Facing the threat of a sweep at the hands of the surging Cleveland Guardians, the New York Yankees will look to salvage the final game of a three-game set on Wednesday night at Progressive Field. Carlos Rodón will take the mound in what’s shaping up to be an early-season gut-check for the Bronx Bombers.
Game 1: Guardians 6, Yankees 4
The series opener on Monday saw the Yankees fall 6-4 after a rough outing from Clarke Schmidt. The right-hander lasted just four innings, giving up five runs, including a pair of homers, a three-run homer to José Ramírez and a solo shot to Kyle Manzardo in the third inning. The Yankees clawed back with some late power—Jasson Domínguez and Jazz Chisholm Jr. each went deep—but the rally came up short. Aaron Judge struck out with the tying run at the plate in the ninth as Guardians closer Cade Smith shut the door. It was a frustrating night for the Yankees, who couldn’t recover from the early hole.
Game 2: Guardians 3, Yankees 2
Tuesday’s game was a tighter contest but ended with the same result—a Yankees loss, this time 3-2. Rookie right-hander Will Warren was electric early, holding the Guardians to just one hit and 0 ER through five innings and striking out five. Ben Rice gave the Yankees an instant lead with a leadoff homer on the first pitch of the night, and Judge continued his scorching-hot stretch by going 4-for-4. But Cleveland capitalized on a sixth-inning rally that included five hits, a walk, and a defensive miscue that opened the door for three runs. Once again, Cade Smith sealed it in the ninth, notching his second save in as many nights.
One Pitch. One Homer. pic.twitter.com/z76lpiVB30
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 22, 2025
Looking Ahead to Game 3 and Beyond
With the Yankees now down 0-2 in the series and having dropped four of their last six, Wednesday’s game becomes crucial. Carlos Rodón will get the start and look to stop the bleeding against a Cleveland team that has now won five straight. A win on Wednesday would help the Yankees avoid their first sweep of the season and build some momentum heading into the weekend where they’ll host Toronto, facing the division rival for the first time this season.
Injury Report
The Yankees made a few roster adjustments ahead of Tuesday’s game. Right-hander Yoendrys Gómez was designated for assignment after pitching three innings of one-run ball on Monday. While he posted a respectable 2.70 ERA over six outings, his control issues—averaging over eight walks per nine innings—and a lack of strikeouts ultimately led to the move. To take his place, the team added veteran lefty Tyler Matzek to the big-league roster. Matzek, who’s been working his way back from both Tommy John surgery and a recent oblique injury, is aiming to bounce back from a rough 2024 season where he struggled with command and posted a 9.90 ERA. The Yankees are hoping he can tap into the form that made him a key part of the Braves’ bullpen during their 2021 title run.
Giancarlo Stanton took live batting practice with the team in Cleveland on Tuesday—the first time he’s hit on the field this season as he works his way back from a lingering elbow issue.
Meanwhile, DJ LeMahieu had a strong return to action in his rehab debut with Double-A Somerset that led the Patriots to a 7-3 win over the Hartford YardGoats. Playing five innings at second base, LeMahieu went 3-for-3 at the plate, finishing just a triple shy of the cycle.
DJ Got Us Fallin in Love@Yankees INF DJ LeMahieu hits his first home run of 2025! LeMahieu is 2-for-2 with a 2B, HR, and 3 RBI. pic.twitter.com/EcTs9ZFVim
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) April 22, 2025
LeMahieu spoke after the game about his eagerness to get back: “I want to be out there, I want to be healthy and helping the team,” he said. “When I can’t do that, it’s frustrating. But there’s a lot of season left, and hopefully I can be a part of it.” He’s scheduled to return to the lineup on Thursday and expects to play through the weekend as he builds up to full-game action.
