NEW YORK — With the way the Yankees have churned out crooked numbers this season at the plate, an early deficit has never felt insurmountable.
The Yankees entered play Wednesday averaging 5.46 runs per game, the third-best mark in the league. They’ve hit more home runs than any other team in the American League. They’re a threat to explode offensively at any point.
But after falling behind in the first inning against the Guardians on Wednesday night — starter Clarke Schmidt dug his team into an immediate three-run hole — the Yankees’ run production was suddenly nowhere to be found.
The bats were missing in action all night, mustering up only five hits in a 4-0 loss that was effectively wrapped up only a few minutes after first pitch.
It’s the second shutout loss of the year for the Yankees. The only other time they’ve been blanked in 2025 was a 5-0 loss to the Tigers and reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal in Detroit back in April.
Schmidt did settle into a groove, pitching 5 2/3 innings without giving up any additional runs after his shaky first. Had the Yankees swung the bats like they normally do, he would’ve been off the hook. In this case, he was responsible for the loss.
Cleveland was up two runs before Schmidt recorded an out. The right-hander walked hit machine Steven Kwan to start the game and then one pitch later, center fielder Angel Martínez drilled a two-run shot to right.
A double from star third baseman Jose Ramírez followed. He came around to score on another two-bagger from second baseman Daniel Schneemann with two outs in that frame.
It was a sudden regression in that first frame for Schmidt after he twirled six shutout innings in a win over the Angels in his last start, his best outing of the year.
Guardians starter Luis Ortiz took that lead and ran with it, dealing over 5 2/3 scoreless innings.
The Yankees had sporadic traffic on the bases — walking three times with those three knocks against Ortiz — but they never came close to cashing in. Their three hits through eight innings matched the number of double plays the Yankees bounced into on Wednesday night. To that point, they had only one at-bat with runners in scoring position all night, a strikeout from Cody Bellinger in the third inning after a walk from Trent Grisham and a single from Ben Rice.
In the ninth, against Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase, the Yankees had runners on second and third with one out after another Rice single and a double from Cody Bellinger down the left-field line.
Paul Goldschmidt struck out looking and Jazz Chisholm Jr., who played a pivotal role in Tuesday’s series-opening win over Cleveland, punched out swinging to end the game.
LOOKING AHEAD
Thursday: Yankees vs. Guardians, 7:05 p.m., YES/MLB Network. LHP Max Fried (7-1, 1.92) vs. RHP Slade Cecconi (1-1, 5.28)