Sep 15, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone looks on from the dugout against the Minnesota Twins during the fourth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Yankees Make Disappointing History Against Twins

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Joseph Randazzo | Last updated Sep 16, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The New York Yankees have had the highest highs and the lowest lows in 2025. Against the Minnesota Twins, they found a new low. Yankee teams of the past have used Target Field as a chance to get right, but in the opener, they were shut out. This is such a rare feat that it has only happened twice in the last 40 years on the road in Minnesota.

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The most recent shutout was in 2008. Glen Perkins and Sidney Ponson were the starting pitchers. Perkins bested Ponson, throwing eight scoreless innings. Ponson allowed four runs, which was consistent with his performance with the organization up to that point. As for the offense, Bobby Abreu had two hits. Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano had a pair of singles apiece as well.

You would have to go back even further to the last time a Twins team shut out the Yankees. That took place in 1986. Ronald Reagan was President. Gary Gaetti was 16th in MVP, playing both third base and shortstop. Kirby Puckett had a Kirby Puckett season, slashing .328/.366/.537.

Bert Blyleven tossed a complete-game shutout despite a 4.95 ERA. Don Mattingly had one of the three hits of the day, because who else would it be back then?

When Simeon Woods Richardson took the bump against the Yankees, his ERA was not so dissimilar from Blyleven's 1986. He had a 4.58 ERA coming into the game.

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The key to Woods Richardson's success was his splitter. The Yankees could not figure it out. He generated nine whiffs with the split.

After the game, Woods Richardson took a sense of pride in blanking one of the American League's best teams. Matthew Leach of MLB.com reported what the young pitcher told the media after his big win.

"I've always been a competitor," Woods Richardson said. "I've always been one of those guys who wants to face the best, compete against the best. In the big leagues, everybody is the best. But there's also powerhouses in this league. If I can knock down the powerhouses, it's like a miniature game that you play with yourself."

Things were a bit more somber in the other clubhouse. Coming off a big win, the Yankees most likely expected more.

Erik Boland of Newsday reported that third baseman Ryan McMahon made a sarcastic comment, stating that the team did not perform so poorly "on purpose." Manager Aaron Boone was more blunt, saying that it was "not a good night" as far as their bats went.

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