St. Petersburg — Paul Goldschmidt, the New York Yankees’ first baseman, extended a troubling slump with an 0-for-4 performance in Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, marking 34 consecutive at-bats without a hit. The streak ties Goldschmidt with seven other Yankees since 1970 who have endured a hitless stretch of at least 30 at-bats, including notable players such as Derek Jeter and Jason Giambi.

Goldschmidt’s difficulties continued despite his determined approach at the plate. On Tuesday, he recorded a Golden Sombrero—a game with four strikeouts—and acknowledged his recent struggles following back-to-back poor outings. “I try to be more positive than that, but you strike out four times, and there’s guys on base, just a really bad performance,” he said, reflecting on the club’s strikeout-heavy efforts in recent games. The Yankees set a franchise record with 34 strikeouts over the last two contests against the Rays.

Despite the slump, Goldschmidt emphasized maintaining his confidence. “I’m always confident stepping in the box,” he said, while also accepting responsibility for his performance. “I haven’t performed well, and we’ll just do everything I can to perform better, starting tomorrow.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone noted that Goldschmidt’s timing appears off, suggesting the veteran is “in between” and “behind some pitches.” Boone also highlighted that Goldschmidt has been struggling to consistently connect with quality swings amid the team’s recent offensive woes.

Goldschmidt, 38, has been a key contributor to the Yankees’ lineup this season, especially during a stretch from late May to late June when he hit .339 with a .980 OPS, including nine home runs and 26 RBIs. His productivity has been valuable amid injuries that have affected other players in the Yankees’ lineup.

However, the club as a whole has been underperforming, losing 15 of its last 20 games. Goldschmidt acknowledged that no single factor explains his current slump, saying, “When you strike out every time in a game, you don’t really have exactly one thing (that’s off). It was a combination of things.” He admitted to swinging at too many pitches outside the strike zone and failing to capitalize when making contact.

The Yankees hope Goldschmidt can regain his earlier form, as they aim to improve their offense and reverse their recent slide with more consistent performances at the plate.