The New York Yankees are building momentum heading into the playoffs on both sides of the ball. Aaron Judge is putting the final touches on another MVP-caliber season, driving the Yankees offense. However, Giancarlo Stanton got things started in their series opener against the Baltimore Orioles. He bashed a two-run shot that propelled New York into league record books.
The Yankees have won eight of their last ten games, including five in a row heading into Friday night. New York finishes the regular season with three games against the Orioles. While Baltimore is out of the playoff picture, the race for the American League East crown could come down to the final game of the season. Luckily for the Yankees, their sluggers came to play.
Stanton's first home run of the game put New York up 2-0. Judge matched him with a two-run shot two innings later. However, the Yankees' DH one-upped him later in the third with his second bomb of the night. According to Major League Baseball's Sarah Langs, the 2025 Yankees stand alone in league history when it comes to first inning home runs.
“Most first-inning HR in a season, MLB history: 2025 Yankees: 48 2023 Braves: 47 2019 Reds: 46 2023 Dodgers: 43 2022 Astros: 42 2021 Dodgers: 42,” Langs said.
Stanton has rediscovered his power down the stretch of the regular season. He has come up huge in the postseason since arriving in New York back in 2018. Yankees fans hope that he and Judge can guide the team on another deep playoff run. New York has been fighting to get back to the World Series and avenge an embarrassing loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024.
The Yankees' offense has suffered lulls throughout the season. However, Stanton, Judge, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. are leading the charge at the plate, driving New York to a strong finish. If the team can continue dominating in the first inning, it could result in a World Series title.
