Yankees Slip from First Place as Clay Holmes Blows Save in Heartbreaking Loss to Rangers

Clay Holmes struggled with his control, and it cost the Yankees dearly.

Clay Holmes has blown his 11th save opportunity of the season pic.twitter.com/is8X2ixzOt

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) September 4, 2024

By the end of the night, the Yankees had not only lost the game but also their lead in the AL East.

After a costly fielding error by DJ LeMahieu in the bottom of the eighth inning allowed the Rangers to close the gap, Holmes couldn’t hold the line in the ninth. The Rangers completed a dramatic comeback, winning 7-4 on Tuesday night at Globe Life Field.

Wyatt Langford delivered the knockout blow, smashing a walk-off grand slam to left field on a full count with one out.

Holmes, who had walked two consecutive batters to load the bases, left a slider hanging over the plate, and Langford didn't miss, sealing a brutal defeat for the Yankees.

This crushing loss, the Yankees’ fifth in their last seven games, dropped them to second place in the AL East for the first time since August 20, with the Orioles moving ahead by a half-game.

“There have been times when I’ve pitched well and still got beat,” Holmes said. “But tonight, I didn’t pitch well at all. I didn’t deserve to win with the way I was throwing.”

Holmes' struggles have been glaring, as this marked his league-leading 11th blown save of the season. While this one stood out, it only intensified the scrutiny on his performance and raised questions about the stability of the Yankees’ bullpen.

When asked if the team needed to consider a change at the closer position, manager Aaron Boone refrained from making any definitive statements.

“I’m not going to answer that right now when emotions are still high,” Boone said. “We’ll talk it through and decide what’s best.”

Boone had hinted at a possible change after Holmes’ previous blown save on August 18 during the Little League Classic, but Holmes had successfully converted his last three save opportunities before Tuesday's disaster.

Holmes’ command issues were evident as he repeatedly missed the strike zone, walking Josh Smith and Marcus Semien to load the bases before Langford’s game-ending homer.

“I just lost my delivery out there,” Holmes admitted. “I lost the feel for my sinker and was leaving my slider up. I think I was rushing things, and my command suffered. That one really hurt. We have to bounce back and show what we’re made of on Wednesday.”

Carlos Rodon had put the Yankees in a strong position, striking out a season-high 11 batters over six solid innings, and they carried a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the eighth.

DJ LeMahieu’s fielding error allowed Smith to reach base, followed by an infield single from Semien that set up Josh Jung’s RBI single, trimming the lead to 4-2.

“It was a tough play,” Boone said. “If Gleyber (Torres) makes that backhanded play, we probably turn a double play, but it’s not an easy one on this fast track.”

After Jake Cousins walked the bases loaded, Tim Hill came in and surrendered a sacrifice fly to Nathaniel Lowe, making it 4-3. Hill then struck out Jonah Heim to escape further damage, but the stage was set for the ninth-inning collapse.

“It’s tough,” Rodon said. “Baseball can be a cruel game. But I have a lot of faith in Clay Holmes. He’s a good teammate, and I fully support him. I’m looking forward to seeing him out there again.”

With Holmes having pitched on consecutive nights, he’s unlikely to get a chance to redeem himself in Wednesday’s series finale — the Yankees’ 10th straight rubber game. When he’ll get another save opportunity remains uncertain.

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