Daily Report – 7/2/25
Here is today’s report:
Yankees
The Yankees’ inability to drive home runners in scoring position continues to haunt them, and yesterday was no exception. They went 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position, en route to a 12-5 loss. According to New York Yankees Stats, since June 13, the Yankees as a team are batting a league-worst .166 with runners in scoring position with a .254 on-base percentage, a .482 OPS, and 54 strikeouts.
Yesterday, the Yankees succumbed to the Blue Jays’ Canada Day festivities. Although they outhit Toronto and walked seven times, the Yankees left 11 runners on base and surrendered three home runs. George Springer was responsible for two of them, including a seventh-inning grand slam off Luke Weaver that put the game away. The Blue Jays now sit just one game behind the Yankees for the American League East lead.
“I have concerns of everything when we’re not going great, when we’re not, and everything in between,” said manager Aaron Boone. “I try to evaluate it not emotionally every day. The last two nights, with runners in scoring position, [I] feel like we’ve swung the bat pretty well and haven’t gotten results.” It seems like Boone is making excuses about his team’s offensive struggles. Every season, the Yankees’ offense dips in June and July. This year, Anthony Volpe is a major reason why.
Since June 1, Anthony Volpe has held a .194 batting average (Yankeesource). The Yankees’ only other rostered shortstop is Oswald Peraza, who is batting .157 this season. With Austin Wells temporarily sidelined with a hand injury and DJ LeMahieu struggling at the plate, the bottom of the Yankees’ order sparks little fear among opposing teams.
Here’s a potential scenario: With Aaron Judge batting third, he and Cody Bellinger both get on base, and with one out, Jazz Chisholm loads the bases. Giancarlo Stanton would likely be up fifth, but he has struggled to at least register productive outs with runners in scoring position. Jasson Domínguez, who has improved in the last two weeks, would be due up sixth. Domínguez drove in two runs with a first-inning single yesterday. But after him, it’s Anthony Volpe, JC Escarra, or Austin Wells, and DJ LeMahieu. None of those hitters has been reliable for the Yankees this season.
Because of the Yankees’ limited depth at second base, shortstop, and third base, the team’s batting order will remain the same until they make a change. Oswald Peraza is the team’s only depth piece at second, third, and short. However, while the trade deadline is less than one month away, the market is not open for business. Most teams aren’t ready to decide if they are buyers or sellers, so the Yankees need to weather the storm with their current roster. That won’t solve their defensive issues, though.
Second baseman DJ LeMahieu and third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. proved again yesterday that they cannot continue to play those positions. LeMahieu’s defensive skills are not where they once were, and Chisholm is not a natural third baseman. The Yankees initially expected LeMahieu to return to third base this season, which is why they told Chisholm throughout the offseason that he would be playing second base. Following a calf injury during Spring Training, LeMahieu’s return was delayed, and when Oswaldo Cabrera went down with a leg injury, the Yankees moved Chisholm back to third upon LeMahieu’s return.
“I want to play second base, but whatever it takes to help the team win,” Chisholm told The Athletic. “If that’s what the team chooses, that’s what I gotta do. […] Yes, I know I’m better at second base, but at the end of the day, I still have to play third. I just have to deal with it.” In the fourth inning of yesterday’s loss, with two outs, Chisholm was slow to field a ground ball at third base, and Toronto converted the misplay into three runs.
The Yankees’ current struggles are twofold now that Fernando Cruz has hit the injured list. As the offense continues to struggle to score runs, the bullpen is in shambles. The Yankees designated righty Geoff Hartlieb for assignment today and called up righty Clayton Beeter. With Fernando Cruz’s injury, there are two unreliable arms in this bullpen, so Aaron Boone has had to overwork Mark Leiter Jr. and Tim Hill, his only lefty. Here is a look at the current state of the Yankees’ bullpen:
MR: RHP JT Brubaker (unreliable)
MR: RHP Clayton Beeter (unreliable)
MR: RHP Ian Hamilton (somewhat unreliable)
MR: RHP Mark Leiter Jr. (somewhat reliable, overworked)
MR: RHP Jonathan Loásigia (somewhat reliable)
LR: LHP Tim Hill (somewhat reliable, overworked)
SU: RHP Luke Weaver (reliable)
C: RHP Devin Williams (reliable)
It can also be inferred that the Yankees rushed Luke Weaver back from his hamstring injury a few weeks ago, which was supposed to sideline him for at least one month. In the seventh inning yesterday, pitching in a second consecutive game, Mark Leiter Jr. put runners at first and second with one out. Luke Weaver relieved him, and Addison Barger reached on catcher’s interference. It was the second straight day in which Escarra was penalized for interference.
“I intend to get as close [to the pitch] as possible, but obviously not letting that happen,” Escarra sheepishly remarked. “I was too close today. It didn’t help my team win today, or [Monday]. It shouldn’t happen, but it’s something I can control.”
The Yankees had tied the game 4-4 in the top of the seventh inning because of a couple of fielding errors, but that was quickly erased upon Weaver’s relief appearance. With the bases loaded and one out, Ernie Clement RBI singled to give Toronto the lead back, and George Springer made it 9-4 with a grand slam to left-center field.
“You run into a bad pitch there to a guy that’s having a nice day, and the game gets away from you,” said Weaver. Frustrated at the catcher’s interference call, he added, “Honestly, I feel like that’s a really unfortunate part of our game. I don’t think, personally, that belongs in our game. I understand there are moments where it’s very egregious and they hit the glove on a full swing, but you feel like you earned something there, and it was taken away from you.”
Up just one game in the division over Toronto and Tampa Bay, the Yankees must win tonight’s game as if their lives depend on it. News flash: They do. At 7:07 PM, RHP Will Warren (5-4, 4.37 ERA) will start for the Yankees against RHP José Berríos (4-3, 3.26 ERA) (Prime Video).
Here is tonight’s starting lineup for the New York Yankees:
C Ben Rice (L)
RF Aaron Judge (C) (R)
CF Cody Bellinger (L)
DH Giancarlo Stanton (R)
3B Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L)
1B Paul Goldschmidt (R)
LF Jasson Domínguez (S)
SS Anthony Volpe (R)
2B DJ LeMahieu (R)
SP: RHP Will Warren (5-4, 4.37 ERA)
Schedule
7:07 PM: NYY at TOR; AmazonPV; SP: RHP Will Warren (5-4, 4.37 ERA)
