The New York Yankees, winners of 11 of their last 14 games, aren’t just playing well—they’re reminding everyone why baseball is a game of momentum, magic, and belief.
Monday night’s 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels was another notch in their belt, the seventh win in their last eight.
A game that didn’t feature offensive fireworks still felt electric, largely because the Yankees once again made the little things look effortless.
Ryan Yarbrough keeps writing his underdog story
If Ryan Yarbrough were a novel, he’d be shelved in the comeback section. His story isn’t loud—it’s methodical, efficient, and downright impressive.
With a career ERA north of four and fastball velocity that barely registers in today’s flame-throwing era, Yarbrough isn’t supposed to be dominating.
Yet here he is, sporting a brilliant 3.06 ERA for the season after shutting down the Angels across six innings.
Only one mistake marred his night: a first-inning solo homer to Zach Neto. After that, he settled into a groove, as calm and unbothered as ever. Two hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. He turned Anaheim into a ghost town at the plate.
Matt Blake and the Yankees’ pitching lab have done it again—turning overlooked talent into gold. Yarbrough’s mix of sinkers, sweepers, and off-speed deception is working like a magician’s sleight of hand. Blink, and the inning’s over.
Volpe’s bases-clearing double flips the script
Trailing 1-0 in the fourth, the Yankees saw an opportunity and pounced like a lion in tall grass. Cody Bellinger walked with the bases loaded to tie the game.
Then, Anthony Volpe stepped to the plate with the type of confidence that comes from knowing you belong.
He didn’t just drive in the go-ahead runs—he cleared the bases with a double that soared over the center fielder’s head. It was the type of swing that changes a night.
Volpe’s 16th double of the year couldn’t have come at a more crucial moment. He finished 1-for-4, but those three RBI might as well have been thunderbolts.
There’s a growing sense that Volpe is stepping into more than just a shortstop’s role. He’s becoming the spark, the guy who breaks games open. And Monday, he did exactly that.
Another night, another clinic by the bullpen
The Yankees’ bullpen continues to be the quiet engine driving this surge. Even with key arms missing, the relief crew is threading the needle with precision.
Yerry De Los Santos was surgical in 1.1 innings of work. No walks, three strikeouts, and his ERA dipped to 1.64. He didn’t just hold the lead—he slammed the door on any Angel hopes of a comeback.
Mark Leiter Jr. came in for two big outs and lowered his own ERA to 2.38. Then came Luke Weaver. Though he allowed a hit and a walk in the ninth, he still kept the score frozen. There was a slight wobble, but no collapse.
In a season where most teams are struggling to piece together reliable arms from the ‘pen, the Yankees are doing more than surviving. They’re thriving—again, quietly, efficiently, and with just enough edge to keep hitters uncomfortable.
Like a pot beginning to boil, the Yankees’ momentum is building steadily—and there’s a sense something big is coming.
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