The Yankees needed a spark. They got a wildfire.
After dropping two straight to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Bronx Bombers came alive on Thursday night, riding Aaron Judge’s bat and some timely offense to a 9–7 win at Yankee Stadium. The victory helped them avoid a three-game sweep and reset the vibes before heading into the weekend.
Aaron Judge Sets the Tone
It didn’t take long for the Yankees to make noise. In the bottom of the first inning, Aaron Judge stepped up with Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger on base and did what he does best—turn a pitcher’s mistake into a souvenir.
Judge launched a three-run homer to right-center, the kind of swing that makes pitchers flinch and fans jump to their feet. It was his fifth homer of the season already, and we’re only six games in.
He didn’t stop there. The Yankees’ captain tallied three hits and drove in four runs on the night, raising his slash line to an outrageous .417/.481/1.167. His wRC+ sits at 364—meaning he’s been 264% better than the average MLB hitter so far.
Judge is doing things that, quite frankly, don’t feel real. And at this point, it’s less a hot streak and more a continuation of a reign. The reigning AL MVP has picked up right where he left off, proving once again that when he’s locked in, the Yankees go as far as he takes them.
Chisholm Chasing the Captain
Even Jazz Chisholm Jr., who’s off to a stellar start himself, can’t help but marvel at the man in right field.
“We all just try to be like him,” Chisholm said after the game. “We all tell him every day, ‘we want to be you when we grow up.’ At the same time, we’re just out here playing a team game and we’ve got our big brother leading us.”
Chisholm added a two-run homer of his own in the fourth inning—his fifth of the season—to continue his own tear. He’s brought flair, swagger, and timely power to the middle of the lineup, giving the Yankees a sparkplug that complements Judge’s thunder.
Ben Rice Delivers at the Top
With Paul Goldschmidt and Austin Wells getting the night off, rookie Ben Rice got the nod at leadoff—and made the most of it.
Rice picked up a hit and two walks, scoring twice and driving in two runs. The 26-year-old lefty is now slashing .375/.474/.875 through his first handful of games, looking every bit the part of an everyday contributor while Giancarlo Stanton remains sidelined.
Manager Aaron Boone’s decision to slide Rice up the lineup has been a pleasant surprise, and with the way he’s swinging it, the Yankees might have a longer-term option at the top of the order.
Pitching Remains a Work in Progress
While the offense poured it on, the pitching remains a puzzle.
Carlos Carrasco gave the Yankees 5.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits with five strikeouts. It wasn’t perfect, but it was serviceable—especially considering the 38-year-old was signed to provide depth, not headline starts in early April.
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The real scare came in the seventh when Ryan Yarbrough imploded, giving up four runs on two hits and two walks, including a grand slam to Geraldo Perdomo that cut a comfortable lead to two.
The bullpen has been shaky this series, and with Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil, and Clarke Schmidt all sidelined, the margin for error is razor thin. Schmidt is expected back within the next two weeks, which would provide a much-needed boost to a patchwork rotation currently held together with hope, duct tape, and veteran savvy.
For now, the Yankees will take the win, a big night from their captain, and a reminder that as long as Aaron Judge is upright and swinging, they’ve got a fighting chance every night.