Schadenfreude 229 (A Continuing Series)

George A. King III, Post (early edition):

Lucas Duda's towering home run to right field had barely landed in the seats when the curtain of boos rolled toward the pitcher's mound in the first of a two-gate doubleheader Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

Luis Severino ... was the intended receiver of the boos as Duda rounded the bases and helped the Royals to a 10-5 victory ...

When Aaron Boone strolled to the mound to remove Severino, the booing subsided but the damage was done and the All-Star right-hander's slide hit four games. In 19.1 innings during that stretch, Severino is 1-2, allowed 33 hits (seven homers) and has an 8.85 ERA.

Prior to the Yankees' ninth loss in the past 18 games, Boone was hopeful Severino was ready to leave the slump behind him. Instead, the staff ace was rocked for six runs, eight hits in four-plus innings – his shortest outing of the season – when at times the Royals appeared to know what was coming. The stinker followed a five-inning outing against the Rays this past Monday when he gave up seven runs (six earned) and 11 hits. ...

Adam Warren's 2.2 shutout innings in relief of Severino presented the Yankees with a chance to chip into the six-run deficit. But with the Yankees trailing by a run in the top of the eighth, [David] Robertson gave up a three-run homer to [Brian] Goodwin that reached the second deck in right field and hiked the Royals' lead to 9-5.

George A. King III, Post:

"I don't think it's time to panic now for sure," David Robertson said following a 10-5 loss in which the reliever gave up a three-run homer in the eighth inning to Brian Goodwin. "I am not too worried about Sevy ... He just didn't have the location on his pitches today."

For Severino ... it's not a one-game blip. After giving up six runs and eight hits in 4.1 innings (his shortest outing of the season), Severino's four-game totals are nowhere near what a staff ace is supposed to possess. In 19.1 innings Severino has given up 33 hits (seven homers) ... and has an 8.85 ERA.

"I don't know what the issue is ..." said Severino, who ... will face the Red Sox this coming week at Fenway Park.

AP:

[Royals rookie starter Brad] Keller escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the second to keep the game scoreless, thanks to an alert play by Perez. The All-Star catcher pounced on a ball Tyler Wade nubbed in front of the plate, stepped on home and then tagged Wade, who had not moved from the batter's box, for an unassisted double play. Wade was called up from Triple-A to take Judge's roster spot.

Kristie Ackert, Daily News:

It was the fourth straight start in which Severino has struggled. He has allowed 19 earned runs in 19.1 innings pitched over that stretch for an 8.84 ERA, and he has given up seven home runs in those four starts.

CC Sabathia went just 4.2 innings in the nightcap, getting into trouble after stumbling and falling on his surgically-repaired right knee in the fifth inning. ...

Severino and Sabathia are scheduled to start in this weekend's crucial four-game series at Fenway. ...

The Yankees' rotation behind Severino was already shaky, so they can't afford him to be hitting a rough patch too.

The Yankees have to hope the 38-year-old CC Sabathia holds up physically. Masahiro Tanaka has been volatile this season and there have been injury concerns. Sonny Gray has put together three straight solid starts, but the Yankees would have to be concerned putting him in a big spot after his track record this season.

Ken Davidoff, Post:

"Kind of a strange day," Neil Walker said Saturday night, after the Yankees barely avoided getting swept by the Royals at their home, securing the nightcap with a 5-4 victory after dropping the opener, 10-5. ...

There's strange and then there's concerning, and little doubt exists where you file Luis Severino's continuing struggles in Game 1. ...

The right-hander lasted just 4.2 innings, allowing six runs ... [Severino] has an 8.84 ERA in his past four starts thanks to 19 runs allowed (and seven homers) in 19.1 innings. ...

The Yankees are now 8-8 in their past 16 games, their worst such stretch since they started the season by winning half of their opening 16 ...

Severino's next turn ... will be at Fenway, so some urgency exists for the 24-year-old to diagnose and fix the problem.

Dan Martin, Post:

Gleyber Torres was right in the middle of what was shaping up to be a stirring Yankees comeback against Kansas City — until he helped end it with a baserunning mistake.

The rookie second baseman doubled off the wall in right-center field to score Didi Gregorius from first base in the bottom of the seventh to draw the Yankees within a run. But after Gregorius scored easily, Torres took off for third — and was just as easily thrown out by catcher Salvador Perez.

To make matters worse, it was the first out of the inning and the Yankees didn't score again in a 10-5 loss to the Royals ...

Third base coach Phil Nevin was left with his hands on his head as Torres was tagged out. ...

The gaffe looked even worse when Greg Bird flied to the track off Kevin McCarthy, and Neil Walker and Austin Romine followed with singles.

Instead of tying the game, the Yankees had runners on first and third with two out when pinch-hitter Miguel Andujar struck out against Tim Hill to end the threat. ...

Torres wasn’t the only Yankee to have some baserunning misadventures.

Tyler Wade, with the bases loaded and no one out in the second, tapped a ball near the plate. Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez picked it up, stepped on home for the force and tagged Wade to complete the double play. The Yankees didn't score in the inning.

Rob Bradford, WEEI:

The Yankees may be in second-place, but their fans absolutely lead the league in booing.

In a season where Giancarlo Stanton and Sonny Gray got viciously booed by their home fans, newly-acquired Zach Britton was the latest to get the Yankee Stadium treatment.

After retiring the first two batters of the seventh inning in a tie game against the Royals Saturday night, Britton allowed two hits and a walk. The lefty then proceeded to walk No. 9 hitter Drew Butera to force in the go-ahead run. The reliever was roundly booed by the home fans ...