"Sick and tired'' of an unproductive start, Yankees' Ryan McMahon comes through
Batting .119 and benched to start Friday night's game, Ryan McMahon delivered a go-ahead eighth inning homer in the Yankees' 4-2 win vs. Kansas City.
NEW YORK – Out of Friday night’s starting lineup, Ryan McMahon busied himself in the batting cage. “Probably six out of seven innings I was in there taking swings,’’ said the Yankees’ third baseman, desperate to find a way out of an ice-cold start to 2026. “No secret, I’ve been struggling a little bit,’’ said the lefty-hitting McMahon, who found himself in a critical eighth inning spot.
Subbed in for late-game defense, McMahon turned the boos at Yankee Stadium to cheers as he lifted a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning – his first extra-base hit of the year. After Yankees closer David Bednar saved a 4-2 win against the Kansas City Royals, McMahon revealed how much his empty start – with a . 119 batting average – weighed on his mind.
“You want to play good for the men in the room with you,’’ said McMahon. “It doesn’t feel good letting your brothers down, especially the guys you’re grinding with every single day. “I’ve been sick and tired of it, honestly.
’’ Ryan McMahon's behind-the-scenes work Maybe that one swing unlocks something or at least restores some confidence for McMahon. Or maybe he’s still a work-in-progress, adjusting to a newer (less wide) batting stance and the other subtle changes he’s been working on. “This game is super humbling,’’ said McMahon.