About Last Night: TEX 8, NYY 5

By Ethan Semendinger

August 5th, 2025

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So, a Yankees reliever blew the game. Wait? You've heard this joke before? Oh. Well, it happened twice tonight.

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Quick Stats -

• Winning Pitcher: Danny Coulombe (2-0, 1.06 ERA)

• Losing Pitcher: Jake Bird (4-2, 5.53 ERA)

• (Blown) Save: Devin Williams (16/19 on save chances this year)

• Home Runs (New York): Paul Goldschmidt (9), Giancarlo Stanton (10)

• Home Runs (Texas): Joc Pederson (3), Josh Jung (11)

Big Story - The Yankees are in free fall. They just got swept in Miami against a Marlins team that was under .500 before the series began. The Yankees played under .500 baseball in June. The Yankees played under .500 baseball in July. The Yankees are quickly putting themselves on a path to do so again in August, being 3 games already in the hole.

Something needs to change. Is that change getting rid of the manager? Maybe. Is that change calling up a new player? Maybe. Is that change sending down struggling players? Maybe.

I don't have the answers. But, neither do the Yankees. They've tried nothing and they're all out of ideas. The only idea they have? Try and win, because it's right in front of them, according to some.

Here was the Yankees' line-up to start a 3-game weekday series against the Rangers:

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Player(s) of the Game -

• Some of the Bullpen (Weaver, Doval, Bednar): 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K's, 3 Holds

Notable Performances:

• Luke Weaver: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K

• Camilo Doval: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K

• David Bednar: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K

• Paul Goldschmidt: 3-5, 3 Runs, Home Run, Double, 1 RBI, 1 K

• Amed Rosario: 2-3, Double, 1 RBI, 1 K

• Cody Bellinger: 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 Stolen Base

• Giancarlo Stanton: 1-3, 2-Run Home Run, 2 RBI's, 2 BB's, 1 K

• Jazz Chisholm: 1-4, Double, 1 BB, 1 K

Better to Forget -

• Max Fried: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R (4 ER), 3 BB's, 7 K's, Error

• Devin Williams: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, Blown Save

• Jake Bird: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, Loss

• Trent Grisham: 0-2

• Jasson Dominguez: 0-4, 1 K

• Anthony Volpe: 0-4, 1 BB, 1 K

• Jose Caballero: 0-3, 1 K

• Austin Slater: 0-1, Pulled Hamstring

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The Game - An inning-by-inning recap, written inning-by-inning, for this morning:

First Inning:

With the left-handed Patrick Corbin on the mound, Paul Goldschmidt is an obvious option to play with his greater than 200 wRC+. And, that decision quickly presented itself as Goldschmidt led off the game with a solo home run. The Yankees would continue to press with a hit from Amed Rosario (his 1000th career hit) and walks from both Giancarlo Stanton and Jazz Chisholm. However, Corbin was able to escape a 2-out bases-loaded situation without any further damage.

Unfortunately, Austin Slater was injured on a fielders choice and had to be replaced by Jasson Dominguez. He pulled-up running down the first base line and was seen holding his left hamstring. It appears he pulled the muscle, so I'd be expecting an IL stint for him with Aaron Judge set to return today.

Max Fried shut down the Rangers 1-2-3.

Second Inning:

Four quick hits added to the Yankees lead as Austin Wells (single), Paul Goldschmidt (double), Amed Rosario (RBI single), and Cody Bellinger (RBI single) moved the score to 3-0. A wild pitch moved the runners to 2nd and 3rd, bringing forth an intentional walk for Giancarlo Stanton to load the bases...and for the second straight inning the Yankees were unable to take advantage of that.

Max Fried allowed 5 hits, a walk, threw a pick-off attempt into center field, and allowed 4 runs to score.

...There is absolutely nothing going right for the Yankees right now. But, Max Fried is an ace. I am going to hold out hope (maybe this will be ill-advised) that this game will get better.

Third Inning:

Patrick Corbin shut down the Yankees 1-2-3.

Max Fried allowed a walk, but was able to successfully convert a pick-off into a run down to nullify the threat. Following this was a single, but that was all for this inning.

Fourth Inning:

Jon Gray replaced Patrick Corbin to start the inning against the top of the Yankees order. A smart move as Paul Goldschmidt was the lead-off hitter. Which, of course, didn't work as Goldschmidt hit a lead-off single. After two straight outs, luckily, Giancarlo Stanton hit a blistering line drive over the center field wall to recapture the lead at 5-4.

