Yankees 8-1 White Sox: Judge, Fried carry New York to AL East top

New York Yankees 8-1 Chicago White Sox

NEW YORK — Aaron Judge continued his assault on baseball history while Max Fried maintained his second-half excellence. During a crucial September evening in the Bronx, the New York Yankees reclaimed their share of the American League East lead, powered by Judge’s two-homer night and seven scoreless frames from Fried in a decisive 8-1 triumph over the Chicago White Sox.

The Yankees (90-68) drew even with the Toronto Blue Jays atop the division standings with just four games remaining in the regular season. Although Toronto holds the tiebreaker advantage, New York’s momentum — seven victories in their past eight contests — has transformed the postseason chase into a deadlock.

Judge joins exclusive 50-homer group once more

Aaron Judge wasted little time energizing Yankee Stadium. During the second inning, he launched a three-run blast off Jonathan Cannon, staking the Yankees to an early 3-1 advantage. He added a solo shot off Cam Booser in the eighth for his 50th homer this season.

Judge becomes only the fourth player in baseball history to achieve four separate 50-homer campaigns, joining an elite group featuring Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa.

This latest achievement follows Judge’s 52-homer rookie season in 2017, his American League-record 62-homer campaign in 2022, and his 58-homer production in 2024.

Fried-Rice battery excels for yankees

All-Star southpaw Max Fried (19-5) turned in another masterful outing, permitting just four hits across seven innings while striking out five batters. His partner behind the plate, rookie catcher Ben Rice, made his debut start with Fried — a “Fried-Rice” combination that sustained the Yankees’ winning momentum.

Fried has captured six straight decisions while posting a 1.55 ERA over his last seven starts. He became the first major league pitcher to reach 19 victories this season, extending a second-half surge that has stabilized the Yankees’ rotation during postseason pressure.

Grisham connects again, White Sox reach century loss mark

Trent Grisham extended his breakout campaign with his 34th home run, contributing to a three-run sixth inning that provided the Yankees additional cushion. Every Yankees run originated via the long ball Wednesday evening.

The defeat dropped the White Sox to 60-100 — their third straight 100-loss season, a dubious distinction matched in AL history only by the Washington Senators from 1961-64.

Chicago’s lone run materialized during the second inning when Lenyn Sosa plated Andrew Vaughn with a sacrifice fly. The White Sox managed little thereafter.

Key moments and stat

Judge’s three-run homer in the second inning transcended the scoreboard impact by making 2025 the third season in MLB history featuring four different players with 50-plus homers, joining 1998 and 2001.

Fried’s recent dominance shows remarkable consistency: 6-0 record with a 1.55 ERA across his last seven starts. He sits one victory shy of 20 wins — a milestone last achieved by a Yankees pitcher in 2011 when CC Sabathia finished 19-8.

Yankees roster

Up next

LHP Carlos Rodón (17-9, 3.04 ERA) starts Thursday night as the Yankees pursue a series sweep against RHP Davis Martin (7-10, 4.03 ERA) for Chicago.

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