Daily Report – 7/23/25

Yankees

Last night in Toronto, the Yankees stopped the Blue Jays from extending their record-high home win streak. Thanks to home runs from Jazz Chisholm Jr., Cody Bellinger, and Ben Rice, the Yankees scored five runs on six hits to beat Toronto 5-4.

Yesterday’s win cut the Yankees’ deficit for the American League East lead to three games. However, the fears induced by Monday’s loss remain apparent in Yankees Universe. When Toronto beat the Yankees on Monday, Oswald Peraza and Anthony Volpe committed consecutive throwing errors in the fifth inning that each allowed a run to score. After the game, manager Aaron Boone dared to call Volpe one of the best shortstops in the league, and that while he may have committed many errors this season, “errors get handed out a lot of different places in a lot of different ways.” He added, “He’s still making plays, but he hasn’t been as consistent as he wants to be and as consistent as he normally is.”

Last night, Anthony Volpe committed another throwing error, his 13th of the season. This tied Willy Adames for the league lead in errors by any player at any position. With each passing day, it is becoming impossible to defend Anthony Volpe. In addition to his defensive deficiencies this season, he is batting .212 with a .675 OPS, and yesterday, he was slotted ninth in the Yankees’ order for the first time this season.

When it comes to the trade deadline, for the 2025 Yankees, the biggest needs have been a third baseman and a starting pitcher. After last night’s game, YES Network reporter Jack Curry said that the Yankees have not had any “substantive conversations with the Diamondbacks,” implying they may not be trading for Eugenio Suárez. He added, “There have been reports out there that have been erroneous, some connecting the Yankees to players they don’t have any interest in.”

While Eugenio Suárez’s offense is elite, he lacks defensive consistency, and the Yankees need defense. They also need relief pitching, mainly due to injuries, but also because high-leverage arms like Jonathan Loáisiga and Tim Hill have proven unreliable.

Nonetheless, the Yankees earned a big win last night, which reduced their division lead deficit to three games and forced a rubber game. The fireworks started in the first inning as Trent Grisham led off against Max Scherzer with a single to right field. Cody Bellinger, who finished the night 3-for-4, followed with a double to center field. This placed runners at second and third for Aaron Judge, but he struck out swinging. Then, Jazz Chisholm Jr. backed him up by crushing a fastball to right-center field for a three-run home run.

“I’ve faced [Scherzer] so many times,” said Chisholm. “If you see a guy enough, you start to really see how his stuff looks every at-bat.”

With the Yankees leading 3-0, Cam Schlittler began his second career start by facing Nathan Lukes. He got him to ground out, but he then walked the lethal George Springer, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled before Bo Bichette struck out on a foul tip. Toronto wasn’t done, though, and Addison Barger found a way to drive Springer home from third, making the score 3-1.

In the fifth inning, with two outs, Cody Bellinger sent a low 2-2 cutter over the right-center field wall for a solo home run, putting the Yankees ahead 4-1. His teammates appreciated that insurance run in the bottom of the inning against Cam Schlittler because George Springer and Vladimir singled, and after Bo Bichette grounded into a highlight-reel double play, Alejandro Kirk drove Springer home.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, with the Yankees ahead 4-2 and Tim Hill on the mound, Myles Straw reached on a low, errant throw by Anthony Volpe. Straw eventually came home to score when pinch hitter Davis Schneider laced a double down the left-field line. With two outs and a runner at second, Jonathan Loáisiga came in to face George Springer, but he lined the first pitch he saw to right field, tying the game 4-4.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Bo Bichette doubled off Loásiga, so Luke Weaver came in to relieve him. He managed to get the Blue Jays to strand Bichette, keeping the score tied.

In the top of the ninth inning, with one out, Ben Rice rocketed a high fastball from Jeff Hoffman over the right-center field fence. The home run gave the Yankees a chance to win the game, and Rice credited Jazz Chisholm Jr. for the home run. “He was saying, ‘The timing looks good, but just find a way to shorten up.’ […] I think it helped.”

In the bottom of the ninth, Devin Williams allowed Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to reach on a ground ball to right field, but he struck out Bo Bichette, got Addison Barger to fly out, and struck out Alejandro Kirk to end the ballgame.

“We got the monkey off our back a little bit there,” said Devin Williams. “This is the team that we got to be for the rest of the half,” said Jazz Chisholm Jr.


Tonight, the Yankees will try to secure a much-needed series win in Toronto (Prime Video). At 7:07 PM, LHP Max Fried (11-3, 2.43 ERA) will toe the slab against a worthy opponent in RHP Chris Bassitt (10-4, 3.89 ERA).

Schedule

7:07 PM: NYY at TOR; AmazonPV; SP: LHP Max Fried (11-3, 2.43 ERA)

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Daily Report – 7/25/25

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Daily Report – 7/21/25