GAME 1? AN EMBARRASSMENT IN THE BRONX.

The Yankees opened Friday’s doubleheader against the Orioles with a 10–2 loss at Yankee Stadium. Baltimore hit four home runs. Pete Alonso hit two of them. Dylan Beavers added a grand slam. By the time it was over, the Yankees had given their fans a pretty good reason to be concerned as we get closer to the playoffs.

Game 1 was an embarrassment. The Orioles scored ten. The Yankees scored two. Sad.

And please, spare me the “it’s just one game” routine. Yes, the Yankees came back and won the nightcap, 6–3. Good. They needed to. But winning later doesn’t erase how flat and overmatched they looked earlier. Both games count, and so does the impression a team makes when it gets punched in the mouth.

The postseason is almost here. The Yankees should be sharpening their game, showing some urgency and giving opponents reason to fear them. Instead, for one ugly afternoon, they gave the Orioles four trips around the bases on home runs and gave Yankee fans another reason to wonder which version of this team will show up in October.

That first game was ugly. It was unacceptable. And yes, it was embarrassing.