Yankees’ RISP struggles prompt Aaron Judge to warn teammates: ‘Learn fast’

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CINCINNATI — Aaron Judge knows the New York Yankees’ current stretch of baseball isn’t good enough. After a 6-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Monday in which the Yankees went hitless in 12 at-bats with runners in scoring position, the team captain didn’t sugarcoat the situation.

Judge offered a clear message: It’s time for his teammates to deliver in the moments that matter.

“We’re here to win every single game,” Judge said. “The times you don’t, you’ve got to learn from it and move on. The most important thing is learning from it so that you come out tomorrow and the same mistake doesn’t happen.”

The Yankees squandered multiple scoring opportunities throughout the night and have now lost eight of their last 12 games.

Eighth-inning collapse sums up Yankees RISP struggles

New York’s clearest chance came in the top of the eighth inning. Trailing 4-1, the Yankees loaded the bases with none out. Giancarlo Stanton struck out on a slider out of the zone. Jazz Chisholm Jr. followed with another strikeout. Anthony Volpe ended the threat by grounding out.

It was the latest example of a broader issue that has plagued the Yankees throughout June. Entering the game, New York ranked 23rd in Major League Baseball in weighted runs created plus (wRC+) with runners in scoring position for the month. Monday’s game pushed their OPS in those situations over the past 12 contests to just .391—the worst in the majors.

Timely hits in short supply

According to Statcast, the Yankees owns just one extra-base hit with runners in scoring position over the past 12 games—a two-run double by Chisholm against the Orioles last week. The team’s strikeout rate in those situations has climbed to 29.5 percent during that stretch.

Despite a three-hit performance from Cody Bellinger and Judge’s solo home run in the first inning, the Yankees left nine men on base. The team has been generating traffic, but not runs.

“These are the kinds of at-bats we want to have—getting on base, putting pressure on,” Boone said. “But when you get the opportunities, you’ve got to take advantage.”

Middle-of-the-pack production below expectations

For a lineup that includes Judge, Stanton, Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt, the Yankees’ RISP metrics have been underwhelming. Their .407 slugging percentage with runners in scoring position ranks 13th in MLB. Their overall OPS in those spots is 14th, behind teams like the Angels, Nationals and Marlins.

New York is also 5-9 in one-run games, a reflection of its inability to produce clutch hits. Several of those losses have come after leaving the bases loaded or stranding runners in scoring position.

“We’ve got too good of a lineup to not come through more often,” one Yankees veteran said postgame. “You can’t strike out in almost a third of your chances with men on base and expect to win.”

The loss marked the Yankees’ eighth in their past 12 games and trimmed their lead in the American League East to two games over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Lineup decisions draw questions

In the eighth, Boone opted to keep Volpe in to hit with two runners on, despite the shortstop’s 6-for-41 slump over the past 12 games. Left-handed options Ben Rice and Trent Grisham were available on the bench. Statcast ranks Great American Ball Park as the most favorable home-run environment for left-handed hitters.

Boone did not address the non-move postgame, but the lack of in-game adjustments has become a topic of conversation as the Yankees’ offense stagnates in high-leverage situations.

Judge: Learn and respond

Aaron Judge’s home run was his 28th of the season, but even his power can’t offset consistent missed chances across the lineup. His leadership tone after the game reflected a mix of frustration and urgency.

“We’re not gonna have the at-bat we want on certain nights or in certain games in a row,” Judge said. “All it is, is a learning process… maybe it helps us win a game down the road.”

The Yankees fell to 45-33 with the loss and now lead the American League East by just two games over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Toronto Blue Jays sit 3.5 games back. A few weeks ago, New York’s lead was as large as 6.5 games.

With the July 31 trade deadline just over a month away, the Yankees may soon need to address their RISP shortcomings externally if the current trend continues. While Boone has publicly backed his hitters, a contact-oriented bat or situational hitter could become a priority if the team continues to struggle in key moments.

For now, the Yankees return to action Tuesday against Cincinnati, looking to break out of their slump and reaffirm their grip on the division.

“We’re gonna go out there and battle every night,” Judge said. “But we have to start finishing the job.”

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