The New York Yankees kept their momentum alive Thursday night, defeating the Chicago White Sox 10-4 to secure their fifth straight victory.
While the Yankees remain in second place in the AL Wild Card race behind Boston, they both continue applying pressure on Toronto.
It feels like a three-way sprint where every misstep matters, and the Yankees have no intention of slowing down.
Grisham pulls ahead in Yankees’ quiet home run race
Aaron Judge remains the unquestioned centerpiece of New York’s lineup, and Giancarlo Stanton is currently scorching hot at the plate.
Still, the Yankees’ success this year has been built not only on stars, but also on the consistency of three key, steady contributors.
Jazz Chisholm Jr., Cody Bellinger, and Trent Grisham have each provided rock-solid power numbers that often goes overlooked in headlines.
All three connected for long balls Thursday, with Chisholm and Bellinger both tallying their 26th homers of the season.
Grisham delivered the biggest blow, launching his 27th homer in the eighth inning to stretch the lead to 9-4.
Trent Grisham hits his 27th homer of the season 💪 pic.twitter.com/Ez0aE7DFzk
— MLB (@MLB) August 29, 2025
His swing was the exclamation point on a game where role players showed they can carry weight alongside the superstars.
Warren allows zero earned runs despite giving up grand slam
Will Warren’s line doesn’t tell the whole story of his five innings, where he scattered five hits and allowed four runs.
Miguel Vargas tagged him for a grand slam, but because Anthony Volpe’s error extended the inning, none were earned.
That rare statistical twist lowered Warren’s ERA to 4.30, despite the fact he clearly battled through uneven command.
He hit a batter, walked two, and rarely found his rhythm, but still managed to keep New York within striking distance.
For a rookie pitcher trying to establish himself, the outing was more about resilience than dominance—and the Yankees needed it.
Volpe flashes both promise and problems at shortstop
Anthony Volpe’s night perfectly captured his season—full of contradictions, occasional flashes, and frustrating inconsistencies on the field.
Entering the game hitless since August 19, Volpe broke out with two knocks, including a ringing double to left-center.
He also delivered a sacrifice fly in the eighth for a critical insurance run while swiping his 16th base of the season.
Defensively, though, Volpe committed his 18th error, a costly miscue that directly preceded Vargas’ game-tying grand slam in the second inning.
Anthony Volpe commits his 18th error of the season, the second-most in MLB, trailing only Elly De La Cruz’s 20. #Yankees
pic.twitter.com/3sRSZctxEB— Bronx Bombers News (@NewsBronx) August 29, 2025
Only Elly De La Cruz has more errors among MLB shortstops, highlighting Volpe’s troubling struggles at one of baseball’s toughest positions.
The Yankees will welcome his offensive production, but the defense remains a glaring weakness that could shape postseason decisions.
Bullpen answers the call with flawless finish
After Warren exited, the Yankees’ bullpen slammed the door with the kind of efficiency fans have long been desperate to see.
Fernando Cruz fired a clean sixth inning with one strikeout, showing sharp command after recently returning from the injured list.
Luke Weaver kept the momentum rolling with two punchouts in a perfect seventh, proving he can be trusted in high-leverage spots.
Devin Williams electrified the crowd by striking out the side in the eighth, continuing his dazzling stretch of dominance.
Finally, Mark Leiter Jr. handled the ninth without incident, sealing the Yankees’ 10-4 victory and giving the bullpen a major boost.
For weeks, the relief corps has been unpredictable, but nights like Thursday hint at a group starting to find its stride.
When paired with the offense’s depth and timely hitting, a stable bullpen transforms New York from good to genuinely dangerous.
READ MORE: Yankees plan to convert rehabbing starter to a bullpen weapon