Daily Report: 6/17/25
Here is today’s report:
Yankees
A run? Anybody? Can anybody score a run?
11 innings. 18 runners in scoring position. Eight hits. One run allowed. Zero runs scored. With a 1-0 home loss to Anaheim last night, the Yankees have now been shut out for 20 consecutive innings, with just four runs scored in their last four games.
It didn’t matter that Giancarlo Stanton struck two hits in his season debut. It didn’t matter that Clarke Schmidt tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings. It didn’t matter that the bullpen didn’t give up a run until the 11th inning. The Yankees couldn’t score. “Obviously, it’s part of the game,” said Schmidt, whose outing matched Max Fried for the longest by a Yankees starter this season. “You go through streaks like this, where sometimes you’re mashing the ball and things are falling, and then sometimes things aren’t going your way.”
It all ended with one pitch from Hunter Strickland to Anthony Volpe, with the bases loaded in the 11th inning, but a lot went wrong offensively for the Yankees in extra innings. They stranded two of four total no-out runners at second and are now 1-5 in extra-inning games this season. According to Katie Sharp, the Yankees are hitting .077/.194/.077 through 26 extra innings at-bats this season.
In the top of the ninth inning, Devin Williams gave up a couple of singles, but managed to keep the game scoreless. In the bottom of the ninth, against the future Hall of Fame closer Kenley Jansen, Giancarlo Stanton doubled before Jazz Chisholm Jr. struck out swinging. The crusher of the inning was Anthony Volpe’s unassisted groundout to third base (he went on to do the same thing in the 11th inning). The elimination of the lead runner killed any hope of a ninth-inning rally, and Yankees fans were left praying for an extra-innings miracle.
It was funny how little energy there was at Yankee Stadium during extra innings, though. Maybe it was the late Monday night hour, or the chilly weather, or the Yankees’ extra innings record, but fans were leaving that building as if Devin Williams had blown a save.
The Yankees selected Jonathan Loáisiga, one of two remaining high-leverage arms, to pitch in the 10th inning. He stranded the inherited runner with two strikeouts and a flyout.
In the bottom of the 10th inning, DJ LeMahieu struck out swinging before Trent Grisham flied out to center field to advance Oswald Peraza to third base. Paul Goldschmidt then ended the inning with a fly ball to deep center field. With a runner at third and nobody out, it was unclear why Goldschmidt tried to go yard. Goldschmidt has been excellent all season at hitting singles and doubles. That’s all the Yankees needed in that situation.
It is unclear what the instructions are for Yankees hitters in extra innings this season. Usually, it doesn’t even feel like there are instructions. Manager Aaron Boone said, “I thought enough guys up and down the lineup had some hard-hit balls, had some good contact, but when you’re not hitting the ball out of the ballpark and you’re having a hard time scoring runs, you have to take advantage of some situational things that come up.”
As broad an answer as it gets. There isn’t much for the manager to say when his team has failed to plate a run for 20 straight innings, so I don’t blame Boone for his answer. However, this response suggests zero indication of a team strategy in bonus frames, and the Yankees need to figure out a way to escape this scoreless drought.
In the top of the 11th inning, Jonathan Loáisiga remained in the game due to the shortage of high-leverage relievers. With one out, Nolan Schanuel doubled to left field to score the inherited runner from second base. Loáisiga then intentionally walked Mike Trout before loading the bases, but Jorge Soler and Travis d’Arnaud each lined out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the 11th, Brock Burke intentionally walked Aaron Judge to put runners at first and second. When Cody Bellinger flied out to right, Paul Goldschmidt advanced to third base. After Giancarlo Stanton’s ninth-inning double, Aaron Boone had Jasson Domínguez pinch run for him. I understand the move, considering Stanton is prone to baserunning injuries, and he had just returned from the injured list. However, it might have been wise for Boone to keep the right-handed hitter in the game, given Domínguez’s struggles from that side of the plate.
Domínguez broke his bat on a groundout to second base, and Christian Moore threw the ball home to tag out Goldschmidt. I found this play difficult to justify for the Yankees because after the ball left his bat, Domínguez ran fast enough out of the box – and Moore had to shift so far from second base – that the potential inning-ending double-play would have been unlikely to occur. Also, Goldschmidt did not have much time to run as Moore charged toward home plate as he collected the ground ball. In other words, the Yankees should have rolled the dice on Domínguez instead of sending Goldschmidt home.
Next, Jazz Chisholm Jr. loaded the bases with an infield single, and after a pitching change, Anthony Volpe grounded Hunter Strickland’s slider to third base, ending the game. No runs and 12 runners left on base for the Yankees. “We’re desperately trying to score that run,” said Aaron Boone, “and obviously going through a tough stretch here of producing some offense.”
Don’t look now, but the Yankees’ lead in the American League East is down to 2.5 games ahead of Tampa Bay. Toronto sits four games behind New York, and Boston just 5.5 games.
Tonight, at 7:05 PM, the Yankees look to take the second game of this four-game series against Anaheim (YES). RHP Will Warren (4-3, 4.86 ERA) will toe the slab against RHP Kyle Hendricks (4-6, 5.20 ERA).
Here is tonight’s starting lineup for the New York Yankees:
LF Jasson Domínguez (S)
RF Aaron Judge (C) (R)
CF Cody Bellinger (L)
DH Giancarlo Stanton (R)
3B Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L)
1B Paul Goldschmidt (R)
C Austin Wells (L)
SS Anthony Volpe (R)
2B DJ LeMahieu (R)
P: RHP Will Warren (4-3, 4.86 ERA)
Schedule
7:05 PM: NYY vs. LAA; YES; SP: RHP Will Warren (4-3, 4.86 ERA)
8:00 PM: 2025 Stanley Cup Final, Game 6 – EDM (2-3) at FLA (3-2); TNT, TRUTV, MAX
