Yankees Risk Deeper Free Fall by Ignoring Aaron Judge's Advice
The New York Yankees' offensive scuffling is one thing. But their depth is at the point of redlining.
Needing to start Anthony Volpe, who has crashed down to Earth after an initial hot streak, and Austin Wells, who is statistically the worst hitter in baseball by a wide margin, is a big reason why they're putting up as many goose eggs as they have. While health is something the group can't control, their sloppiness is, and they can't seem to get out of their own way.
Every game, it feels like there's a bad throw, an infield bobble that gives the opposing team extra outs, or a lackadaisical effort on the field. There were instances of both in the last two losses against the Twins, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. being picked off at first base, seemingly unprepared for a throw, was the cherry on what would be a bad weekend.
The worst part about this streak is that, recently, Aaron Judge called out this sloppy play. It doesn't seem like his teammates have listened.
The captain calls his team out
Judge, who is stuck watching from the bench, was blunt in his assessment of the team before their 6-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers in extra innings.
"It's not great -- just a little lack of focus," Judge said, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. "We've just got to dial it in. Our ultimate goal is to win a World Series. I think guys have just got to remember that every single day they show up here. We're here to win a World Series, so that's your motivation."
Motivation was the key word there. It was one thing that looked like they didn't have, and Adam Ottavino, broadcasting the game for Peacock, called that notion out when it looked like the game was out of reach for the Yankees.
"Collectively as a whole, we're just trying to do too much," Judge continued. "Everyone is trying to be the one guy that will hit the grand slam with nobody on. It's like, 'Hey, just take your approach, take your at-bat.'"
A few remedies for the swoon
Earlier in the year, it seemed the Yankees were making a more conscious effort to play their best players. Volpe was stashed in the minors after his rehab was complete, and Ryan McMahon was even benched for Amed Rosario at one point. That wasn't the sole reason why the Yankees were winning to start the year, but playing their best players was certainly a part of it.
The Yankees should get back to that. If they don't, they'll continue losing at the pace that they are, and a four-game deficit in the AL East could end up becoming a deeper cavern they may not be able to crawl out of.
While it may not remedy their lack of run production, starting José Caballero at shortstop is one change they can make to mitigate the sloppiness. Their one win since Judge spoke came with him at the position, and with Volpe taking a back seat.
Another thing they can do is start Alí Sánchez until the picture at catcher becomes clearer at the deadline. Sánchez isn't the answer, but he could solve some issues for right now. Even if he's only posting an 85 wRC+, his defense is good enough, and that level of offense is Johnny Bench in comparison to what Wells has delivered.
Optioning Doval is another change. He is making history for all the wrong reasons these days, and a journeyman like Yovanny Cruz might end up being better. Even if he's a slight improvement, it's still better than what they're getting. It's similar to what's going on with Wells, where quite literally any warm body will do.
As the deadline approaches, they can make more sweeping changes. That could mean dealing Chisholm. There are 12 teams within five games of sneaking into the wild card on top of the six that are already in position to have a postseason spot. The Yankees could deal him to one who has an infield deficiency to plug a position of need.
Jazz Chisholm gets picked off immediately after singling to end the second inning. pic.twitter.com/FvAC2sBSyy
- Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) July 5, 2026
Chisholm at his best is one of the better second basemen in baseball, but it feels more and more clear that they may have gotten the best version of him last year. That could then mean going with the young George Lombard Jr., or trading for the veteran Luis Arraez, who has improved by leaps and bounds defensively.
All of this would require the Yankees not to be stubborn, though. The fact is, for as many stars as they have on the IL, the organization's biggest weakness is being its own worst enemy. Judge laid the blueprint, but it's not getting through.
Today's best reads
- Latest Aaron Judge Injury Update Means Yankees Must Trade for CJ Abrams
- Who's To Blame For Yankees' Slump, and How Can They Fix it at the Trade Deadline?
- Ranking the 5 Most Disappointing Yankees Halfway Through the 2026 Season
- Ryan McMahon Just Became More Important to Yankees After Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s Injury
- This Isn't the Same June Swoon for the Yankees as Last Year
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/yankees/onsi as Yankees Risk Deeper Free Fall by Ignoring Aaron Judge's Advice.
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This story was originally published July 6, 2026 at 9:00 AM.