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The New York Yankees may face a significant setback in their playoff push after manager Aaron Boone revealed that first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is dealing with a knee injury, according to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. The injury could land him on the injured list ahead of the weekend series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Goldschmidt, who did not start in Wednesday night’s 4-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins, apparently injured his right knee while rounding first base after catching a pop-up in Tuesday’s game.
Goldschmidt, 37, is in his first season with the Yankees on a one-year deal. He has been a reliable presence in the Bronx, posting a .276/.331/.506 slash line with 10 home runs, 40 RBI, and an OPS of .753. Against left-handed pitchers, Goldschmidt has been particularly effective, hitting .404 with a 1.191 OPS, making his absence especially notable in crucial matchups.
His injury came at a pivotal time as the Yankees aim to solidify their position in the American League Wild Card race, currently holding a slim 1.0-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians.
Wednesday’s loss to the Twins was a rare setback for New York, ending a nine-game winning streak against Minnesota and dropping their all-time head-to-head record to 125-45 since 2002.
The game, delayed by nearly two hours due to rain, saw the Yankees’ offense struggle mightily, managing just five hits. Cody Bellinger provided the lone run with a solo home run to give New York an early 1-0 lead in the third inning, but the Twins answered in the fourth and ultimately pulled away in the sixth.
Rookie Cam Schlittler delivered a strong performance for the Yankees, pitching five innings, allowing just one run on two hits and two walks while striking out six. Schlittler threw 86 pitches, 55 of them strikes, but the bullpen faltered once he exited.
Yerry De Los Santos allowed three runs without recording an out in the sixth, raising his ERA from 1.57 to 2.51. Mark Leiter Jr. gave up an RBI double to Royce Lewis, which cemented the Twins’ 4-1 lead. Devin Williams, Camilo Doval, and Brent Headrick stabilized the later innings but could not erase the deficit.
The Yankees’ missed opportunity in the seventh inning highlighted Goldschmidt’s importance. With Anthony Volpe on third base, Boone opted not to pinch-hit Goldschmidt against lefty Austin Wells, who subsequently struck out looking.
Goldschmidt’s potential absence looms as the Yankees begin a five-game road trip starting Friday in St. Louis, making his health an important factor in New York’s pursuit of a postseason berth.
