Aaron Judge’s return to the Yankees’ lineup didn’t make much of a difference on Tuesday, not with Nathan Eovaldi at his very best and Devin Williams still in a funk.
Eovaldi, a former Yankee, spun a gem in Texas, allowing just one hit while walking none and striking out six over eight scoreless innings and 98 pitches. The performance set up a 2-0, series-winning victory for the Rangers, who took the lead in the eighth inning after Aaron Boone turned to Williams.
The struggling reliever blew a save in Monday’s series-opener and has scuffled since the start of July, forcing Boone to consider alternatives for the closer’s role. Still, the manager brought Williams into a 0-0 game on Tuesday.
It didn’t take long for the score to change, as Adolis García roped a double off the glove of a leaping, turned-around Jasson Domínguez with one out. Williams then issued two straight walks to load the bases.
With the lefty-swinging Rowdy Tellez up next, Boone kept Williams in the game despite having David Bednar warming in the bullpen. Lefties have a .455 OPS against Bednar this season, but Boone stuck with Williams.
Tellez went on to rip a two-run single into center field, triumphantly ending a 10-pitch at-bat. Williams’ ERA, meanwhile, inflated to 5.44.
The two-time National League Reliever of the Year has now allowed 26 earned runs over 43 innings this season.
Williams totaled just 26 earned runs over 141 innings from 2022-2024.
His latest implosion spoiled an otherwise strong evening from the Yankees’ pitching staff. Will Warren led the effort, repeatedly working in and out of trouble throughout five scoreless innings.
Judge, meanwhile, went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in his return from a right flexor strain. The rest of his teammates totaled just two hits as the Yankees lost their fifth straight game.
The Yankees’ losing streak began after a busy July 31 trade deadline that was supposed to reinvigorate the slumping ballclub. Instead, the team has suffered multiple soul-crushing losses over the last few days.
Now 60-54, the third-place Yankees were six games behind the Blue Jays and 3.5 games behind the Red Sox in the American League East at the time of publication. Boone’s squad is still fortunate enough to be in playoff position, as the Yankees are in possession of the third and final Wild Card spot.
However, the Rangers are now a half-game behind the Yankees in the Wild Card race. Texas has a chance to leapfrog New York on Wednesday.