YANKEES UPDATE: JUDGE HITS 30 HRS

June 23rd 2025 began a 3 game series against the Cincinnati Reds. The New York Yankees continued to struggle losing the first 2 games.

In game 1 the Yankees brought up Allan Winans who made is MLB debut. He pitched 4 1/3 innings and gave up 4 runs. Nick Lodolo started for the Reds. He also pitched 4 1/3 innings but only gave up 1 run and struck out 6. That run was a home run by Aaron Judge in the first inning. The Reds won 6-1. The Yankees were 0-12 with runners in scoring position. Elly De La Cruz hit a home run and a triple and had 3 RBIs. Gavin Lux also hit a home run.

Game 2 started off great with Carlos Rodon on the mound. He pitched six shutout innings giving up only 4 hits and struck out 5. He was poised to be the first pitcher with 10 wins. Ben Rice hit a home run to lead off the fourth inning and 2 more runs scored on a triple by Anthony Volpe. Jonathan Loaisiga relieved Rodon in the seventh inning and that’s when things started to unravel. With the bases loaded Christian Encarnacion-Strand doubled and 3 runs scored to tie the game. Fernando Cruz came in to get the Yankees out of trouble and succeeded. Luke Weaver and Devin Williams pitched the next two innings and the game went into extra innings. With a runner at second base, the first two Yankees batters popped up and lined out. Trent Grisham and Ben Rice walked. With the bases loaded Aaron Judge popped up to the shortstop. Chisholm was ejected in the ninth inning after arguing a strike call. Mark Leiter Jr. came in to pitch and ended up pitching the 10th and 11th innings. Judge scored in the 11th on a wild pitch putting the Yankees up by 1. But Leiter gave up 3 singles and a walk which allowed 2 runs to score. The Reds won 5-4.

The Yankees avoided the sweep in game 3 with Max Fried on the mound. He pitched seven innings, gave up 1 run on 4 hits and struck out 7. Brady Singer got the start for the Reds. He pitched five innings and gave up 4 runs and struck out 9. The Yankees scored first with a RBI single in the second inning by Trent Grisham. Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a 2 run home run in the third inning. The Reds scored a run in the fourth inning off a single by Spencer Steer. Anthony Volpe hit a RBI sacrifice fly in the fifth inning. Aaron Judge hit a RBI double and Giancarlo Stanton hit a RBI ground out in the sixth inning. The Yankees were now winning 6-1. Austin Wells added another run in the ninth inning with a RBI single. The Yankees won 7-1 and Max Fried became the first pitcher with 10 wins.

The Yankees went into the weekend with a 3 game series against the Oakland A’s. Friday night Will Warren pitched 5 shut out innings, gave up only 2 hits and struck out 7. Mitch Spence, pitching for the A’s, gave up 3 runs - 2 earned and struck out 5 in five innings. The Yankees took the lead first with a solo home run in the second inning by Jazz Chisholm Jr. Cody Bellinger added another run in the third inning with a RBI single. DJ LeMahieu hit a RBI single in the third inning as well. The Yankees bullpen held the Reds to one hit in 4 innings. Yankees won 3-0.

Game 2 the Yankees got shut out by the A’s. Clarke Schmidt got the start against JP Sears. Schmidt gave up 4 runs and struck out 7 in six innings. Sears pitched 5 2/3 shutout innings and gave up only 2 hits. Brent Rooker and Nick Kurtz’s home runs put the A’s up 4-0. Rooker’s home run ended Schmidt’s scoreless streak at 28 1/3 innings. Rookie Allan Winans pitched the eighth inning and walked the first two batters before giving up 3 more runs. The A’s won 7-0. The A’s held the Yankees to only 3 hits.

Game 3 saw the return of Marcus Stroman on the mound. He pitched five innings and gave up 1 run on 3 hits. Former Yankee Luis Severino pitched for the A’s. He pitched 3 2/3 innings and gave up 6 runs. Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered in the second inning. He hit a 3 run triple in the third inning and also scored on a wild pitch by Severino. Aaron Judge hit a 2 run home run in the fourth inning. The Yankees were winning 7-0. Willie MacIver put the A’s on the scoreboard with a home run in the fifth inning. Cody Bellinger hit a 3 run home run in the fifth inning putting the Yankees up 10-0. The A’s scored 4 runs in the sixth inning off JT Brubaker and 1 run off Jonathan Loaisiga. Judge hit his second 2 run home run of the game in the seventh inning. The Yankees won 12-5. Bellinger had 3 RBI’s, Judge had 4 and Chisholm also had 4.

Judge now has 30 home runs for the season. He is two shy of Cal Raleigh from the Seattle Mariners who has 32 home runs.

The Yankees will end June and start July with a four game series against the Toronto Blue Jays. Followed by a three game series against the NY Mets.