Stanton’s Bases-Clearing Double, Rodón’s 18th Win Keep Yankees Tied with Blue Jays in AL East Race

Stanton flips the game in the fifth

109 MPH off the bat of @Giancarlo818 ???? pic.twitter.com/8oJLepIIXS

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 26, 2025

New York trailed 3 to 1 in the fifth when Aaron Judge singled, Cody Bellinger added a hit, and Ben Rice drew a walk to load the bases against reliever Tyler Gilbert. Stanton, who struck out in his first two trips, cracked a hard grounder just past third baseman Curtis Mead. The ball rolled into left field and cleared the bases, giving the Yankees a 4 to 3 lead they never surrendered. It was Stanton’s eighth double and his fifty ninth run batted in this season.

“Earlier in the game I was trying to do too much. This time I calmed down, got a pitch out over the plate, and just focused on hitting it hard.” — Giancarlo Stanton

Big G with a bases-clearing double ???? pic.twitter.com/U6fHiKWWeR

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 26, 2025

Rodón reaches two hundred strikeouts and earns win number eighteen

Carlos Rodón 18 and 9 worked six innings and allowed three runs on four hits with five strikeouts and one walk. He reached two hundred strikeouts in a season for the second time in his career. His previous high was two hundred thirty seven with San Francisco in 2022. The big blow against him came in the fourth when Michael A. Taylor lined a two run homer to right center. Rodón settled in and left with the lead after Stanton’s swing.

“It is incredible to watch him grind through hitters and give us a chance to win every time he takes the ball.” — Giancarlo Stanton on Carlos Rodón

Judge sets AL record for intentional walks and keeps raking

Aaron Judge went two for three with a double and a single and drew two intentional walks. He now has thirty six intentional walks this year, which is the most in American League history since the league began tracking the stat in 1955. Judge raised his MLB best batting average to .330.

Insurance from Austin Wells

Austin adds on ???? pic.twitter.com/3Gt6wwendN

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 26, 2025

In the seventh, Stanton walked and Jasson Domínguez came in to run. Austin Wells then drilled an RBI double off the right center fence to extend the margin to 5 to 3. Wells is up to seventy runs batted in this season.

Bullpen locks it down and defense shines

Luke Weaver tossed a clean seventh. Devin Williams struck out two in a scoreless eighth despite two baserunners, and David Bednar needed only three batters for his twenty sixth save in twenty nine chances. In the eighth, Cody Bellinger made a running catch deep in left center with two aboard to end the threat and preserve the two run lead.

White Sox miscues and bright spots

Chicago has dropped five in a row and eleven of twelve, falling to 58 and 101. Rookie Colson Montgomery doubled leading off the sixth but was thrown out easily trying to advance to third on a routine grounder to short with the White Sox down 4 to 3. Michael A. Taylor produced the club’s big swing with a two run homer in the fourth, and Michael Vargas scored twice.

Standings context and what is next

The Yankees improved to 91 and 68, matching Toronto for the best record in the American League. The Blue Jays beat Boston 6 to 1 and own the head to head tiebreaker after taking the season series eight wins to five. New York has already secured home field advantage for the Wild Card Series if needed, yet the AL East crown remains in play.

New York hosts last place Baltimore this weekend. The Yankees are scheduled to start rookie right hander Will Warren who is 8 and 8 with a 4.35 ERA against Orioles left hander Trevor Rogers who is 9 and 2 with a 1.35 ERA. Toronto is home against Tampa Bay with Yoendrys Gómez 3 and 3 with a 4.92 ERA facing Cade Cavalli 3 and 1 with a 4.23 ERA.

“We have to take care of our scoreboard first. We know what is at stake and we need to finish strong against Baltimore.” — Giancarlo Stanton

By the numbers

• Yankees have won five straight and eight of nine, and are a season high twenty three games over .500.
• Rodón: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 1 HR.
• Stanton: 1 for 3 with a three run double and one walk.
• Judge: 2 for 3 with a double and two intentional walks, AL record thirty six intentional walks this year.
• Wells: RBI double in the seventh for his seventieth RBI.
• Weaver hold number twenty one, Williams hold number fifteen, Bednar save number twenty six.