NEW YORK — If Paul Goldschmidt could do it over again, he would run to first base in an attempt to retire Nick Castellanos instead of trying an off-balance throw to the plate in a bid to prevent Trea Turner from scoring the tying run.
Not only did Goldschmidt’s throw not get the second out of the seventh inning, but the Gold Glove first baseman’s miscue was also the ninth error in four games for the New York Yankees, who committed two Friday night in a 12-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies that dropped them 5½ games back of American League East-leading Toronto.
“I was playing in and he hit a little bit to my right, a little soft, and I knew [it was] going to be a bang-bang play at first and tried to get him at home,” said Goldschmidt, a four-time Gold Glove winner. “Looking back, I should have just made the play and went to first base there. I think even if I put that throw perfect, Turner’s probably still beating that out.”
With Turner on third and Kyle Schwarber on second, Castellanos hit a 42-foot grounder at 61.4 mph to Goldschmidt, who was playing in. At the edge of the grass, Goldschmidt moved to his right and made an off-balance throw, and the ball sailed over catcher Austin Wells’ glove as Turner scored the tying run, Schwarber took third and Castellanos second.
“Probably too aggressive of a play by me to try and make a play where they were going to be safe anyway, and it led to another base runner rather than just getting the out at first,” Goldschmidt said. “So that was a mistake.”
It was Goldschmidt’s third error this season and the Yankees’ 54th. Two pitches later, Luke Weaver hung a changeup that J.T. Realmuto hit for a tiebreaking, three-run homer.
“You’re Paul Goldschmidt and you trust that I’m going to throw the ball on line,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Even if we don’t have a play there, maybe something happens. The runner trips or something, so you’re trying to make a play there.”
Weaver allowed his fifth homer in 12 appearances since making a quick return from a hamstring injury on June 20. He allowed home runs in three straight outings July 1-4 and had four straight scoreless appearances before Friday.
New York’s relievers allowed 10 runs and have a 4.28 ERA, 23rd among the 30 teams. The Yankees have a 6.20 ERA in July, the worst mark in the major leagues.
“It’s a challenge right now, but we’ve got to have guys step up,” Boone said.
New York is 3-6 following a five-game winning streak. The Yankees are 21-27 since opening a seven-game AL East lead with a 35-20 start, committing 30 errors during the slide.
“We’re in a good spot to make a run here,” said Wells, who hit one of the Yankees’ four solo homers. “I think the tides are going to turn.”