Yankees lose as Jameson Taillon, relievers unable to hold off Mariners

Yankees starting pitcher Jameson Taillon walks to the dugout after being taken out of the game during the fifth inning against the Mariners in an MLB game at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The trade deadline came and went at 6 p.m. A little more than an hour later, it was time for the Yankees to get on with the rest of their season.
They are now 0-1 post-deadline.
Jameson Taillon continued his inconsistent ways, lasting just 4 2/3 against Seattle. He was charged with a season-high-tying six runs and a season-high four walks. He had the Yankees in a four-run hole after three innings.
The Yankees ultimately caught up, but then fell behind again and couldn’t rally again in an 8-6 loss Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.
“It seems like every time I try to put my finger on it and figure something out and have a good start, I go back to having a bad start,” Taillon said. “… Hopefully, pretty soon I can just put my head down and nail everything and knock out some good starts in a row.”
The Yankees are still an AL-best 70-35.
“This team is hungry,” GM Brian Cashman said. “They want to do great things.”
They have beefed up for October, where this season will truly be judged.
In the last week, Cashman acquired a quality starter in Frankie Montas, Scott Effross and Lou Trivino for the bullpen and Andrew Benintendi and Harrison Bader for the outfield, although Bader comes injured.
“I think we’re significantly better,” manager Aaron Boone said. “But … we’re better in name and paper only. It’s on us to go out and prove it.”
Sam Haggerty gave Seattle (56-49) the lead for good, sending a solo homer to the leftfield seats off Lucas Luetge (3-4) in the seventh to make it 7-6. In the ninth, Adam Frazier added an RBI single off Albert Abreu.
The Yankees left the bases loaded when Gleyber Torres struck out to end the game.
They had been down 4-0 in the fourth. Then Josh Donaldson delivered an RBI double and Jose Trevino hit a two-run homer.
The Mariners made it 6-3 in the fifth. Luetge allowed the two runners he inherited from Taillon — both via walks — to score on a double by Carlos Santana.
In the sixth, Anthony Rizzo led off against starter Logan Gilbert and slugged his fourth homer in four games, No. 27 overall. Donaldson soon hit a two-run blast to tie the score at 6.
A better start would’ve helped the Yankees.
Taillon posted a 2.30 ERA over his first 10 starts. Over his next 10, he posted a 5.36 ERA. He threw six shutout innings against Kansas City in the last of those 10.
But he regressed in this one. Taillon, who’s 10-2 with a 3.96 ERA, only yielded two hits. Both were homers, a two-run drive by Eugenio Suarez in the first and a solo shot by Cal Raleigh in the second.
Taillon allowed five earned runs. He struck out six. But it took him 98 pitches to get through the 4 2/3.
“Just tighten up the command and execution,” Boone said. “That’s what it comes down to.”