The New York Yankees’ 4-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, was accompanied by concern over first baseman Paul Goldschmidt’s availability. Goldschmidt, 37, was absent from a seventh-inning pinch-hit opportunity, which manager Aaron Boone later explained was due to a low-grade sprain of his right knee.
The injury occurred on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, when Goldschmidt pursued a third-inning foul popup from Byron Buxton near the Yankees’ dugout. “I kind of over-ran it and dove back, and hit my knee on the ground,” Goldschmidt said, adding that it felt sore but he was able to continue playing until grimacing while running out a seventh-inning double, after which he exited the game.
- Paul Goldschmidt sustained a low-grade right knee sprain while chasing a foul popup against the Twins, leaving his status for upcoming games uncertain and prompting possible roster adjustments.
- The Yankees’ lineup is already under strain, with Aaron Judge limited to designated hitter duties, Giancarlo Stanton covering right field, and Jasson Domínguez seeing reduced playing time.
- Rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler impressed in the Twins series finale, retiring the first nine batters faced and reaching 99.8 mph on his fastball despite the team’s 4-1 loss.
Evaluation Timeline and Career Achievements
Goldschmidt said, “I felt like I could continue to play, which I did, but I had it checked out today and hopefully we’ll be good to go. There’s a chance, but I don’t think it’s anything long term. It even could be short term as far as a day or two.” Boone stated that the team will evaluate Goldschmidt after Thursday’s off-day and did not rule out a stint on the injured list.
Goldschmidt played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 2019 to 2024, winning the 2022 National League MVP Award, the NL Hank Aaron Award, and earning one of his seven All-Star selections. He has also won five Silver Slugger Awards, the most for any first baseman. In 2025, he is batting .276/.331/.422 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs in 112 games.
Betting Markets Adjust Ahead of Yankees–Cardinals Series
Following Goldschmidt’s injury news, betting markets for the Yankees–Cardinals series reflected modest changes before first pitch. The consensus moneyline moved from around -122 earlier in the cycle to approximately -134 for the Yankees, with the Cardinals at +113. The total closed between 8.5 and 9 runs, and the run line prices favored the Cardinals at +1.5 with heavier juice.
Pre-game model projections differed slightly. Covers’ predictor projected a Yankees win by an estimated score of 5.53–4.64. Dimers’ simulations indicated roughly a 55% win probability for New York. numberFire’s model gave the Cardinals a slight edge at 50.55% compared to the Yankees at 49.45%.
Player prop availability was also affected prior to the game. Some sportsbooks withheld certain Yankees batting props, while FanDuel listed Aaron Judge at +215 to hit a home run. Futures odds for the Yankees to win the 2025 World Series varied: DraftKings listed them at +1100, BetMGM at +1200, ESPN BET at +1400, and the consensus board on OddsShark at +1300. BetMGM’s +1200 price at that time represented a shift from its +800 opening number.
The scheduled starting pitchers for that matchup were Luis Gil for New York (0–1, 7.27 ERA) and Andre Pallante for St. Louis (6–9, 4.95 ERA).
Yankees Face Limited Options if Goldschmidt Misses Time
If Goldschmidt requires an IL stint, the Yankees have limited in-house replacements. The only other first basemen on the 40-man roster are Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre infielders Jorbit Vivas and Braden Shewmake. Another possibility is moving utility player Ben Rice from catcher to first base and reinstating Austin Wells behind the plate.
The Yankees’ current lineup is already affected by Aaron Judge‘s recovery from a right flexor strain. Judge has been limited to designated hitter duties for the past eight games. Boone reported that Judge has been throwing from distances up to 120 feet, but provided no target date for his return to the outfield. Giancarlo Stanton has started in right field for the fourth time since last playing the position in 2023.
Jasson Domínguez has seen less playing time, entering Wednesday’s game with one hit in his last 19 at-bats since August 2. Boone described the situation as day-to-day and said, “JD is a big part of it… it’s a little snapshot in a long season. So he could be the most central figure in the next game.”
Yankees’ Offensive and Pitching Notes From Twins Series Finale
In Wednesday’s loss to Minnesota, the Yankees recorded four hits and two walks. Cody Bellinger hit a third-inning home run into the second deck in right field, his 22nd of the season, off Twins starter Joe Ryan. Ryan allowed one run over 6 2/3 innings and struck out seven. “It’s such a unique arm. He mixed really well. Ultimately, he did a really good job,” Bellinger said.
The Twins took the lead in the sixth inning on Kody Clemens’ two-run double off Yerry De Los Santos. The game was delayed nearly two hours by rain and ended the Yankees’ nine-game winning streak against Minnesota dating back to early 2022.
Rookie starter Cam Schlittler retired the first nine batters he faced, featuring a fastball averaging 98.3 mph and topping out at 99.8 mph. Boone praised his pitch location and secondary offerings. Schlittler allowed one run in the fourth inning and ended his night after 86 pitches. “I felt good, but I’m a rookie,” Schlittler said. “You’ve got to earn that… I trust the bullpen… As a rookie, you’ve got to earn that to get to 100, 105 pitches like Max [Fried] and Carlos [Rodón].”
