The Yankees grabbed their first August series by beating Minnesota 6-2 and 9-1 before a 4-1 loss, but their Wild Card chase remains razor-thin—just one game ahead of Cleveland with six weeks left. The win came at a cost: Paul Goldschmidt’s knee sprain forced an early exit and a shuffled lineup, with Ben Rice stepping in alongside a shaken Wells behind the plate.

Rice brings pop and upside in 101 games but carries a .233 average, leaving New York balancing upside with reliability as they push to stabilize the middle of the order. Goldschmidt’s status is pivotal: a short absence could keep Rice in the lineup and let Wells stay engaged, but any extended time could tilt risk/reward for the Yankees’ offense in a tight playoff race. The road series ahead against St. Louis will test the depth, as the club seeks to maintain that slim Wild Card cushion while managing the injury clock.

On the Mets’ scale of fantasy impact, Goldschmidt’s absence elevates Rice’s value at first and catcher in the short term, while Wells’ struggles offer a potential upgrade window for Rice’s opportunities. The Yankees will lean on veteran leadership and depth to navigate six weeks of critical games as they fight to clinch their postseason berth. Expect daily updates and shifting lineups as New York tries to keep its wild-card standing intact.

Paul Goldschmidt’s right knee strain could push him to the injured list as the Yankees weigh IL placement before their opener with St. Louis. Boone said the veteran was sore after a foul-ball chase but felt a bit better later, leaving questions about his timeline. Goldschmidt is hitting .276 with 10 homers and 40 RBIs in 112 games, and his lefty-splitting bat (.404 vs LHP this season) adds considerable fantasy intrigue if he’s sidelined. Cody Bellinger has filled in at first on a handful of starts, while Austin Wells’ usage tonight showed the Yankees’ depth behind the plate and at corner infield. The outcome could reshape the Yankees’ infield mix, especially with the Cardinals looming in St. Louis.

Goldschmidt’s conditioning and the team’s off day before the Cardinals series will determine the IL call. If sidelined, NYY would lean on Bellinger’s defensive versatility and Wells’ growing involvement, while the lineup could shift to cover first base and DH roles. The status matters for fantasy managers rostering Goldschmidt, Wells, or occupants of the UTIL/1B slots in daily moves.

Goldschmidt’s low-grade right knee sprain could push him to the IL, a development that would shake the Yankees’ infield balance just as they head into a weekend clash with St. Louis. Boon’es squad will evaluate him off their day off and decide before Friday’s game whether to place him on the IL. The veteran first baseman exited Tuesday’s win after slipping chasing a foul ball, then was sore again Wednesday but feeling a bit better.

He’s hitting .404 against lefties this year and owns a solid .276 overall line with 10 homers and 40 RBIs in 112 games, plus reliable fielding (.996) with a handful of errors. If he misses time, expect a domino effect at first base and in the lineup, with Wells or Bellinger stepping into more regular first-base duties and the Yankees leaning on their near-term depth to fill the void. The decision ahead of Friday’s tilt versus the Cardinals will crystallize how fantasy rosters should pivot, especially for owners banking on his steady production down the stretch.

Judge's return to right field and Stanton back at DH inject order into the Yankees’ lineup as they push toward the postseason. The expected alignment pairs their elite power with Judge’s plate discipline, keeping New York’s top-of-lineup threats in place and maximizing run production.

Judge progresses from a right flexor strain and could be back in RF by Tuesday, while Stanton notched a four-hit game and a 447-foot homer in a 9-1 win over Minnesota. Their combined 47-7 mark when they homer in the same game underscores the danger they pose. Rodón steadied seven innings in a solid bounce-back, and Volpe delivered a crucial three-run shot as the club reset its rotation and bullpen depth for a late-season run.

Will Warren provided length in the previous night’s win, and Stanton’s control of the strike zone has Boone bullish on the lineup’s upside. With Wells back behind the plate and Judge/Stanton orchestrating the middle of the order, the Yankees enter a pivotal stretch with one of the game’s most potent power tandems energizing their fantasy outlook.

Volpe’s surge to superstardom has collided with a summer funk, and Nettles’ blunt take on how Martin would handle the Yankees’ woes underscores a broader clubhouse tension as Boone navigates a flawed, loyally held roster. New York sits 5.5 games back in the AL East and only a hair ahead of Cleveland for the final Wild Card, tightening questions about Boone’s future and the team’s direction.

Austin Wells and Devin Williams surface in the fallout, with Wells’s rookie development and Williams’s lost closer role highlighting bullpen and defensive gaps. Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s baserunning missteps and Wells’s catch-work viral moments stress the margin between potential and performance. For fantasy players, Volpe remains a high ceiling, Wells a growing workload bet, and Williams a speculative rebound candidate amid bullpen churn.