About Last Night: Rangers Top Yanks

by Andrew Hefner

August 6, 2025

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The Big Story

The Yankees seem to hit a new season low each and every game they compete in, and last night it was no different.

Coming into the second game at Globe Life Park in Texas, the Yankees were working to protect a dwindling lead in the American League Wild Card race, and now, postgame, that lead has shrunk to just 0.5 games after losing their fifth straight game.

Rangers' ace Nathan Eovaldi was lights out against his former team and pitched an incredible eight innings of one-hit ball, and completely shut down a Yankees lineup that had already been floundering despite the return of Captain Aaron Judge to the lineup.

For the Yankees, the young Will Warren took the mound once again, and all things considered, pitched a lights-out outing, working out of trouble inning after inning; however, with just one hit of support across his five innings of work, he was left with a no-decision despite his incredible effort.

Shortstop Anthony Volpe had the only hit until the ninth inning on a hustle double on a bloop hit to left field, yet was curiously pinch hit for Giancarlo Stanton in a pivotal point in the ninth, when Volpe has been on fire offensively recently. Ryan McMahon had the only other hit of the game for New York, which came off Phil Maton in the top of the ninth.

The loss will be pinned on Devin Williams, who has now really been the reason for each of the two losses this series, and despite seemingly being taken out of the closer role, still gave up two runs in a tight ballgame. The inning started with a quick out, but a sharp double that knocked off the glove of Jasson Dominguez in left had the Rangers in scoring position. This was followed by two walks by Williams to load the bases. A ten-pitch at bat with Rowdy Tellez ended badly for Williams as he singled and the two runs then scored.

Boone was asked in the postgame press conference about the decision to go back to Williams despite his struggles and remarked, “Well, I mean we've got to piece it together there… we just couldn't finish it off.” With Warren only going five innings, Boone is referencing a tight bullpen that needed to be put together to end the game, yet newly acquired closer David Bednar and Mark Leiter Jr., who had just returned from injury, were both up and seemingly ready to go in the bullpen. In the end, the trigger was not pulled early enough by Boone, leading to yet another Williams implosion.

Player of the Game

Nathan Eovaldi had one of the best starts in all of baseball this year against a Yankees lineup that was back to full strength with Aaron Judge returning from injury.

Final line: 8.0 IP, 1 H, 6 K, Win

Yankees Player of the Game

Will Warren had one of the best starts of his young career and did a great job of getting out of tough situations early on, but he struggled to limit the pitch count.

Final line: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 5 K

Notable Performances

• C. Doval: 1.0 IP, 2 H

• L. Weaver: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K

• A. Volpe: 1-2, 2B, + Excellent Defense

Better to Forget

• D. Williams: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, Loss

• T. Grisham: 0-4, K

• B. Rice: 0-3

• A. Judge: 0-3, 2 K

• C. Bellinger: 0-3

• J. Chisholm: 0-3, 2 K

• P. Goldschmidt: 0-3

• J. Dominguez: 0-3, 2 K

My Take

I really am running out of things to say, or even to criticize, about this team, that haven't been said. The mistakes are constant, the questionable managerial decisions are constant, and the lack of fundamentals is constant. The even scarier part, however, is that there is a chance that by the end of the night tomorrow, the Yankees may not be in the playoffs, and who knows if they will be able to claw back.

I referenced it in the big story section; however, it's worth mentioning, as Jack Curry did multiple times on the postgame show, that David Bednar was READY! If there is anyone in that bullpen I would want out there to clean up a Williams mess, it would be Bednar, but the “statistics” that Boone had said that Williams should stay in and look how that turned out…

Another interesting managerial decision was putting Stanton, a historically bad pinch hitter, as referenced by Ryan Ruocco on the broadcast, in for Volpe, who has been incredibly hot as of late. Stanton, rather predictably, grounded into a double play, essentially shutting down any chance of a comeback.

In an effort to lighten the mood slightly (or as much as I can in a time like this), I do want to shout out the Somerset Patriots for an excellent ballgame today, led by top pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, who pitched an amazing seven innings of two-hit ball and no runs surrendered. Some of the guys down there have looked really good as of late, so fans may as well have some hope for the future.

Up Next

The final game of the three-game series will be today at 2:35 pm on the YES Network as the Yankees will work to avoid a sweep against the Rangers to hold their Wild Card lead. Carlos Rodon will be on the mound for New York as they will take on Anthony Volpe’s former teammate, New Jersey native, and relative of Mark Leiter, Jack Leiter.