NEW YORK — Chicago White Sox reliever Tyler Gilbert had to change gloves before entering with two on and one out in the fifth inning Thursday against the New York Yankees.
“I’ve been using that glove all year,” Gilbert said. “It’s got a buildup of sweat and rosin. It’s on the palm area. And (umpire) Phil (Cuzzi) thought it was something else. I don’t really know what the next step is. If they do lab results, they will just realize it was sweat and rosin buildup. Other than that, that’s all.
“I had to bring in another glove. I’ve been using that one all year and haven’t had any issues with it. It is what it is.”
After the short stir, Gilbert walked Ben Rice. Giancarlo Stanton followed with a go-ahead three-run double and the Yankees didn’t look back, defeating the Sox 5-3 in front of 38,545 at Yankee Stadium.
The Sox were swept in the three-game series and have lost five straight. They fell to 58-101, tied for the fourth-most losses in a season in franchise history. The Sox also lost 101 games in 1948 and 2023.
Gilbert suffered the loss in relief of Davis Martin. The Sox starter allowed three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks in 4 1/3 innings in his final appearance of the season.
“I feel like the stuff was good,” Martin said. “Early on, a little bit sporadic. I kind of settled in and put together some good innings.”
Martin wrapped up 2025 with a 7-10 record, 4.10 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 26 outings (25 starts).
“Going into this start, it was kind of just regardless of the result, it was going to be a celebration of just making it through a full year,” Martin said. “Coming up in ’22, I’ve been asked, did you feel like being a big-leaguer? And I told myself I’d never feel like a big-leaguer until I finished from opening day until the end of the year.
“So it’s a goal I’ve had for a really long time. I put a lot of work in, put a lot of hours in. It’s a really cool feeling.”
Martin escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the first allowing just one run.
The Sox tied the score with a sacrifice fly to center by Corey Julks in the second. The Yankees threatened in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with two outs. Cody Bellinger grounded out to first baseman Miguel Vargas to keep the score even.
White Sox right fielder Michael A. Taylor reacts after hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning against the Yankees on Sept..25, 2025, in New York. (Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
The Sox took a 3-1 lead in the fourth on Michael A. Taylor’s two-run home run against Yankees starter Carlos Rodón.
The Yankees responded with the three in the fifth. Aaron Judge and Bellinger had back-to-back singles with one out in the inning. That ended Martin’s outing.
The glove issue popped up as Gilbert entered from the bullpen.
“I think there was just a bit of rosin and sweat buildup in the palm of his glove that was just a little too sticky for (crew chief) Dan (Bellino),” Sox manager Will Venable said. “He didn’t suspect any bad intent on Gilbert’s part. It was just a little too sticky, so he asked for him to get a new glove and that was pretty much it.”
When the incident was over, the walk to Rice and three-run double from Stanton that scooted past third baseman Curtis Mead followed as the Yankees grabbed a 4-3 lead.
The Yankees added a run in the seventh with an Austin Wells RBI double against reliever Mike Vasil.
Colson Montgomery had two hits in the loss. The Sox finished with five hits.
Rodón, a former Sox starter, allowed three runs on four hits with five strikeouts and one walk in six innings to improve to 18-9.
The Sox have lost 11 of 12.
“Tough (series),” Venable said. “You’re right there on a couple of these games and you’re not able to get the results. But again, these are great learning experiences for us.
“Disappointed about not being able to get a win or two here, but at the same time a great experience to play some close games and some mistakes that we can learn from and continue to grow.”
The Sox conclude the season with three road games this weekend against the Washington Nationals.
Originally Published: September 25, 2025 at 10:20 PM CDT