SAN FRANCISCO — Aaron Judge needed seven at-bats to find his rhythm. Once he did, the rest of the Giants never stood a chance.
The three-time American League MVP went hitless through his first seven plate appearances of the 2026 season before uncorking a towering two-run blast off Robbie Ray in the sixth inning Friday. Two batters later, Giancarlo Stanton followed with a solo shot of his own as the Yankees rolled to a 3-0 win over the Giants at a sold-out Oracle Park.
But while the power display grabbed the headlines, it was the pitching staff that stole the show. Cam Schlittler and four relievers combined for a one-hit shutout, giving the Yankees back-to-back scoreless outings to open a season for the first time in franchise history.
Yankees starter Schlittler picks up where he left off
Cam Schlittler was electric from the first pitch. The 25-year-old Yankees right-hander threw 10 consecutive strikes to open the game and cruised through 5 1/3 innings, allowing only a second-inning double to Heliot Ramos. He did not walk a batter and racked up eight strikeouts while generating 13 total whiffs.
A back and lat issue during Yankees spring training limited Schlittler to roughly 70 pitches Friday, but the restricted count did nothing to dull his stuff. He averaged 98.5 mph with his four-seam fastball and topped out at 100.1 mph, throwing the five fastest pitches of the entire game according to Baseball Savant.
“There’s nothing I can do about it. It’s out of my control. It’s partially my fault just dealing with that little bit of a setback,” Schlittler said. “But I’ll keep building from this week to next week, and then hopefully get up to 90 pitches in a couple starts.”
Yankees center fielder Cody Bellinger, watching from his position, marveled at the full arsenal.
“Obviously, an electric fastball, has a curveball he can land for a strike. The cutter, sinker’s going different ways, and he understands how to command both of them. That’s a good recipe right there,” Bellinger said.
Yankees make history on the mound
Fernando Cruz, Tim Hill, Camilo Doval and David Bednar finished the job after Schlittler departed, allowing zero hits and just two walks over the final 3 2/3 innings. The Yankees became the first team in baseball history to hold an opponent scoreless and limit them to five or fewer hits through the opening two games of a season. The Yankees bullpen has been airtight so far in 2026.
Combined with Max Fried’s dominant Opening Day start Wednesday, Yankees pitchers have now tossed 18 consecutive scoreless innings to begin 2026. Fried and Schlittler combined for 11 2/3 innings, three hits and 12 strikeouts across their outings. Six relievers have yet to allow a run.
“To see Max go out there on Opening Night and do something special and then Cam followed up with a one-hit performance,” Judge said. “The boys have been putting in their work in the offseason. That’s for sure.”
Judge and Stanton reach the 60 club
Friday’s home run barrage carried historical weight. It marked the 60th time that Judge and Stanton have homered in the same game, including the postseason. That total ranks sixth all-time among MLB teammate duos, according to the Elias Sports Bureau and MLB.com’s Sarah Langs.
The Yankees are a staggering 53-7 in those 60 contests. Only five pairings in major league history have connected together more often: Eddie Mathews and Hank Aaron (76), Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig (75), Willie McCovey and Willie Mays (68), Duke Snider and Gil Hodges (67) and Billy Williams and Ron Santo (64).
At their current pace, Judge and Stanton could challenge the top three before the end of this season. The duo first homered in the same game on April 4, 2018, and has been one of the most productive power combinations in Yankees history ever since.
“Him and Judge in that inning just hit two absolute moonshots,” Bellinger said. “So that was fun to watch.”
ABS challenge sparks Judge’s breakout
Judge’s sixth-inning at-bat against Ray began with a called strike on a 1-0 count. The Yankees captain challenged the call through the new ABS system and won, flipping the count to 2-0. He then worked the plate appearance to a full count before crushing a 109.1-mph, 405-foot shot down the left-field line.
It was a moment that silenced those who had questioned the Yankees captain after an 0-for-5 Opening Night that included four strikeouts.
“When you’re arguably the greatest, people expect great things,” Bellinger said. “And throughout 162, great things are gonna happen.”
All four of Judge’s career hits against Ray have left the yard, a fact the Yankees slugger took in stride.
“He flew me out the first at-bat, strikes me out the second at-bat, it’s not looking like a good day,” Judge said. “But I think the biggest thing with him is he’s a competitor. So I know going into the box, he’s going to challenge you.”
Stanton then greeted reliever Jose Butto with a 414-foot, 108-mph blast to push the Yankees lead to 3-0. The designated hitter is 4-for-8 through the first two games after a strong spring.
Yankees eye the sweep at Oracle Park
With a 2-0 record and a Yankees pitching staff that has been nothing short of suffocating, the Yankees will send Will Warren to the mound Saturday looking to complete a three-game sweep. Warren recently switched his number to 29 in honor of his late cousin.
The Yankees also have reinforcements coming. Gerrit Cole is expected back by late May, and Carlos Rodon will return after posting an 18-9 record with a 3.09 ERA in 2025. A potential 1-2-3 Yankees rotation of Fried, Cole and Schlittler has the organization believing this pitching staff can carry them deep into October.
“Obviously, Max was great, bullpen was great, bullpen was electric today as well,” Schlittler said. “So I’m really excited for Will to get going and get the sweep.”
The Giants, still searching for their first run of the season, will counter with Tyler Mahle.
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