New York — Veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is battling a low‑grade right knee sprain and may be placed on the injured list before the Yankees begin their road trip in St. Louis this weekend.
Goldschmidt was hurt Tuesday while chasing a foul pop near the Yankees dugout. He overran the ball, slipped, and banged his knee. He stayed in that game and doubled in the seventh. He was unavailable the next night.
“He was pretty sore last night and this morning. Feels like he’s doing quite a bit better right now so we’ll see,” said manager Aaron Boone after Wednesday’s game.
The status of Paul Goldschmidt was the first topic Aaron Boone was asked about during his media session following Wednesday's game. #YANKSonYESpic.twitter.com/HhY5ks5286
Goldschmidt noted the soreness but remains optimistic: “I kind of over-ran it and dove back, and hit my knee on the ground,” Goldschmidt said. “I felt that it was sore [Tuesday], but obviously I was able to play through it. As I was going back to my position, I was like, ‘That kind of hurt.’ Stuff like that happens. I don’t think it’s anything long‑term.”
The New York Yankees expect to place first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on the injured list. The club will make a formal move before Friday’s series opener in St. Louis.
Third IL candidate in as many days strains roster
Goldschmidt is now the third Yankees regular to potentially head to the IL in the last week.
Paul Goldschmidt injured his knee on a pop-up, per @BryanHoch
On August 10, Amed Rosario was placed on the 10‑day injured list retroactive to August 9 due to a left sternoclavicular joint sprain after crashing into the outfield wall.
On August 8, Austin Slater was sidelined with a hamstring strain. He is expected to remain out until early September.
Goldschmidt’s likely absence adds stress to both the infield and the bench. While Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice have filled in at first base, neither offers Goldschmidt’s left‑handed power or defensive assuredness.
NYY
Widespread injuries hitting the Yankees
Here’s the updated Yankees IL table with a potential return date.
The timing of these injuries could not be worse. Goldschmidt is hitting a .276/.331/.422 slash line with a 107 OPS+ across 112 games, along with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs. While he began the year strong before leveling off, his performance shows a stark platoon split – he’s been dominant against left-handed pitching with a 1.192 OPS but has struggled considerably versus righties at just .584 OPS.
His .996 fielding percentage at first base sets a high defensive standard.
The Yankees are currently trailing in the AL wild‑card race. Losing another key bat could derail their push. Furthermore, with Rosario and Slater out, the Yankees’ late‑game and outfield options take another hit.
This string of injuries—including Paul Goldschmidt’s potential IL stint—comes at a critical juncture in the Yankees’ season. With multiple key contributors sidelined, the team will face the next stretch with limited depth. The next few days and weeks may well determine they path ahead in the postseason chase.
Ben Rice covered first base Wednesday. Cody Bellinger can also shift to first if needed. The Yankees will weigh a recall from Triple A if Goldschmidt misses more than the minimum. Pitchers Ryan Yarbrough and Fernando Cruz are beginning rehab assignments with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and could return soon.
