1. On Saturday, Jazz Chisholm called the Yankees “the best team in the league.” Well, that’s not all Chisholm said. He also added, “Any team that thinks they’re better than us, they should know that when we step on the field, we’re coming with relentlessness. We’re coming to step on necks. We’re not here to play around.”
Ah yes, the relentless Yankees, who went to Minnesota and got two-hit, while striking out 14 times in a 7-0 loss on Monday. “The best team in the league” with the third-best record in the American League and the seventh-best record in the majors. (Chisholm is 0-for-8 with three strikeouts since his outrageous comments on Saturday. He also couldn’t complete a double play that led to the Twins’ first run on Monday.)
2. While the Yankees were getting blown out by the 18-games-under-.500 Twins, the Blue Jays staged yet another late-game comeback against the Rays and won in extra innings. If you didn’t think the division was over after Sunday with the Yankees falling to four games back in the loss column (and five overall), well, it’s definitely over now at five games back (and six overall) with 12 games to play.
3. Since Chisholm gave his latest take on the 2025 Yankees, the team is 0-2 after losing on Monday. Not only did the Yankees lose, they were dominated. Simeon Woods Richardson provided his longest start since June 21 and recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts. He entered the game with a 4.85 ERA.
“It’s definitely frustrating,” Ryan McMahon said. “I think a lot of guys think that we should have been a lot better tonight, but you got to tip your cap sometimes.”
Yes, sometimes you have to tip your cap, like when you’re facing Garrett Crochet like the Yankees did and lost to on Sunday. But Woods Richardson? In a playoff race? There’s no time or excuse to be tipping your cap to fringe major leaguers in Game 150 of the season.
4. It was the first time in franchise history the Yankees’ offense had a two-game span in the regular season with at least 30 strikeouts and fewer than 10 hits (stat from Katie Sharp). “Best team in the league,” indeed!
Here is how the Yankees’ 14 strikeouts on Monday were dispersed: Giancarlo Stanton 4, Cody Bellinger 2, Jazz Chisholm 2, Ryan McMahon 2, Trent Grisham 1, Paul Goldschmidt 1, Austin Wells 1 and Ben Rice 1.
The Yankees were two-hit by the Twins. Two hits against Woods Richardson and no hits against the very hittable bullpen trio of Kody Funderburk, Travis Adams and Pierson Ohl. The Yankees have now lost their last two games to the Twins.
5. Carlos Rodon was fine (6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 HR), but Luke Weaver wasn’t. Weaver was blasted for five earned runs on three hits and two walks, while only recording one out. All three hits were doubles. In September, Weaver has allowed earned runs in four of six games, pitching to this line: 3.2 IP, 12 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 2 HR, 24.52 ERA, 4.087. WHIP. It’s possible that between Weaver’s last month and Fernando Cruz’s latest issue with home runs that Devin Williams is somehow the team’s best non-David Bednar reliever. The postseason should be fun.
“That was trash,” Weaver said of his performance. (I’m sure Aaron Boone thought his stuff looked good.) “Felt like I was fighting myself the whole time.”
6. Trent Grisham went 1-for-the Blue Jays series, 1-for-the Tigers series and 0-for-the Red Sox series. Not great. Maybe Grisham will show up for this series, considering he’s being given the most plate appearance opportunities of anyone on the team by batting leadoff every game.
7. After going 0-for-7 with six strikeouts against the Red Sox, Austin Wells was right back in the lineup going 0-for-3 with another strikeout on Monday. His OPS is back under .700 at .699.
8. I need this lineup against righties until the Yankees’ postseason spot has been finalized:
Trent Grisham, CF
Aaron Judge, RF/DH
Cody Bellinger, LF
Giancarlo Stanton, DH/RF
Ben Rice, 1B
Jazz Chisholm, 2B
Jose Caballero, SS
Ryan McMahon, 3B
Auston Wells, C
And this lineup against lefties:
Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
Aaron Judge, RF/DH
Cody Bellinger, CF
Giancarlo Stanton, DH/RF
Amed Rosario, 3B
Jazz Chisholm, 2B
Jose Caballero, SS
Austin Slater, LF
Ben Rice, C
9. The three-game lead the Yankees took in the loss column over the Red Sox on Saturday for the first wild-card spot is now back down to one. In two days the Yankees have erased everything they earned on Friday and Saturday. The Yankees can’t tie the Red Sox with the same record because the Red Sox own the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Here is the Yankees’ remaining schedule: Twins (2), Orioles (4), White Sox (3), Orioles (3)
Here is the Red Sox’ remaining schedule: A’s (3), Rays (3), Blue Jays (3), Tigers (3)
(Maybe none of this end up mattering and the Yankees host the Astros or Mariners in the wild-card series or go to Houston or Seattle for the wild-card series.)
10. The Yankees better have gotten their effortless, no-show performance for the series out of their system on Monday because they need to win on Tuesday and Wednesday with the Red Sox hosting the A’s. The Yankees have the starting pitching advantage in both games. They have the offensive advantage and bullpen advantage. The Yankees are a far superior team to the Twins and they better act like it and play like it the next two nights or they will be setting themselves up to go on the road for the wild-card series.
Last modified: Sep 16, 2025
