MIAMI – The New York Yankees found themselves in another frustrating situation on Saturday, August 2, 2025, as they dropped a 2-0 decision to the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park. The defeat was marked by a glaring baserunning blunder involving Jazz Chisholm Jr., which underscored the Yankees’ ongoing struggles with the fundamentals despite their star-studded lineup.
The Yankees entered the game with a roster boasting three former MVPs—Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, and Giancarlo Stanton—even with Aaron Judge sidelined by injury. They also have promising young talent and a notable trade acquisition in Ryan McMahon. Yet, as has become a troubling pattern, the team continues to falter on the little things that often decide baseball games.
In the second inning, with Jazz Chisholm Jr. on first base, Paul Goldschmidt popped up a routine fly ball to Marlins second baseman Xavier Edwards. Chisholm took an aggressive lead off first and lingered far too long, seemingly expecting Edwards might drop the ball. Edwards, however, was fully alert, caught the popup cleanly, and quickly fired the ball to first base. Chisholm’s hesitation proved costly as he was doubled off, ending the inning and leaving the Yankees frustrated.
Chisholm explained his thought process afterward, saying, “I saw something that I thought they were going to do. [Edwards] deked like he was going to do it. He didn’t do it.” He added confidently that he “would have easily made it” to second base if Edwards had dropped the ball. The Marlins’ Edwards called it “a high baseball IQ play,” acknowledging that he and Chisholm were both trying to outsmart each other on the play.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone was visibly displeased and was caught on camera exchanging a heated conversation with first-base coach Travis Chapman during the game. Boone questioned whether louder warnings could have been issued when Chisholm found himself in a precarious position. Despite the frustration, Boone stood by Chisholm, emphasizing that the young infielder was “trying to make a play” and that the mistake wasn’t a sign of a player dogging it.
“We’ve been making mistakes for the last week and a half. We know that’s not us,” Chisholm said. “I feel like we’re pressing a little bit -- even low-key me, too -- because I’m trying to go out there and make extra plays that don’t really need to be made.” Boone echoed this sentiment, noting, “When you’re the New York Yankees and you’re losing and you make a mistake, [people say], ‘Look what just happened.’ I can show you around the league -- it happens all the time. Doesn’t make it OK. We want to be as clean and perfect as we can be, without question.”
The Yankees’ baserunning woes aren’t isolated to Chisholm’s miscue. Just the night before, a groundball slipped under the glove of new outfielder Jose Caballero, and Austin Wells was caught wandering off second base due to a miscount of outs. Defensively, the Yankees have struggled as well, with Anthony Volpe leading the league in errors. These miscues have compounded, frustrating fans and management alike.
Adding insult to injury, rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler, who started for the Marlins, held the Yankees to just four hits over five innings, walking two and striking out six. Former Yankees prospect Agustín Ramírez was a thorn in the side of his old team, hitting two home runs off Schlittler in the first and fourth innings, including the game-winning RBI on Friday night. Giancarlo Stanton also made a notable impact with a 110.7 mph single in the first inning, showcasing his power despite the team’s struggles.
Boone also criticized third-base coach Luis Rojas for sending Trent Grisham home aggressively with two outs, calling the decision “a little too aggressive,” though he understood the intent to force a throw. The Yankees’ inability to execute these fundamental plays has left them trailing in the standings and searching for answers.
The team’s 23 outs on the bases entering Saturday’s game were tied for the fewest in the league, a statistic that Boone referenced to emphasize that while mistakes are glaring, they are not exclusively a Yankees problem. Still, the repeated errors and lack of baseball IQ on the field have made it difficult for the team to realize its potential.
After the inning-ending double play, Boone was seen pulling Chisholm aside for a private conversation in the tunnel, away from the cameras. Despite the stern talk, Chisholm remained in the game, returning to second base after the commercial break, signaling Boone’s continued faith in his player’s abilities despite the costly mistake.
As the Yankees look ahead, they face a critical stretch with just a couple of months left to turn their season around. Boone acknowledged the team’s talent and potential but stressed the urgency to clean up the errors and start playing smarter baseball.
“We have really good players. We think we have a really good team,” Boone said. “We haven’t realized our potential yet. We’ve got a couple of months to do it. And we’d better hurry.”
The Yankees’ recent miscues, both in baserunning and defense, have become a significant storyline, overshadowing their star power and raising questions about team discipline and coaching effectiveness. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if Boone’s squad can iron out these issues and make a push in the competitive American League East.
