Aaron Judge strikes out twice in return from IL, Yankees shut out by Rangers for fifth straight loss

Yahoo

a day ago

Aaron Judge returned to the New York Yankees Tuesday from a 10-game stint on the injured list.
His presence didn't shift the fortunes of a faltering Yankees team. Judge struck out in his first two at-bats and went 0 for 3 at the plate against a sensational effort from Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi.
Texas broke a scoreless tie in the eighth inning to spoil a combined shutout by Yankees pitchers before closer Devin Williams gave up the only runs of the game. Newly acquired reliever Phil Maton held on in the top of the ninth for a 2-0 Texas win win.
The loss for the Yankees is their fifth straight and drops them to 7-11 since the All-Star break. It put them at further risk of falling out of the AL playoff picture at 60-54. And it was a microcosm of the problems that have plagued them as they've posted an 18-29 record since the middle of June.
New York's vaunted lineup has taken a step back during the slump. It started before Judge went on the injure list with a flexor strain in his right elbow. The Yankees hoped the two-time MVP could provide a spark amid a losing streak. But Eovaldi was in charge Tuesday night.
Eovaldi worked Judge to a 1-2 count in the first inning in Judge's first at-bat since June 25. Then he got Judge swinging on a splitter over the plate that dipped below the zone.
Judge's second at-bat brought more of the same. Eovaldi worked a 1-2 count with two fastballs and a sweeping curveball that induced a swing-and-miss for strike two. Judge then swung again at a third-strike sinker that dipped below his knees.
Judge grounded out in his third at-bat, and his teammates didn't fare much better as Eovaldi pitched eight shutout innings with six striketouts to lower his season-long ERA to 1.38.
This story will be updated.