Yankees’ Anthony Volpe works out at shortstop before Saturday’s game at Fenway Park
Dealing with a partial tear to his left labrum, Yankees’ shortstop Anthony Volpe worked out at shortstop before the Sept. 13 game against the Red Sox, along with Jose Caballero and second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr.
NEW YORK – In a crazy, final stretch of the 2025 MLB season, the Yankees have made it to Game 162 with a chance to win the AL East.
But if the Blue Jays win their final regular season game on Sunday, Toronto will capture the division. Period.
Whether they’re a wild card or the repeat division champs, “it won’t matter either way,’’ said Yankees captain Aaron Judge, with a three-RBI afternoon to fuel Saturday’s 6-1 win against the Orioles at Yankee Stadium.
“But our first goal was to win our division. We were able to punch our ticket (to postseason). We know it’s not the end goal,” said Judge, speaking before Toronto completed a 5-1 home victory against the Tampa Bay Rays.
“If it’s playing a wild card or playing a Division (Series), either will be fine,” said Judge, who clubbed his 53rd homer of the year Saturday. “But the boys in here definitely want the division.’’
To repeat as AL East champs, the Yankees would have to win Sunday, and the Blue Jays must lose.
“Kind of crazy…that’s baseball, Suzyn,” said manager Aaron Boone, surveying the Game 162 landscape after the Yankees’ seventh straight win.
“That’s the beauty of our sport. Should make for an interesting day.”
Tied atop the AL East standings at 93-68 with Toronto, the Yankees – who trailed the division by five games entering play on Sept. 17 – lose the divisional tiebreaker, based on the Jays’ 8-5 head-to-head record against them.
“We’ve got to go win (Sunday), that’s all we can control and hope the dominoes fall our way,” said rookie starter Cam Schlittler, who’ll be “locked in” on watching the Sunday scoreboard.
Yankees’ Cam Schlittler comes through again
Lined up for a potential Game 3 wild card series start (should that be the Yanks’ playoff fate), Schlittler tossed seven shutout innings, yielding two hits and striking out nine batters.
In what turned out to be a must-win game to keep their division hopes alive, “there was a little bit of pressure there, but it’s something I enjoy,’’ said Schlittler, who posted a 2.96 ERA in 14 starts.
“The job’s not over,” said Schlittler, prepared for any role in postseason. “So, we’re going to make sure I take that into next week and into next season as well.’’
“Cam’s been impressive all year,’’ said Judge. “Each start, he’s becoming better and better, reading swings, knowing what to throw.’’
Judge’s MLB-record 20th first inning homer this year was a solo shot off Tomo Sugano; at that point, Judge was 7-for-8 against Sugano with three home runs in his career against the O’s right-hander.
Following Friday night’s two-homer game, Giancarlo Stanton’s second-inning homer – his 24th in 76 games this year – moved him past Hall-of-Famer Carl Yastrzemski for 40th place on MLB’s all-time list.
Stanton and Ryan McMahon connected with solo homers against Sugano, and Judge added a two-run single in a turbulent fifth inning.
Boone was ejected for arguing the strike zone against Judge and Yanks second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. left after being drilled in the left forearm; initial X-rays and a CT scan came back negative.
And for the second straight game, Judge and Stanton homered in the game as teammates – the 59th time it’s happened, including postseason. The Yanks are 52-7 in those games.
On the verge of his first batting title, Judge is also in a personal battle to repeat as AL MVP, with Seattle’s 60-homer catcher Cal Raleigh.
Naturally, he’s got the Yankees’ endorsement: “It’s not a doubt in my mind,” McMahon said of Judge’s MVP status.