Yankees Struggle in Loss to A’s

It wasn’t about flirting with a no-hitter this time around.

Clark Schmidt would have needed a perfect game if the Yankees were going to have a shot against the A’s on Saturday.

Instead, Schmidt, who had gone scoreless in his last three starts, faltered, allowing four runs while the Yankees’ offense went silent.

After managing just four hits to win on Friday, the Yankees were completely stifled on Saturday by former Yankees pitcher JP Sears and the A’s bullpen.

This defeat raised eyebrows about the Yankees, who remain at the top of the AL East, but they didn’t look like a first-place team for much of the game.

Aaron Judge continued his cold streak, and the rest of the batting lineup couldn’t pick him up.

He left two runners stranded in the third inning and managed just one in during the sixth. Ultimately, he ended the game grounding out to third.

Giancarlo Stanton hasn’t found his rhythm since his season debut nearly two weeks ago, while players like Paul Goldschmidt, Anthony Volpe, DJ LeMahieu, and Austin Wells are all struggling significantly.

When the Yankees fall apart like this, little mistakes become magnified. A botched bunt from Max Muncy and a missed relay from Cody Bellinger to Jazz Chisholm Jr. only added to the misery later in the game.

On Saturday, it felt like everything was off for the Yankees.

Schmidt started off okay, pitching a no-hitter through seven innings before being pulled after 103 pitches, but that all changed in the fourth where he let Brent Rooker hit a homer. Then, in the sixth, he succumbed to three runs from Nick Kurtz. It was the first time he’d given up three or more homers in a game since late April.

The Yankees came closest to scoring against Sears in the third. LeMahieu initiated with a walk, but after a visiting pitching coach’s talk, Sears was able to strike out the next guy. Judge flew out to right, leaving the game scoreless at that point.

Rooker’s homer sealed the deal for Sears and the bullpen.

Sears threw a solid inning at 5°C, although his early season ERA of 2.80 took a hit later, skyrocketing to 8.75 across subsequent games.

He kept the Yankees’ offense at bay; Bellinger’s single was their only hit until Goldschmidt finally connected in the sixth.

Control was an issue for Schmidt; he walked the first two batters in the sixth before managing to secure a strikeout. Kurtz then hit another homer, putting the Yankees in a 4-0 deficit.

Following Goldschmidt’s single, Sears stopped the momentum by getting Bellinger out, and Judge’s fly ball wasn’t enough to change the scoreboard.

In the eighth inning, when Alan Winans took over, the A’s had runners on first and second. Muncy’s bunt failed miserably, allowing Austin Wins to ground out for a two-run single, worsening the Yankees’ position.