A Yankees slump or just a bad weekend? Why vanishing offense could be a bigger problem than it seems
The Yankees have lost seven of their last nine games, largely due to a rather anemic offense. They scored four runs Sunday night, but all came in the ninth and tenth innings. In fact, they didn't even collect a hit until the eighth inning. In all, they've averaged 2.64 runs per game in their last 11, a stretch in which the Yankees have gone 3-8.
They scored nine runs during the four-game sweep at the hands of the Red Sox. In the final three games, the Yankees hit less than .100. It was the first time the ballclub lost three straight games with a sub-.100 average since 1914 (via Katie Sharp). It was just the third time in the modern era (since 1900) that they recorded three or fewer hits in three straight games. They were no-hit through at least 4 ⅔ innings for three straight games.
What gives? And is this just a bad stretch or a serious concern moving forward? Let's dive in.
Prominent injuries
Yes, every team deals with injuries, but the Yankees right now have three major power bats on the shelf.
The name Trent Grisham may not jump off the screen at you when thinking about power bats, but he hit 34 home runs last season. Prior to getting hurt, he was hitting .370/.439/.548 in his last 19 games, so he was really heating up. Even if it didn't get a ton of fanfare at the time, Grisham going down was a big blow to this offense. That said, Grisham is expected back this week, which should be a jump in the right direction.
Being injured is just part of Giancarlo Stanton's game at this point. He's still one of the biggest needle-movers in baseball when he's right, though. Just look at last season: he only played in 77 games but hit 24 home runs. He hit seven homers in 14 playoff games in 2024. He isn't close to a return, either.
Obviously, Aaron Judge is the big name here. Heading into the season, he was widely -- and correctly -- considered the best hitter in baseball. He hit .331/.457/.688 last season. He's led the majors in OPS in each of his last three full seasons. And, much like Stanton, he isn't close to returning.
Rice's regression
For a nice portion of the season, Ben Rice looked like an MVP-caliber hitter. His numbers are still stellar, of course, but in the last few weeks, he's been regressing to the mean. It was to be expected, of course, but the timing here was pretty terrible for the Yankees, given the injuries. Through June 8, Rice was hitting .304/.400/.641. Since then, he's hitting .178/.241/.342 in 18 games.
Considering the injuries to Grisham, Stanton and Judge, the timing of the Rice regression has been a huge blow to the lineup.
Bellinger's road woes
When the Yankees acquired Cody Bellinger from the Cubs, the common sentiment was that he'd love hitting in Yankee Stadium. It was in that lane of "just because it's obvious doesn't mean it's not true." We're talking about a lefty power hitter who loves to pull the ball with authority playing in a ballpark with an absurdly short right-field porch. It has come to fruition. Bellinger absolutely rakes in Yankee Stadium.
The problem here is that the Yankees play half their games on the road. Bellinger is hitting .182/.293/.271 in away games this season. He's a monster at home but a mite on the road.
Supporting cast not carrying their weight
Any good team needs to be able to withstand injuries and/or poor play from stars, and that's where depth comes into play. In these last two weeks, the Yankees have suffered from injury woes, while Bellinger and Rice have been struggling. Generally speaking, this is when the supporting cast needs to step up. It isn't happening with the Yankees.
- Jazz Chisholm Jr. is hitting just .223 with a 96 OPS+ this season. He got off to a slow start and then got hot, but that has fallen by the wayside. In his last 15 games, Chisholm is hitting .174/.283/.370.
- He's been hurt for a bit over a week, but Ryan McMahon, offensively, just isn't working. He's at .210 with a 74 OPS+ this season.
- Remember when Austin Wells got hot at the plate in 2024? That feels like ages ago. In 55 games this year, he's slashing .157/.258/.241 (41 OPS+). Here in this Yankees' bad stretch, he's hitting .095 in the last eight games.
- With the Judge, Stanton and Grisham injuries, there are spots open for players like Spencer Jones and Jasson Domínguez to prove themselves. Instead, Jones is hitting .215 with 32 strikeouts in 65 at-bats. Domínguez is hitting .214 with a 79 OPS+ and has struck out 21 times compared to three walks.
Moving forward
Is there a concern here?
The Yankees lead the majors in home runs. They are seventh in runs scored and third in OPS. They are also seventh in strikeouts and 22nd in batting average, meaning they are an OPS-heavy team and that lends itself to inconsistency. There will be ebbs and flows.
The Rice downturn was to be expected and Bellinger being bad on the road isn't so disastrous when the Yankees have 12 of their next 19 at home. Surely Chisholm will get hot again and Grisham is coming back very soon. Things will improve.
The biggest issue, though, is Judge's absence. The Yankees won't be a scary offense without him and we can't be sure he's coming back any time in the next few months.
Add CBS Sports on GoogleBadenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
