NEW YORK — The New York Yankees rolled past the Baltimore Orioles, 6-1, on Saturday at Yankee Stadium, stretching their win streak to seven games. The result, paired with the Toronto Blue Jays’ 5-1 win over the Rays, means the Yankees (93-68) remain locked in a tie with Toronto for first place in the American League East heading into the final game of the regular season.
Aaron Judge continued to carry the Yankees with three more RBIs and his 53rd home run of the year, while rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler delivered seven dominant shutout innings. Their efforts helped keep the Yankees’ hopes of a division title alive heading into Sunday’s Game 162.
Judge powers MVP campaign with homer, key hit
Judge wasted no time in Saturday’s game. He launched a solo home run in the opening frame against Baltimore starter Tomoyuki Sugano. It was his fourth home run in as many games and his 10th in the last 18.
“It was definitely a big spot where we put the game out of reach,” Judge said after later adding a two-run single in the fifth. “I didn’t agree with the calls, but you’ve got to stay focused. It only takes one pitch. That’s why you get three strikes.”
With a 2-for-4 day at the plate, Judge bumped his batting average to .331. That puts him in position to win his first batting title. At 6-foot-7, he would be the tallest player ever to claim the crown. He would also become just the third player in MLB history to lead the league in batting average while hitting 50 or more home runs, joining Mickey Mantle (1956) and Jimmie Foxx (1938).
In his last 29 games, Judge is hitting .379 with a 1.362 OPS. His torrid finish has bolstered his MVP case, as he competes with Seattle’s Cal Raleigh, who reached the 60-homer mark as a catcher.
“The guy can do it all, man,” said infielder Ryan McMahon, who also homered Saturday. “I think it’s a no-doubt MVP. Seeing him up close the last two months, it’s no doubt in my mind.”
Schlittler makes strong playoff case
Cam Schlittler may have secured himself a spot in the postseason rotation with Saturday’s performance. The 24-year-old rookie struck out a career-best nine Orioles, allowing just two hits and one walk over seven innings.
His fastball regularly touched 100 mph, keeping the Baltimore lineup off balance. With Saturday’s win, Schlittler closes the regular season with a 4-3 record and 2.96 ERA over 73 innings.
“Obviously, I knew the situation after yesterday and coming in today,” Schlittler said. “There was a little bit of pressure there, but that’s something I enjoy.”
Manager Aaron Boone praised the rookie’s poise and approach.
“There’s a humility to him, and he doesn’t think he has it figured out or anything like that, but he does have confidence with a real competitiveness,” Boone said. “Good combination.”
With Max Fried and Carlos Rodon already slotted for the playoff rotation, Schlittler could now be the next arm in line.
Stanton, McMahon add to Yankees’ power display
Giancarlo Stanton joined the long-ball party in the second inning, blasting a 427-foot home run into the right-center bleachers. It was the 453rd of his career, moving him past Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski for 40th on the all-time list.
Judge and Stanton have now homered in the same game 59 times since becoming teammates in 2018. The Yankees are 52-7 in those games.
“They’ve been right in the middle of pretty much everything here down the stretch that’s put us in position to at least have a meaningful game tomorrow,” Boone said. “Those two guys are game-changers.”
McMahon added a 401-foot solo shot in the sixth inning, bouncing it off the bullpen wall. It was his 20th of the year and his fourth since joining the Yankees midseason.
Tension rises with Boone’s ejection, injury scare for Chisholm
Saturday’s game had its heated moments. Boone was ejected in the fifth inning after a dispute over called strikes during Judge’s at-bat with the bases loaded. It marked Boone’s seventh ejection of the season, the most in the majors.
“I didn’t agree with the calls, but you’ve got to stay focused,” Judge said after the at-bat, in which he eventually drove in two runs with a single.
The Yankees also dealt with a moment of concern when Jazz Chisholm Jr. was hit on the left forearm by a 97-mph sinker from reliever Grant Wolfram. The team later confirmed that both X-rays and a CT scan came back negative.
Division title up for grabs on final day
Despite going 10-1 in their last 11 games and posting a 31-12 mark since August 11, the Yankees still face an uphill battle to win the division. Because the Blue Jays own the head-to-head tiebreaker, the Yankees must finish one game ahead to secure the AL East crown.
To do that, the Yankees need to win Sunday while hoping the Rays defeat the Blue Jays in Toronto. Otherwise, New York will host the top Wild Card Series game on Tuesday.
“I wish we had a nice little cushion, a nice little lead in the division, but we’ll take it either way,” Judge said. “If it’s playing a wild card or playing a division series, I think either will be fine. But I know the boys in here definitely want that division.”
Boone acknowledged the rare situation of a 162-game season coming down to the wire.
“Kind of crazy,” he said. “162 games, and it’s going to come down to that last day. That’s baseball. That’s the beauty of our sport. For those of us and fans that live and die with their teams all summer long, it should make for an exciting day.”
Luis Gil is set to start Sunday’s regular season finale. The Yankees will count on the right-hander to deliver with everything still on the line.
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