Max Fried quickly worked himself into damage by giving up a lead-off walk and single. After a fielder's choice, ducks were on the pond. But, he was able to escape with no damage done...and 86 pitches thrown. I'd expect him back out for the fifth inning, which would not be what I would do. Time will tell.

Fifth Inning: 

Jazz Chisholm led off the inning with a double. He never made it to third.

Max Fried did enter the 5th inning. He also exited the inning. He allowed a single. He escaped from a terrible start with the lead. Now it's up to the bullpen. My expectations of who we'll see? Weaver, Doval, Bednar, and Williams.

Sixth Inning: 

Goldschmidt (who is a triple away from the cycle) did not get on base. Trent Grisham then pinch hit for Amed Rosario...in the top of the sixth inning. With nobody on base. Aaron Boone used up his best bench bat this early for what? A line-out to second base.

Boone is trying desperately to show he's a manager at this point. He knows the writing is on the wall. The Yankees are a below average, sub-.500 team since May 21st. (32-33). They're barely holding on to a wild card spot. If they lose today...I don't even want to think about it.

Luke Weaver came in relief. He had a 1-2-3 inning.

Seventh Inning: 

The Yankees went down 1-2-3 against Jon Gray in his 4th inning of work.

Camilo Doval came in relief. He had a 1-2-3 inning. Fast innings now happening as the night continues in Texas.

Eighth Inning: 

Jon Gray stayed out for his 5th inning of relief. He shut the Yankees down 1-2-3 again. Ryan McMahon entered the game as a pinch hitter for Jose Caballero.

David Bednar replaced Doval for the eighth inning. He worked an easy 1-2-3 inning, following the trend with Weaver and Doval: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K.

Ninth Inning: 

A walk to Cody Bellinger led to a stolen base, but the Yankees didn't tack on any damage against new pitcher Luis Curvelo.

Devin Williams came in for the ninth (just as I predicted back after the fifth inning). It did not go as planned...Joc Pederson hit a solo home run to tie the game, late. So, now we go to extra innings.

Tenth Inning:

The Rangers brought in trade deadline acquisition Danny Coulombe for the tenth inning. Jazz Chisholm made a productive out, moving the Manfred Man (Jasson Dominguez) to third on a ground ball. Anthony Volpe worked a walk. Austin Wells grounded into a double play. With this outcome, the Yankees moved to 3-for-15 at the plate with runners in scoring position on the day.

The Yankees went to their third trade deadline acquisition arm in Jake Bird. He struck out Marcus Semien. Adolis Garcia grounded out to third. Wyatt Langford was intentionally walked to bring up Josh Jung.

Josh Jung hit a walk-off three run home run.

What a long night.

The Yankees lose.

The Yankees keep on losing.

The Yankees are 0-4 in August.

The Yankees are 0-6 in extra inning games this season.

The writing is on the wall.

Something- or somebody (or somebodies, multiple!)- needs to change.

(And, I don't mean bringing back Judge.)

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Next Up - The Yankees will continue their 3-game weekday series tonight against the Texas Rangers, in Arlington with the game set to start at 8:05 PM (EDT). Will Warren will take the mound for the Yankees (6-5, 4.64 ERA) against former Yankee, Nathan Eovaldi (9-3, 1.49 ERA). The game will be broadcast on YES Network.

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BONUS SECTION! (Again!)

I had intentions of doing a big post-game write-up about a new Yankees signee: Kenta Maeda.

He signed yesterday to a minor league contract with the Yankees and was sent to Triple-A.

Maeda has a 7.88 ERA in 7 games (over 8 innings) at the MLB level this season. Last season, he had a 6.09 ERA in 29 games (over 112.1 innings) at the MLB level. Combined, that comes to -2.0 bWAR.n.

I firmly believe that there is no such thing as a bad minor league contract. And, I understand that Maeda is a relief pitcher at this point in his career. And, I am a completed biased writer in favor of all Japanese players, due to Hideki Matsui and Ichiro Suzuki being my childhood heroes (ranking No.2 and No.3, only behind my Dad).

However, if the Yankees seriously believe that Maeda is an option this season, then they must have the greatest pitching coaches in Triple-A, and those guys should be up with the big league team to fix the multitude of poor relievers that have been on this roster.

I'd love for Maeda to succeed. I'd love to see him don the Yankees pinstripes, come in and shutdown an opponent in a big game, and earn the good graces of Yankees fans young and old.

It's not going to happen. Maeda will be like Kosuke Fukudome, who the Yankees gave one last shot to with a minor league deal and who never was able to crack the barrier to make it back to the show.

And, if it does happen. Then, that means this season has really taken a nose dive.

Welcome to Scranton, Kenta!