Sacramento A’s starter Luis Severino just can’t pick up a win against his old teammates the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York on Sun Jun 29, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

NEW YORK.—The Sacramento Athletics fell to the New York Yankees 12-5 and lost the series at Yankee Stadium 2-1 on Sunday afternoon after Aaron Judge hit two home runs including his 30th of the season.

Athletics starting pitcher Luis Severino allowed five hits and seven runs in 3.2 innings, amid rumors that he may be traded before the deadline on July 31.

A’s manager Mark Kotsay said an error on a ball that should have been caught “spiraled out of control, really”.

“The walks always will hurt you. Today we walked, I think 10 guys. And you’re not going to win, you’re not going to win when you pitch that way, you know giving away free bases is always a concern and it’s something we haven’t done when we win,” said Kotsay.

“And obviously we’re trying to address that, trying to play better defense but executing pitches, commanding the baseball, we didn’t do that today at all.”

Jazz Chrisholm Jr. hit a home run on a fly ball to right field in the second inning to put the Yankees up 1-0.

In the third, Chrisholm Jr. tripled on a sharp line drive to center field and Trent Grisham, Judge and Ben Rice scored. Then a wild pitch by pitcher Luis Severino allowed Chrisholm Jr. to score, boosting New York up 5-0.

Judge hit his first homer in the fourth on a fly ball to left field and Cody Bellinger scored, giving the Yankees a 7-0 lead.

The A’s fought back in the fifth, with Willie Maclver hitting a home run on a fly ball to left field to cut the Yankees’ lead to 7-1. Bellinger responded with a homer on a fly ball to right center field and Anthony Volpe and Trent Grisham scored, putting New York up 10-1.

In the sixth, Nick Kurtz singled on a ground ball and JJ Bleday scored. Tyler Soderstrom walked and Brent Rooker scored. Luis Urías grounded out sharply to third base and Kurtiz scored. Then Denzel Clarke grounded out softly to first base and Max Muncy scored, making it 10-5.

In the seventh, Judge hit his second homer of the game and 30th of the season and allowed Bellinger to score, setting off “MVP” chants from the crowd. The Yankees claimed the game 12-5 and the three-game series.

Severino, who has allowed seven runs for the fourth time this season, said “it’s not been the best stretch” for him. He added that “there was not one pitch” that didn’t work, suggesting that on Sunday it was his performance as a whole.

The A’s are 5-14 against the Yankees since 2023 and are 2-4 in their nine-game road trip.

The A’ (34-52) continue their road trip facing the Tampa Bay Rays (47-37) at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Monday. First pitch is at 4:45 p.m. PT. Starting for Sacramento LHP Jacob Lopen (2-4 ERA 3.56) for Tampa Bay RHP Drew Rasmussen (7-5 ERA 2.45).