The Red Sox outslugged the Yankees 11-7 on June 8, 2025, as Aaron Judge's two homers weren't enough to save Carlos Rodón's winning streak in a tough loss.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a classic, heavyweight bout at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, but when the dust settled, the wrong team was left standing. Despite two more mammoth home runs from Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees were out-slugged by the Boston Red Sox, falling 11-7 in a game that saw five balls leave the yard for the visitors. The loss not only evened the series but also snapped Carlos Rodón's impressive two-month winning streak, leaving a sour taste to start the week.
27 home runs on the season for Aaron Judge, who continues his torrid pace despite the team's loss.
The game felt like a see-saw of emotions for the 45,140 in attendance. The Yankees fought back from an early deficit, with a DJ LeMahieu solo shot in the fifth briefly giving them a 3-2 lead. But the wheels came off in the sixth. Carlos Rodón was chased from the game, and Boston pounced on the bullpen, highlighted by Jarren Duran's two-run single off Tim Hill. From there, Boston's offense never looked back, tacking on runs and holding off a late Yankee rally that fizzled out when Aroldis Chapman, of all people, struck out Anthony Volpe to seal it for the Sox.
Even in a loss, Aaron Judge continues to be a one-man wrecking crew. The Captain blasted two home runs, bringing his league-leading total to a staggering 27. It's a historic pace, but on this day, it was a solo act. While DJ LeMahieu also homered, his lineout with the bases loaded in the sixth inning perfectly encapsulated the theme of the day: opportunities missed. Judge can't do it all himself, and this game was a stark reminder of that.
For the first time since April 13, Carlos Rodón took an 'L'. The lefty ace just didn't have his best stuff, getting tagged for five runs in five-plus innings. While his ERA took a hit, the more pressing concern might be the bullpen that followed him. Jonathan Loáisiga, a key piece the Yankees need to be effective, surrendered another home run. It's a troubling trend for the reliever, who has now given up four homers in just nine appearances since his return from elbow surgery, raising questions about the stability of the relief corps.
The team will look to rebound on Tuesday in Kansas City, sending their top arm, Max Fried (8-1, 1.78 ERA), to the mound against Royals rookie Noah Cameron. While the big-league club regroups, there's exciting news from the farm. Right-hander Cam Schlittler, a 2022 draft pick, was just named High-A Pitcher of the Year after a dominant season where he struck out 154 batters. And of course, top prospect Jasson Domínguez continues to mash, with many believing his promotion to lock down the left-field job is imminent.
Losing a slugfest to the Red Sox always stings, especially when it exposes potential cracks in the pitching staff. But with a 39-25 record, the sky isn't falling. The Yankees get a day off to reset before heading to Kansas City. With ace Max Fried taking the mound to kick things off, they have the perfect opportunity to wash away the bad taste of Sunday's loss and get back in the win column. The key will be watching how the bullpen performs, as that's quickly becoming the most critical storyline to follow.
