Yankees 4, Phillies 9: Bad baseball continues in third consecutive loss

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I’ve never been able to do the WFAN rant scream rah-rah stuff when my team is playing poorly. I become disinterested more than distraught. The Yankees are playing crappy baseball, sending out a pitcher who doesn’t have it on the same day we all had to sit around waiting for an injury update on the game’s finest player. The Yankees lost again to the Phillies, guaranteeing yet another series loss, this time, 9-4.

Marcus Stroman was coming off his best start of the season, and maybe that’s where we should

leave it. He did not make it out of the fourth inning today, walking four in the frame including No. 9 hitter Johan Rojas with the bases loaded. Those four walks were in addition to five hits, 9 baserunners against 11 outs recorded.

Stroman gave up a run in the first after Trea Turner’s automatic double led off the game, with J.T. Realmuto bringing him around a couple batters later. In the third, Stro threw this pitch to future Hall of Famer Bryce Harper:

And yes, Harper did exactly what you’re supposed to do with that pitch.

I maintain the original sin of this era of Yankee baseball was not paying Bryce Harper to do that for 13 years

— Pinstripe Alley (@pinstripealley) July 26, 2025

Stroman, and the relievers that followed, didn’t get much help from the offense though. Anthony Volpe had a pair of hits, and so did Jazz Chisholm Jr. Jasson Domínguez drove in their only run through six innings of play.

There’s only so many ways to say “The team sucks.”

Yerry De los Santos made his return from the IL, coming in with the bases loaded, two out, and getting a one-pitch groundout to end the fourth. He allowed a run in the sixth, then Jonathan Loáisiga walked as many men as he retired. Allan Winans gave up four in the seventh. I’d call it an onslaught but it wasn’t even that exciting, just a relentless march into grayness. A boring throttling.

The Yankees' bullpen has a 5.20 ERA since June 1.

Only the Nationals, Twins and Rockies have worse bullpen ERAs.

— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) July 26, 2025

If nothing else, reporting came out today saying the Cardinals were interested in shopping Ryan Helsley, who also expects to be traded.

Newcomer Ryan McMahon had his first hit as a Yankee, an opposite-field single in the sixth, to go along with a walk and two strikeouts. He also showed off that defense we’ve heard so much about. Welcome to the team!

If nothing else, Giancarlo Stanton gave us one highlight — and if Aaron Judge is out for a while, he becomes perhaps the most important hitter to pick up some of that slack:

Stanton’s 436th career homer broke a tie with former Yankee Carlos Beltrán for 47th all-time. Next up on the list is Hall of Famer Andre Dawson at 438.

The final Yankee run came on a bases-loaded balk in the eighth inning, although a pitch later Paul Goldschmidt struck out. I would not argue the game was closer than the score indicates.

Just as the game was getting started, Tom Tango began making some points that, since 2018, Zack Wheeler has been the best pitcher in baseball — and it’s not overly close. That’s who the Yankees have to deal with tomorrow as they try to avoid a sweep. They do get to counter with Carlos Rodón, who’s having a strong season in his own right, so at least we’ll get a marquee pitching matchup. First pitch is at 1:35pm ET; by then, we should at least have a slightly better idea of what’s going on with Judge.*

Box Score

*Update

Boone announced that Judge has a flexor strain. No tear to the UCL. Will need IL and to DH initially when he returns.

— Joel Sherman (@joelsherman.bsky.social) 2025-07-26T20:43:33.410Z

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