Judge puts onus on Goldschmidt, Grisham after Yankees’ Baltimore crapshoot

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Aaron Judge pushes Paul Goldschmidt and Trent Grisham to step up after the Yankees’ defeat by the Orioles.

The 2025 New York Yankees’ season continues to unfold as a tale of two extremes. Wednesday night at Camden Yards captured this dichotomy perfectly as Aaron Judge delivered another stellar performance that ultimately went to waste in a frustrating 5-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. The defeat handed the Yankees a series loss and exposed the team’s growing dependence on their captain’s extraordinary production.

Judge closed out April with eye-popping numbers — a .427 batting average, 10 home runs, and an astronomical 1.282 OPS. He added to those totals with a mammoth 426-foot two-run homer in the first inning and a clutch RBI single in the seventh. Yet his individual brilliance couldn’t overcome the collective shortcomings that left the Yankees unable to complete what should have been a sweep against a struggling division rival.

As the ninth-inning drama unfolded, Judge could only watch from the on-deck circle as Trent Grisham whiffed against Orioles closer Félix Bautista to end the game.

“I was thinking one of those guys—[Paul] Goldschmidt or [Grisham]—was going to get on and we were going to make some magic happen,” Judge remarked afterward. “We weren’t able to come through, but I want those guys in front of me in a big spot every single time.”

The comment, delivered with Judge’s characteristic diplomacy, nonetheless highlighted the glaring offensive imbalance that threatens to undermine the Yankees’ championship aspirations.

Carrasco proves to be Yankees’ weakest link

What was intended as a temporary solution has evolved into a persistent problem? Carlos Carrasco, brought in to patch holes in an injury-depleted rotation, surrendered four runs in just 3 1/3 innings, inflating his ERA to 5.90. His downfall came in a disastrous second inning where poor command led to a barrage of Baltimore hits.

The sequence proved particularly damaging when a mislocated 2-0 slider meant for the outside corner instead landed in Ryan Mountcastle’s wheelhouse. The Orioles slugger didn’t miss, crushing a game-tying two-run blast. The floodgates opened from there as Ramón Urías and Adley Rutschman followed with a solo homer and RBI single respectively.

“My slider’s really important to [my] game, but I couldn’t find it,” Carrasco confessed. “I was behind, trying to get ahead of the count with my slider like I always do, but I couldn’t locate it.”

The numbers tell the story — Carrasco managed first-pitch strikes to just eight of 18 batters, a recipe for disaster for a veteran whose diminishing velocity leaves little room for error.

Bullpen cracks add to woes

The Yankees briefly gained momentum when Goldschmidt connected for his second home run of the season in the fifth, cutting the deficit to 4-3. That spark was quickly extinguished by more pitching woes.

Tim Hill entered in relief and immediately walked two consecutive batters. A defensive miscue by Anthony Volpe loaded the bases, setting up Jackson Holliday’s fielder’s choice that pushed Baltimore’s advantage to 5-4. Though Judge’s seventh-inning hit narrowed the gap once more, the Yankees’ offense couldn’t deliver the equalizer.

Their situational hitting struggles were evident in a disappointing 1-for-6 performance with runners in scoring position, stranding seven potential runs on the basepaths.

Goldschmidt, Grisham under the microscope

While Judge continues his torrid pace, the veteran supporting cast has failed to provide consistent production. Grisham’s elevation in the lineup yielded no dividends as he went hitless with three strikeouts, including the game-ending whiff.

Paul Goldschmidt showed a flash of his former MVP form with his fifth-inning homer but has largely struggled to find consistency since joining the Yankees. At 37, questions persist about whether he can still be the run-producer the team desperately needs alongside Judge.

Bench-clearing tension and defensive lapses

The game featured a momentary bench-clearing incident when Yankees infielder Pablo Reyes collided with Orioles outfielder Heston Kjerstad while trying to corral an errant throw. Though tensions quickly subsided, the moment underscored the high stakes in this divisional matchup.

Volpe’s uncharacteristic fielding error in the sixth proved particularly costly, loading the bases and eventually allowing what became the decisive run to cross the plate. In tight contests, such defensive lapses often spell the difference between victory and defeat.

Boone acknowledges Judge’s brilliance

Manager Aaron Boone didn’t hide his amazement at Judge’s historic start to the season.

“It’s remarkable, obviously,” Boone stated. “I always say we’re running out of superlatives or things to say about it. But what he’s doing, he’s playing a different game.”

Yet even Boone recognizes that individual excellence can’t mask structural deficiencies. The stark contrast in the Yankees’ performance based on starting pitcher tells its own story — a perfect 6-0 when Max Fried takes the mound versus a mediocre 12-13 otherwise.

May demands more

As April gives way to May, the Yankees (18-13) maintain a slim 1.5-game lead over Boston in the AL East. Preserving that advantage will require addressing the rotation’s inconsistency and finding reliable production throughout the lineup.

“The most important thing is trying to stay in first place,” Judge emphasized. “That’s what it’s all about, especially in our division. You don’t like losing, dropping a series against a division rival here. But keeping hold of first place—that’s what it’s all about.”

With a challenging May schedule looming and no guarantee that offensive outbursts can continue compensating for pitching deficiencies, the Yankees urgently need contributions from players beyond their superstar captain.

Judge may continue his remarkable season, but without better balance, the team’s grip on first place could quickly slip away.

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