The Yankees fell to the Angels 5-3 on June 16, 2025, extending their slump. Despite an Aaron Judge homer, Clarke Schmidt's struggles and stranded runners sealed the loss.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when you thought it couldn't get more frustrating after a weekend sweep in Boston, the Yankees returned home and offered more of the same. The Bronx Bombers opened their series against the Los Angeles Angels with a thud, falling 5-3 in a game that felt all too familiar: a struggling starter, stranded runners, and another brilliant solo shot from Aaron Judge that wasn't enough.
I know I let the team down, but I’ll be better.
The box score tells a painful story. Clarke Schmidt just didn't have his best stuff, surrendering four earned runs over five innings. While he managed six strikeouts, the three walks were costly. The offense couldn't pick him up, leaving eight men on base and failing to deliver the big hit. Outside of Judge's blast and a two-hit, one-steal performance from Anthony Volpe, the bats were mostly quiet, a worrying trend carrying over from the weekend.
This loss can't be viewed in a vacuum. It comes directly on the heels of a demoralizing sweep at the hands of the Red Sox, a series that saw Manager Aaron Boone get ejected and the team's record against their rivals drop to a dismal 1-5 on the season. The weight of that series was palpable, especially for players like Jasson Domínguez, who addressed his costly defensive miscue from the weekend. His vow to be better shows accountability, but it also underscores the high-pressure moments the team has been failing to conquer lately.
If there's one beacon of hope in this rough patch, it's number 99. Aaron Judge continued his torrid pace, launching his 23rd home run of the season into the left-field seats. His performance is so transcendent that he even received a rare ovation from the Fenway faithful over the weekend. Judge is single-handedly keeping the offense afloat, and his consistency is the main reason the Yankees are still clinging to first place in the AL East.
While the big-league club struggles with injuries to Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil, there's promising news bubbling up from the farm. A new wave of pitchers is turning heads, led by High-A Hudson Valley's Ben Hess. With a fastball hitting 99 mph and 59 strikeouts in just 40 innings, Hess is flashing the potential of a future mid-rotation starter. He, along with Griffin Herring and Carlos Lagrange, represent crucial future depth that the team will undoubtedly need.
The Yankees remain atop the AL East, but their grip feels tenuous. This four-game skid has exposed some cracks. The next three games against the Angels are no longer just another series; they're a test of this team's resilience. Can the starting pitching stabilize? Can the rest of the lineup provide support for Aaron Judge? It's time to stop the bleeding and prove that the sweep in Boston was an anomaly, not the beginning of a new, troubling trend.
