Yankees’ Losing Streak Continues After Mets 12-6 Defeat

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees faced their second six-game losing streak in three weeks on Saturday, falling 12-6 to the New York Mets at Citi Field in front of 41,401 fans.

In a bizarre moment during the game, Yankees shortstop Gleyber Torres threw the ball to right fielder Aaron Judge after the third out of the fourth inning, but Judge was not looking. The ball struck him in the head, knocking off his sunglasses and leaving a small cut near his right eye. Although he required a bandage, Judge remained in the game.

“Confusion,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of the incident. “I didn’t know what happened initially. [It just] felt like something happened. Of course I was a little concerned.”

Despite Judge’s health, the Yankees could find little to celebrate in another sloppy loss. With this defeat, they fell from a three-game lead in the American League East standings to tied for second place, three games behind the Toronto Blue Jays.

Boone expressed frustration over a “terrible week,” further complicated by the news that starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt would likely require season-ending Tommy John surgery.

The Mets capitalized on Yankees’ defensive errors, hitting three home runs, including a grand slam from Brandon Nimmo in the first inning that put them ahead 4-0. The Yankees’ left fielder, Giancarlo Stanton, misplayed a fly ball, leading to scoring opportunities for the Mets.

Rodon allowed seven runs, with several errors by the Yankees contributing to their struggles. Torres’s lack of accuracy at third base allowed the Mets to score another critical run.

“Just got to play better,” Judge said after the game. “It’s fundamentals. Making a routine play, routine. It’s just the little things.”

The Yankees are now under pressure as they continue to struggle with their defense, which has faltered during this losing streak. Boone remarked, “The pitching, which has kind of carried us a lot this season, has really, really struggled this week.”

Through this tough time, the Yankees are holding on to the hope of recovery and growth. “You got to be able to handle it. You got to be able to deal with it,” Boone said.