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Over the past few weeks, the New York Yankees have played more than their fair share of poor baseball. In fact, to start the month of August, the Yankees were about to hit the panic button amid defensive mishaps and a crippling inability to get the job done late in games. But on Tuesday, the Yankees' uptick in form continued, winning their fourth straight game in powerful fashion as they put on a home run fest in their 13-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
On Tuesday, it was Aaron Judge who got the ball rolling for the Yankees in their longball party. Judge hit a 429-foot home run to center field and the entire squad seemed to be inspired by the powerful antics of their best player. In fact, the Yankees went back-to-back-to-back in the first inning with Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton hitting first-inning home runs of their own en route to nine total dingers for the team on the night.
By hitting nine home runs, the Yankees tied a franchise record for most home runs in a single game, a record that they set earlier in the season, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Three different players hit two home runs (Bellinger, Stanton, and nine-hole hitter Jose Caballero), with Judge, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Ben Rice joining the party.
It was such an incredible display that came on the road, which is nothing to scoff at. The Yankees are one of, if not outright the scariest team to face in MLB when their hitters are clicking like this, and for one night, they reminded everyone why they're still a force to be reckoned with, potentially come October as well.
Yankees turn back the clock against the Rays
The Yankees' greatest strength remains their hitting, and for a second there, it looked as though they were able to travel back in time considering how elite Stanton and Bellinger were from the plate. The two combined to record six hits (four home runs) in eight at-bats on the night to go along with a walk and seven total RBIs.
Stanton, in particular, appears to be in a very good place, physically. It is certainly noteworthy that the Yankees were able to trust him in right field while Judge's elbow is recovering. In 45 games this season, he is slashing .306/.386/.619 — looking like the best version of himself since being traded away by the Miami Marlins back in his heyday.
Bellinger is also back to MVP form; after his incredible performance, he is now slashing .272/.325/.500 in 2025.
What the Yankees need to fully turn back the clock is for Paul Goldschmidt to return to MVP form.
