PETERSBURG, Fla. — For much of the early season, Paul Goldschmidt looked like his former MVP self. Yet, recently, he’s struggled significantly at the plate.
The veteran first baseman’s slump reached a new low on Tuesday night during the Yankees’ 6-4 loss to the Rays. He struck out in all four of his at-bats, bringing his current streak to 0-for-30 over the last nine games.
“I wish I had an answer,” Goldschmidt remarked following the game, which saw the Yankees rack up 17 strikeouts for the second consecutive outing. “Tonight was particularly rough. I want to focus on the positives, but we had four strikeouts with runners on base. It was just a tough night. Monday was similar.”
“I think I was maybe swinging too freely and ended up striking out. When I did connect with a good pitch, it was either a foul or another swing-and-miss. I’m ready for Wednesday. Honestly, there are no excuses. I just haven’t played well.”
Before this challenging nine-game stretch—coinciding with the Yankees’ broader struggles—Goldschmidt was hitting .301 with a .933 OPS in the first 55 games of the season. His reliable presence as a right-handed hitter had been crucial, especially with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton sidelined.
Now, the 38-year-old is seeking answers to overcome his recent difficulties.
“Tonight, they hit their pitches really well,” Goldschmidt added. “It’s important to keep pushing and stay prepared. You can’t let a bad game carry over to the next. Personally, I don’t feel like I did that. Still, my performance wasn’t better.”
Jose Caballero, who also struck out four times, was at shortstop for the second game in a row, marking just his third start in that position since returning from the disabled list in late May.
Manager Aaron Boone continues to handle the shortstop situation as a “hand-to-hand” decision between Caballero and Anthony Volpe. Even though Boone seems to favor Caballero for now, he isn’t ready to designate a full-time starter. Still, with the Yankees on a rollercoaster, Caballero might find himself more in the lineup.
The Yankees are set to face Rays lefty Ian Seymour on Tuesday, which marks the second time Volpe hasn’t started against a left-handed pitcher since being called up from Triple-A.
Volpe came in as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, replacing Ryan McMahon, and managed a fielder’s choice.
Max Schumann played in right field, allowing Jasson Dominguez to take his first day off since June 16. Dominguez, who later pinch hit in the seventh, had been hitting just .209 with a .641 OPS in his first 30 games this season.
“We really want to see more production from Domínguez. I expect him to step up as a hitter, but he’s been competitive every day,” Boone noted.
Max Fried is scheduled to take live batting practice for the third time on Saturday at Double-A Somerset as he continues his recovery from a left elbow contusion. If everything goes well, he could start his rehab process after the All-Star break.
