Since the Yankees were unfortunately eliminated in the ALDS, we here at Pinstripe Alley have been reviewing the 2025 Yankees’ season. We’ve taken some time to look back on both the highs and lows of this
past year, but what we’re doing today isn’t quite that. No, today we’re going to look back on the stupidest games of the year.
Every year, no matter how good, bad, or average a team is, they usually end up playing a couple games a year that just make you think “what the hell was that?” While unfortunately there are several other nominees that could’ve made this list, here is my top five from 2025.
5) April 20th vs. Rays
It’s not often that a shutout, a fairly easy win, makes the “stupidest games” list, but there was a certain something that happened in this game that qualifies it.
On the mound, Max Fried was dominating. As he was cruising along, we got to the point of the game where we could legitimately start to watch out for the no-hitter, and was headed out to start the eighth to try and get the last six outs. However, as he was doing that, it turned out the no-hitter had already been broken up in the sixth inning.
Back in the sixth, a Chandler Simpson groundball that Paul Goldschmidt had mishandled was ruled an error at the time. After further review, the Rays’ official scorer apparently went back and changed his ruling on the play, turning it into a single.
The logic from the scorer was that the speedy Simpson likely would’ve won the race to the bag even if Goldschmidt hadn’t booted the ball. If you watch the play, it’s hard to really disagree with that. However, that did nothing to change the “c’mon man” feelings in the moment. Fried did end up allowing a hit to lead-off the eighth anyway, but it was still an annoying afternoon.
4) May 31st vs. Dodgers
Several members of last year’s Dodgers’ team were somewhat public in their glee of specifically how the Yankees lost the World Series in Game 5 last year. Their visit to LA this year was not a good showing in changing that.
In the second game of the series at Dodger Stadium, LA hit around Will Warren, knocking him out after just 1.1 innings. In total, the Yankees managed to allow 10 runs over just the first two innings alone, eventually losing 18-2. The score got so bad that not only did the Yankees use a position player to pitch, the departed and somewhat forgotten Pablo Reyes, but so did the Dodgers, Enrique Hernández.
3) March 29th vs. Brewers
I know I said before that wins hardly make this list, but when you do so good that people start to wonder if you’re somehow deploying illegal bats, that’s pretty stupid.
Against former Yankee Nestor Cortes, the Yankees’ trio of Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, and Aaron Judge greeted him by going back-to-back-to-back on the first three pitches of the game. After allowing another couple runs and another homer in the second, Cortes exited after just two innings. In total, the Yankees scored 20 runs on the day, slugging nine homers and breaking a franchise record for most in a game. Judge hit three dingers himself.
When the Yankees also cracked double digits the following day, that led to a very public dialogue about the “torpedo bats” that some Yankees’ hitters had begun using should be declared illegal. Obviously that was far too hasty and things settled down, but it was wild out there for a couple days.
2) August 22 vs. Red Sox
Scoring no runs on just three hits is bad no matter what happens, but what really put this game over the top was the addition of an interruption during the game.
With the score still 0-0 in the fourth, a squirrel made a mound visit to Max Fried before running over to Ben Rice at first base. I was the recapper for that particular game and entitled it “A squirrel ran the bases more than the Yankees did” and it was true, because the Bombers did nothing and absolutely were overshadowed by a furry friend.
1) August 1st vs. Marlins
I know I said this list wouldn’t just be a copy of the worst moments one, but it’s hard not to name the same No. 1 as on that list. It was just too dumb.
On trade deadline day, the Yankees were busy. While they made the deals for Ryan McMahon, Amed Rosario, and Austin Slater in the leadup to the deadline, on the 31st itself they made four trades for players who went right to the MLB roster. Literally all four of the players acquired had a moment that led to the Yankees losing their first game after the deadline.
With the Yankees leading 9-4 going into the bottom of the seventh, they brought in the first of those acquisitions: Jake Bird. The former Rockie got one out, but also allowed two singles, a walk, and then a home run, suddenly getting the Marlins within a run. A new acquisition in David Bednar replaced him, but he then allowed a home run and a couple more hits, as the Marlins took a 10-9 lead.
The Yankees’ offense proceeded to tie the game in the eighth and score two runs to take the lead back in the ninth. They then sent in the third of their bullpen additions in Camilo Doval. While Doval got an out to get things started, he then allowed a single and a walk to get the Marlins back in business. Xavier Edwards then hit another single that looked to plate one run and keep the pressure on, but not completely mess things up.
Enter José Caballero. Playing right field after coming in as a pinch runner, Caballero did a bit of a Bill Buckner, and failed to glove the rolling single. The ball got past him, allowing a second run to score tying up the game.
In the next at-bat, a little slow roller stayed right in front of the plate and left the Yankees with no play at any base, giving the Marlins a walk-off win.
While at least a couple of the quartet of acquisitions would bounce back after this particular game, watching all of them implode at once was a truly galling experience.
