Paul Goldschmidt provided the decisive offense for the New York Yankees in their 1-0 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, July 24, 2026. The leadoff home run in the top of the fourth inning at Citizens Bank Park marked the Yankees' only run and a stark reminder of the team's broader offensive difficulties.
Since June 18, the Yankees have scored fewer runs than all but the Mariners, experiencing a particularly rough stretch in recent weeks. The team has scored more than three runs just once in their last seven games, and Friday's contest saw them manage only three hits: Goldschmidt's homer and two singles.
Despite the win, Goldschmidt acknowledged the offensive issues plaguing the team. "We haven't performed up to the level we think we're capable of and would like to," Goldschmidt said. "We need to do better than we did tonight. Give [Philadelphia lefty Jesús] Luzardo and their bullpen credit. We're trying to do everything we can. The results definitely, offensively, have not been there the last few weeks and we know that. Guys are working on it in the cage, talking about it as a group and making adjustments individually and as a group. We're not content with how we've played."
The Yankees' struggles intensified less than three weeks after Aaron Judge was sidelined with a fractured rib. Manager Aaron Boone noted the team's collective offensive slump, stating, "Everyone is capable of a little more. We're all going through it a little bit together. As a result, as a team over the last month, we haven't been as good as we expect offensively. We all need to get going more."
The team has gone consecutive games without a home run twice in their last eight games, a streak not seen since May 30-31. They have also been held to six or fewer hits in three straight games. The offensive pressure has led to an increase in strikeouts, with the team fanning a dozen times in two of their last three games.
Goldschmidt, who has shouldered a larger role in the absence of Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, had also been in a slump. He entered Friday's game in an 8-for-63 stretch with only two doubles and one home run in his previous 19 games, striking out 24 times during that period. His home run on Friday came on a 2-0 sinker that did not dip as expected, which he hit to right field.
The Yankees' pitching staff, including Cam Schlittler, Brent Headrick, and David Bednar, has been tasked with minimal margin for error due to the offensive drought. Despite the offensive challenges, the Yankees have won four of their last five games, bolstered by strong pitching performances.