After the Twins' 4-1 victory against the Yankees on Wednesday night, it was revealed that Paul Goldschmidt has a low grade right knee sprain.
NEW YORK – Joe Ryan stopped the Yankees’ burst of momentum with his electric stuff and provided a sharp reminder about the hurdles ahead.
Down the stretch and into October, the quality of pitchers and opponents will require the Yanks to provide more than they showed Wednesday night – a rare loss to the Twins.
After Minnesota’s 4-1 victory at the Stadium, the Yankees revealed that first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is dealing with a low-grade right knee sprain that might require an injury-list stint.
Or maybe not.
“There’s a chance (of landing on the IL), but I don’t think it’s anything long term,’’ said Goldschmidt. “Could be a day or so.’’
Yankees' Paul Goldschmidt to re-evaluate knee issue
Goldschmidt’s unavailability surfaced in Wednesday’s seventh inning, when the struggling, lefty-hitting Austin Wells was allowed to bat against lefty reliever Kody Funderburk.
On the bench during the series first two games, as the Yanks out-scored Minnesota 15-3, Wells (0-for-3) struck out with a runner in scoring position, ending the inning and preserving Minnesota’s three-run lead.
During Tuesday night’s 9-1 Yankees win, Goldschmidt felt something in his knee as he slipped on the dirt while making a twisting, third-inning catch of a Byron Buxton pop up.
Goldschmidt had three more at-bats and even legged out a double. “I felt sore…but obviously I was able to play through it,’’ he said.
As he spoke, the Yankees were packing for a weekend series against the Cardinals at St. Louis, where Goldschmidt played the previous six seasons, winning the 2022 NL MVP.
“Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to play there,’’ said Goldschmidt, who’ll use Thursday’s team off day to re-evaluate things.
Still a plus-defender at first base, Goldschmidt has mashed lefty pitching in 2025 to a .404 batting average and 1.191 OPS in 124 plate appearances.
But he's batting just .228 with a .584 OPS in 311 plate appearances versus right-handers.
“Could be an IL (situation), could be day-to-day,’’ manager Aaron Boone said after Goldschmidt's initial examination and diagnosis Wednesday. “We’ll kind of see over the next 24 hours.’’
Cam Schlittler's solid outing halted at five innings
After rain delayed Wednesday's scheduled 7:05 p.m. start by nearly two hours, the Twins - aggressive traders at MLB's deadline, yet held firm on Ryan's value - set about ending a nine-game losing streak to the Yanks that dated to April 2023.
Making his third straight start in right field, Giancarlo Stanton (1-for-4) had a loud out at the center field warning track, after homering in his previous two games.
As Boone suggested, Stanton might play two games as an outfielder this weekend in St. Louis, with the possibility that Aaron Judge (0-for-4) might be ready to shed his DH-only status (due to a flexor strain) by Tuesday at Tampa against the Rays.
Following a Cody Bellinger solo homer in Wednesday's third inning, Ryan found his stride against the Yankees, setting down 12 of the last 14 batters he faced.
And in his sixth MLB start, Yankees’ rookie Cam Schlittler gained another degree of confidence in his secondary stuff, playing off his 98-mph-plus fastball.
“They were definitely looking heater,’’ said the right-hander, who was able to land the curveball and slider for strikes, finishing with six Ks versus two hits and two walks.
One of those hits was a Buxton double in a 10-pitch at-bat in the fourth inning, when Minnesota tied it 1-1.
Schlittler had retired the first nine Twins he faced, but the fourth and fifth inning grind – plus Buxton looming to bat in the sixth – caused Boone to end Schlittler’s night at 86 pitches.
“As a rookie, I’ve got to earn that’’ sixth inning, said Schlittler, who watched reliever Yerry de los Santos turn a 1-1 game into a three-run Yanks’ deficit.
De los Santos couldn’t retire any of the three batters he faced, capped by Roger Clemens’ son Kody’s two-run double.
“Felt like we could get there,’’ Boone said of starting the ‘pen relay in the sixth. “I just don’t’ know how much (Schlittler) had left anyway.’’
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees meet their match vs. Twins' Joe Ryan, Paul Goldschmidt dealing with knee issue
Category: Baseball
