ARLINGTON, Texas (August 5, 2025)  — Nathan Eovaldi delivered a masterclass on the mound Tuesday night, tossing eight scoreless innings to lead the Texas Rangers to a 2-0 win over the New York Yankees at Globe Life Field, spoiling the much-anticipated return of All-Star slugger Aaron Judge.

Eovaldi (10-3), who has now allowed just two earned runs over his last six starts, was untouchable from the outset. The veteran right-hander struck out five, issued no walks, and allowed just one hit — a third-inning bloop double to Anthony Volpe — across 95 efficient pitches.

“He was in complete control,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “He mixed speeds, hit his spots, and never let them get comfortable. That’s vintage Eovaldi.”

Judge’s Return Falls Flat

Activated from the 10-day injured list prior to Tuesday’s game, Judge returned as the Yankees’ designated hitter for the first time since July 19 due to a tendon strain in his right elbow. However, his presence didn’t spark the struggling Yankees offense. The reigning AL MVP went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, unable to solve Eovaldi’s command or velocity.

The Yankees plan to start Judge on a throwing program Wednesday to evaluate how soon he can return to the outfield, but his bat will need to heat up quickly if New York hopes to rebound from its recent slide.

Yankees in a Freefall

Tuesday’s loss marked the Yankees’ fifth straight defeat, just one shy of their longest losing streak this season. Even more troubling: they’ve now lost 19 of their last 24 road games, a trend that continues to damage their playoff positioning in the American League.

“We have to be better,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said postgame. “We’re just not capitalizing on opportunities, and that’s putting a ton of pressure on our pitching staff.”

The offense, limited to a single hit for the second time this month, failed to draw a walk and struck out seven times.

Tellez Delivers in the Eighth

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the eighth inning, when Rowdy Tellez broke through in dramatic fashion. With the bases loaded and one out, Tellez battled Yankees reliever Devin Williams in a 10-pitch at-bat, fouling off four two-strike pitches before lifting a bloop single into shallow center field.

The soft liner dropped in front of center fielder Trent Grisham, scoring Corey Seager and Wyatt Langford to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead — the only runs of the game.

“Sometimes it’s not about how hard you hit it,” Tellez said with a grin. “I just wanted to fight off good pitches and find a way to get it done.”

Williams’ Rare Struggles Continue

Williams (3-4) has now allowed runs in four consecutive appearances for the first time in his seven-year MLB career. He’s surrendered 26 earned runs this season, matching his combined total from 2022 through 2024, a stunning reversal of form for one of baseball’s most dominant relievers in recent seasons.

“That’s not who I am,” Williams said. “I need to be better. It’s that simple.”

Seager Shuts the Door

The Yankees had a final opportunity in the ninth, putting the potential tying run at the plate in Giancarlo Stanton, who pinch-hit for Grisham. But the slugger grounded into a game-ending double play, thanks to a highlight-reel diving stop from Seager, who popped up and started the 6-4-3 twin killing to seal the win.

Key Stats

• Nathan Eovaldi: 8 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 5 K, 0 BB

• Rowdy Tellez: Game-winning 2-RBI single in the 8th

• Aaron Judge: 0-for-3, 2 K in return

• Devin Williams: 4th straight outing allowing a run; 26 ER this season

Up Next

The Rangers (59-55) will look to clinch the series in Wednesday’s matinee, while the Yankees (60-53) try to avoid a sweep and snap their losing streak before heading home. First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. CST at Globe Life Field.