This Isn't the Same June Swoon for the Yankees as Last Year

June was the New York Yankees' worst month in 2025, and had they been a little better, they probably would have won the American League East. They went 13-14 before finally stabilizing in August and September.

While there were positives last June, such as series wins against the Royals, Guardians, and AL East rival Orioles, the division was essentially lost in more important squabbles. The Red Sox thumped them twice, and the Blue Jays ended the month on a low note for the Yankees by taking the first game of a pivotal series for the Bombers.

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) reacts after having the water bucket poured on him at the end of the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The Yankees started the month being 5.5 games up in the East. The lead had whittled down to 1.5 on June 30th, and, by July 3rd, the Jays had sole possession of first place and wouldn't look back.

After losing three straight against the Red Sox and seeing their AL East lead whittled down to a tie with the Rays, it's easy to say that the June swoon is back. The difference between this year and last is the roster, though.

In 2025, the Yankees knew they would be without their ace, Cole, so that was hardly a factor. What made last year so frustrating was that their lineup was intact.

The top of the lineup featured Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger, Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Giancarlo Stanton, and Ben Rice. Even Anthony Volpe was decent at that point. He was hitting .235/.333/.397 heading into that loss against the Jays on June 30th.

Their biggest issue was defense. In that final game of the month against the Jays, there were errors by Volpe and J.C. Escarra.

The difference in swoons

As it stands, after an ugly series against the Sox at Fenway, the Yankees are 12-11 this month, and with just a few days left, they're teetering on having a losing record in June. Their hold on the AL East is also in danger.

Who they have on the IL is the biggest culprit in their struggles this time around. For one, Max Fried has been on the IL for a chunk of the season. He should be back soon.

As for the meat of their lineup, the one they're rolling with isn't much better than what the Sox roll out on a nightly basis. Paul Goldschmidt and Ben Rice are at the top, and Cody Bellinger is hitting cleanup, but then you have Amed Rosario, batting third. Then the rest of their sluggers feature Jose Caballero, Max Schuemann, Volpe, and Austin Wells, who is one of the worst hitters in baseball. Their lineup card is being filled out with a bunch of eight and nine hole hitters.

They have been without Aaron Judge and Trent Grisham for a chunk of this month. Giancarlo Stanton has been out for a good portion of the year, too, but Goldschmidt has been playing like an All-Star, so he negates that loss.

Even with Goldy playing out of his mind, the Yankees are without two of their biggest boppers, and Grisham has provided a ton of slug since May 1st. With a slow start, Grisham managed to turn things around. After that point, he was hit .290/.373/.473 with a 138 wRC+. He also had 10 doubles during that span, which doubled his two-bagger total from the year before.

This could look like excuses, but if the Yankees are playing this poorly when they're whole, it'll be fair to bring out the pitchforks. For now, they're an unfinished product. They may even have a better record this June than they did last year, too, despite all the injuries, which should be some positive.

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