since joining the Yankees rotation, now 3-0 with an excellent 2.08 ERA after five starts. Yankees manager Aaron Boone called him “a throwback,” while teammate Ben Rice described him as “a joy to watch,” praising his smart pitching, which includes changing speeds and hitting corners.
Despite not throwing the fastest pitches, Yarbrough baffled hitters, generating 17 swings and misses, seven on his sweeping slider alone. Only the Pirates’ Paul Skenes has gotten more misses this season against the Dodgers, though his pitching style is very different.
“His fastballs look quicker than they are, and his offspeed pitches feel even slower,” said Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu, who had his first four-hit game since 2021. “He’s got good stuff and knows exactly what he’s doing.”
Dodgers’ Max Muncy admitted Yarbrough’s delivery made it hard to read his pitches. “He might be throwing mid-80s, but it feels a lot harder because of his height, long arms, and funky low release,” said Muncy.
The Yankees’ offence was led by Ben Rice’s two-run homer in the third inning. Rice’s blast helped drive up Yamamoto’s pitch count, forcing the Dodgers ace out after just 3 2/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season. The Yankees also left bases loaded in the first but kept pressing, with DJ LeMahieu and Oswald Peraza adding run-scoring singles later in the game.
Despite Dodgers homers by Andy Pages and Muncy in the seventh, the Yankees bullpen held firm without closer Luke Weaver, who missed the game due to a hamstring issue.
Boone acknowledged the rivalry and pressure of the Fall Classic rematch but praised his team’s resilience after a tough start to the West Coast trip.
“We’ve had some tough losses this season but bounced back well,” Boone said. “This was a great team effort and a solid way to finish our road trip.”
Photo: Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images
