Daily Report – 4/17/25
Here is tonight’s Thursday Night PrimeTime Schedule:
Yankees
“Come on, Belly,” cried Aaron Boone as MJ Melendez lined Fernando Cruz’s splitter to right field for a potential game-tying hit. It was the ninth inning of a 4-3 ballgame, and the Yankees were an out away from sweeping Kansas City. In right field, Cody Bellinger sprinted toward the ball and tripped onto his left side, but he extended his right arm, and… caught the ball!
After stumbling to make this epic game-winning catch, Bellinger rolled onto his back and sat up, his legs spread out atop the right field grass. When he got up, he leaned back and soaked in the electrifying Yankee Stadium energy.
“Definitely was anticipating the ball being hit with the matchup. I didn’t know if it was going to be a ground ball or fly ball, but I was just anticipating the ball,” said 2019 Gold Glove winner Cody Bellinger. “And wherever it was, I just wanted to make the best first jump.” This was also Bellinger’s first career game-winning catch, or so he claimed.
“There’s a reason he’s got gold in his glove to be able to make that catch,” said Aaron Judge. “And to lay out there, extended out for the team, that was impressive.”
The 2019 MVP has struggled at the plate this season. In 18 games, he is batting .185 with a .538 OPS and one home run. But last night, he went one-for-four with an RBI double.
Bellinger’s catch also helped Fernando Cruz secure his first career save. Cruz threw 27 pitches across two shutout innings, striking out two batters in the process. “It was something that meant a lot to me,” said Cruz on being trusted to stay in the game to earn the save. “I’m actually helping my dream team win games in special situations, and it means the world to me.”
The Yankees’ go-ahead run last night came off Aaron Judge’s bat. Judge went 3-3 in the game with an intentional walk, two runs scored, a double, and his seventh home run of the season. Judge currently possesses a remarkable .409 batting average and 1.322 OPS through his team’s first 18 games. He also has seven home runs, 21 RBI, and two stolen bases.
“He’s a superhuman, said Fernando Cruz.” “He’s Captain America,” said Clarke Schmidt.
Earlier this week, Juan Soto commented that his struggles in Queens might be because he isn’t seeing as many pitches to hit anymore. Why? Because the best hitter in the game is no longer hitting behind him. But Aaron Judge doesn’t want to engage in this debate with Soto, who chose to leave the Yankees for the Mets. Instead, he’s fighting back with otherworldly offensive numbers.
When asked about his numbers so far this season, Judge replied, “I try not to look at any of that suff. I want to get on base. That’s the biggest thing.”
Meanwhile, Clarke Schmidt returned from the injured list last night and helped the Bombers sweep Kansas City. The Yankees needed him to be strong on the mound, especially after Stroman hit the injured list a few days ago. Across 5 2/3 innings last night, Schmidt threw 73 pitches, permitting four hits, three runs, and two walks while earning two strikeouts.
“When I first went out there when I was younger, it was like just trying to throw your best stuff,” said Schmidt. In 2023, his first full season as a Yankees starting pitcher, Schmidt often struggled to pitch through five innings. Four innings was his ceiling. “Now, I’m reading swings, I’m learning. It’s more pitch-to-pitch and you’re just a lot more calm.”
Schmidt uses a four-pitch arsenal starring a knuckle curveball, which he uses 25% of the time (Baseball Savant). Last season, the pitch broke 16.3 inches horizontally, which ranked roughly 1/3 above league average. This helped him quiet many of the Dodgers sluggers during last year’s World Series. Last night, Schmidt’s knuckle curve broke 8.7 inches horizontally but dropped 14.6 inches, a 4.2-inch increase in vertical distance from last season.
“Throughout the years, I feel like I know my pitch package better,” said Schmidt. His success is a direct result of the Yankees’ pitching lab.
Another Yankees pitching student will take the mound tonight, and his name is Will Warren. He added a curveball to his arsenal during the offseason, and he looks to flash his five pitches and secure another win tonight as the Yankees return to George M. Steinbrenner Field for a four-game series against Tampa Bay. It’s going to feel strange to watch the Yankees be the road team at GMS Field, which has the same dimensions as Yankee Stadium. It feels even weirder that they are playing outdoors against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Tonight, at 7:05 PM (6:05 PM CDT), the Yankees return to George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, to begin a four-game weekend series against Tampa Bay (Prime Video).
RHP Will Warren holds a 5.14 ERA and a 1-0 record. On the other side of the bump, the Yankees will face RHP Taj Bradley (2-0, 3.71 ERA).
Here is tonight’s starting lineup for the New York Yankees:
1B Paul Goldschmidt (R)
DH Ben Rice (L)
RF Aaron Judge (C) (R)
CF Cody Bellinger (L)
SS Anthony Volpe (R)
2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L)
C JC Escarra (L)
LF Jasson Domínguez (S)
3B Oswaldo Cabrera (S)
P: RHP Will Warren (1-0, 5.14 ERA)
Rangers
Tonight, at 7 PM (6 PM CDT), the Rangers will play the final game of this disastrous 2024-25 season at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning (MSG).
Unfortunately, some disturbing news was released today about Artemi Panarin. According to Katie Strang of The Athletic, Panarin paid financial settlements to a Rangers employee last year after she “alleged that Panarin sexually assaulted her.” The alleged assault took place on a road trip in December 2023. According to MSG Sports, “The matter has been resolved.” Feel free to read more about this story here: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6284856/2025/04/17/artemi-panarin-sexual-assault-settlement-ny-rangers/.
I apologize for the poor transition, but tonight is Sam Rosen’s final Rangers broadcast. The Rangers have already been eliminated from playoff contention, but hopefully they beat Tampa for Sam’s sake… and maybe score a power play goal.
I will break down the 2024-25 Rangers season in a series of reports next week.
Schedule
7:00 PM (6:00 PM CDT): 2024-25 Regular Season Finale – NYR vs. TBL; MSG
7:05 PM (6:05 PM CDT): NYY at TB; AmazonPV; SP: RHP Will Warren (1-0, 5.14 ERA)
That will conclude this report. Stay tuned for tonight’s Thursday Night PrimeTime Report.
