Yankees Find Respite in Match Against Twins
This week, the schedule seemed to work in the Yankees’ favor. It offered them a chance to turn things around—a little something like a magic potion, really.
After a tough series with the Astros, the troubled Minnesota Twins arrived in the Bronx. They were navigating through a long rough patch, hovering near the edge of the wild card race and struggling in the AL East.
And suddenly, their troubles seemed to fade. For the past two decades, the Twins had become a familiar target for the Yankees, and this time would be no different.
The game began with the Twins serving up pitches like it was 2002. They managed just two solo home runs during a decent 6²/₃ inning performance, while the Yankees brought enough offense to claim a much-needed 6-2 victory. This win improved their staggering record against the AL Central’s teams to 124-44 (including playoff games).
The Yankees have now defeated the Twins eight consecutive times, and have a remarkable 30-5 record at home since 2015.
Given the Yankees’ struggles, entering this game with a record under .500 since June 12, a victory like this felt almost refreshing. The four-run difference marked their biggest win since a July 11 rout over the Cubs. That was before the All-Star break.
So, it’s fair to see this as a small but significant step forward. The Yankees are now entering a stretch of their schedule that’s a bit softer, and they really need to capitalize on it. Starting pitcher Will Warren excelled, striking out five of the first six Twins he faced. Notably, Giancarlo Stanton, Cody Bellinger, and Ben Rice all hit home runs in the opening innings, making the outcome feel pretty secure.
Warren has been on a roll lately, allowing two or fewer runs in six of his last seven starts, which gives him a solid 2.84 ERA. He worked efficiently, needing only 50 pitches to get through four innings and became the first Yankees starter since July 30 to pitch six full innings.
The Twins managed to score on Warren’s 65th pitch, which caught too much of the plate. Byron Buxton hit a two-out homer in the sixth for his 24th of the season. Shortly after, Trevor Larnach went deep, prompting the Yankees to pull Warren in favor of Luke Weaver. Trent Grisham and Aaron Judge contributed run-scoring singles to further widen the lead.
After that, the Twins posed little threat as the Yankees cruised to an easy win.
It was indeed a relief to see some key hits finally connect after a tough stretch post-Illinois.
But perhaps what’s most exciting for fans is that there are still two more games against the Twins ahead.
