The New York Yankees claimed their second series victory of the 2025 season against their 2024 ALDS rivals, defeating the Kansas City Royals 6-3 on Wednesday, June 11, at Kauffman Stadium. Powered by a five-run second inning, a towering Aaron Judge homer, and a dominant Clarke Schmidt outing, the Yankees now eye a series sweep on Thursday, though concerns linger over Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s health.
The Yankees pounced on Royals starter Kris Bubic, who entered with a league-leading 1.43 ERA. Cody Bellinger ignited the rally with his third triple of the season, followed by a Jazz Chisholm Jr. walk. Anthony Volpe’s fielder’s choice scored Bellinger, and after a Trent Grisham groundout and DJ LeMahieu walk, Austin Wells smacked an RBI double. Wells, who blasted a three-run homer and drove in five RBIs in Tuesday’s 10-2 rout, continued his hot streak. Paul Goldschmidt’s two-run single and Ben Rice’s RBI single pushed the lead to 5-0. “We just kept the pressure on,” Wells said postgame.
Bubic regained composure, pitching into the fifth despite lacking his best stuff. “He battled through it,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Bubic’s effort.
Aaron Judge extended the lead with his 25th homer of 2025, a solo shot off Steven Cruz in the seventh. Trailing only Cal Raleigh (26 HRs), Judge boasts a majors-leading .394 batting average. After hitting a 469-foot homer on Tuesday and going deep twice on Sunday, he’s a frontrunner for another MVP award. “He’s seeing the ball like it’s a beach ball,” Boone remarked.
Clarke Schmidt capitalized on the early cushion, firing six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, three walks, and striking out seven over 91 pitches. “I was locked in from pitch one,” Schmidt said. Trent Grisham bolstered the effort with two diving catches in center, robbing hits in the second and eighth, both confirmed by replay. “Those plays were huge,” Boone noted.
The Royals mounted a ninth-inning comeback against Mark Leiter Jr. A misplayed popup set up Salvador Perez’s two-run homer, and Leiter’s throwing error added another run. “We kept fighting,” Perez said. Devin Williams, however, slammed the door with a two-out save, his 12th of the season, securing the 6-3 win.
The victory was overshadowed by Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s fifth-inning exit due to left groin tightness, following Tuesday’s neck and thumb injuries from a stolen base. “I think he’s OK,” Boone said, citing positive postgame strength tests. Chisholm’s availability for Thursday’s finale remains uncertain.
The Yankees (44-25) aim for their second sweep of the Royals (39-29) this season on Thursday at Kauffman Stadium. With Judge’s bat scorching, Schmidt’s arm dealing, and Grisham’s glove dazzling, can New York maintain their AL East dominance? Or will Chisholm’s potential absence and the Royals’ resilience