NEW YORK – The Yankees will enjoy no breather this October, instead diving straight into postseason action in the American League Wild Card Series, which is set to begin on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.
Even after closing the regular season with a 3-2 win over the Orioles in Sunday’s Game 162 at Yankee Stadium, the Blue Jays’ victory over the Rays at Rogers Centre kept New York from repeating as American League East champions.
After playing in the World Series a year ago, the Yankees completed the regular season with an eight-game winning streak to produce the same record of 94-68.
“These last couple of weeks were pretty fun,” said Aaron Judge, who finished the regular season with a .331 average to claim the AL’s batting title. “We went into a gauntlet of games where people counted us out. We took care of business, especially this last week. We’ve been treating it like the postseason.”
It was a turbulent ride, marked by sub-.500 months in June and July, including a four-game sweep in Toronto that ultimately gave the Blue Jays a head-to-head division tiebreaker. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the last several weeks have shown the different qualities his team can use to chase a championship.
“We can beat you in different ways, but we’ve still got to go out and do it,” Boone said. “We’re a long way away from that. We’re confident going in. I know the guys are, and hopefully we put our best foot forward.”
Instead of a first-round bye, the Yankees will send Max Fried to the mound against the Red Sox on Tuesday in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series, to be played in the Bronx. First pitch is scheduled for 6:08 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN.
“We’ve got a rowdy crowd out there, a rowdy group that’s been behind us all year long,” Judge said. “Even in our tough times in the summer, they were still showing out in numbers, supporting us. They’re definitely going to be excited for a Yankees-Red Sox postseason matchup, that’s for sure.”
Ben Rice homered twice in the victory, launching a solo shot in the first inning off Kyle Bradish and a go-ahead blast in the eighth off Rico Garcia. Rice wrapped his first full Major League season with 26 homers and 65 RBIs in 138 games; he said Sunday’s win was bittersweet with Toronto’s clinch.
“Obviously it was a good way to close out the year, with all those wins,” Rice said. “We fell short of the goal to win the division, but now we’re just on to the postseason and just focusing on the [Wild Card] Series.”
Giancarlo Stanton had a run-scoring single to support Luis Gil, who surrendered a pair of back-to-back homers in the fourth, with Jordan Westburg and Gunnar Henderson going deep. Gil worked five innings, scattering three hits while walking two and striking out two.
“The AL East is maybe the best division in baseball,” Gil said through interpreter Marlon Abreu. “It’s a tough one.”
The reigning AL Rookie of the Year, Gil’s season was truncated by a high-grade right lat strain sustained during Spring Training, limiting him to 11 starts. Rookie Cam Schlittler is in line to start a potential Game 3 of the Wild Card Series, and Gil said he hasn’t been told what his role will be in the next round.
“It doesn’t matter,” Gil said. “Whatever the role may be, I’m going to try to help the team. Winning is the most important thing.”
Judge went 1-for-4 with a run scored to claim his first career batting title. The 6-foot-7 Judge also paced the Majors in on-base percentage (.457) and slugging percentage (.688) while becoming the tallest batting champ in Major League history. His 53 home runs are the most in Major League history for any player to win the batting title.
“Just trying to do my job. That’s what it comes down to,” Judge said. “Especially with this team, the guys we went out and got. … I’ve got to get on base for those guys, find a way to drive the ball any way I can and kind of let them do the rest. So it’s pretty cool being on that list.”
Additionally, Judge is just the fifth player in the Expansion Era (since 1961) to lead the Majors in all three triple-slash categories in a single season, and the first since Miguel Cabrera in 2013. The others are Barry Bonds (2002), Larry Walker (1999) and George Brett (1980).
Boone said he presented Judge with an autographed baseball congratulating him on the batting title, mentioning the names of former batting champs Tony Gwynn, Rod Carew and Brett as the company he now belongs in.
Judge also said he heard almost immediately from his friend and former teammate DJ LeMahieu, the last Yankee to win a batting title. LeMahieu achieved it during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
“That’s special,” Judge said. “But there’s more work to be done.”