Their pitching largely fueled the New York Yankees’ early-season dominance, and that strength is reemerging as the season progresses. On Friday night, Carlos Rodon became the latest Yankees starter to extend the team’s recent run of pitching excellence, delivering six shutout innings in a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium.
Rodon’s performance marked the third straight scoreless start for the Yankees, as the rotation has now strung together 19 consecutive innings without allowing a run. This resurgence in pitching has been pivotal, with the Yankees holding opponents scoreless in four of their last five games, five of their last seven, and six of their last nine.
Early in the season, the Yankees‘ starting pitchers were dominant, leading MLB with a 2.77 ERA through June 14, a stretch that coincided with the team’s impressive 50-22 record, the best in the league at the time. However, from June 15 to August 9, the rotation faltered significantly. During this 44-game slump, the Yankees posted an 18-26 record, with their starters recording the worst ERA in the majors at 6.26.
The last 13 games, however, have seen a revival of the rotation’s strength, echoing their early-season form. Yankees starters have posted a stellar 1.95 ERA over this recent stretch, the best in baseball during that period.
While it’s true that the recent opposition hasn’t featured the most potent lineups, the Yankees’ starters have consistently kept opposing teams in check, allowing two runs or fewer in 10 of their last 13 starts.
This revitalization of the Yankees’ rotation has been a critical factor in their recent success and could prove pivotal as they make a push for the postseason. The combination of strong starting pitching and continued offensive contributions from stars like Aaron Judge and Stanton seems to be guiding the team back to their early-season dominance.
Rodon kept the Yankees’ pitching momentum rolling Friday night with a standout performance against the slumping Rockies (47-82). Over six innings, Rodon allowed just four hits and one walk while striking out five, a significant rebound from his previous outing in Detroit, where he struggled through 3 1/3 innings, surrendering four runs on 90 pitches.
The Yankees pitcher’s command was clear as he held the Rockies to a single baserunner reaching third throughout his outing. Reflecting on the team’s recent pitching dominance, Rodon mentioned the healthy competition within the rotation, with each starter driving the others to maintain their scoreless streak.
“I think we do feed off each other,” Rodon said. “You don’t want to be the guy that gives up the run.”
Yankees offense backs up Rodon’s gem
Backing up Rodon’s effort, the Yankees’ offense did enough to secure the win. Giancarlo Stanton got things started with a solo homer to the opposite field in the fourth inning, his second long ball in as many games. The Yankees added another run in the fifth when Anthony Volpe singled and scored on a fielding error by Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon, pushing the lead to 2-0.
The game also featured another display of the Yankees’ formidable power duo. Judge and Giancarlo Stanton both homered in the same game for the 11th time this season, and the Yankees have won all 11 of those games.
Judge’s recent surge has been particularly impressive. His home run on Friday was his fifth in the last four games, putting him on pace to match the 62 home runs he hit in 2022, which set a new American League record.
Aaron Judge added to the team’s success with his 49th home run of the season, a solo shot in the sixth inning that gave the Yankees a 3-0 lead. The combination of Rodon’s dominant outing and Judge’s power at the plate proved to be the winning formula as the Yankees improved to 76-53, maintaining their 1 ¹/₂-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East.
Judge highlighted the significance of the pitching staff’s performance, noting that their ability to keep games close early on allows the offense time to find its groove. He expressed confidence that when the pitching is this strong, the team’s offensive firepower will eventually break through.
“It’s huge,” he said. “There was a little rough stretch there for a little bit, but guys are figuring it out and doing their thing. With the offense we have, if they go out there and give us a couple zeroes early and allow the offense to get working, good things are going to happen.”
Aaron Judge’s extraordinary season has him firmly in the race for AL MVP, but even his standout performances couldn’t lift the Yankees out of their mid-season struggles, a period heavily influenced by the rotation’s downturn.
Giancarlo Stanton acknowledged the rotation’s resurgence, emphasizing their ability to set the tone early in games and giving the team a solid foundation for victories. He expressed his admiration for the pitching staff’s recent performances.
Manager Aaron Boone praised the collective effort on the mound, highlighting the critical role strong pitching plays in the Yankees’ success. He pointed out that many pitchers are finding their groove, whether starting or relieving and emphasized that this resurgence is pivotal to the team’s recent success and their postseason aspirations.
“A lot of guys throwing the ball really well,” the manager said. “Ultimately, that’s what’s going to carry the day: You gotta pitch. I feel like we’re getting a lot of guys in good places and making real contributions, whether it’s starting the game or guys coming in out of the pen right now.”
The Yankees’ bullpen locked down the shutout after Rodon exited. Luke Weaver, Jake Cousins, and Clay Holmes each delivered a scoreless inning. Holmes, who had recently blown a save in the Little League Classic, bounced back to notch his first save since that game, skillfully navigating around a leadoff walk.
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