NEW YORK – The bases were full in the fifth inning on Saturday as Aaron Judge stared at a pair of called strikes ruled to have nicked the inside corner. The Yankees didn’t see it that way. Aaron Boone howled from the top step of the dugout, earning his Major League-leading seventh ejection of the season, punctuated by tossing his gum as he stormed off the Yankee Stadium playing field.
Giancarlo Stanton also belted his 453rd career homer, surpassing Carl Yastrzemski (452) for sole possession of 40th place all time. Winners of seven straight, the Yankees (93-68) now await the outcome of the Blue Jays’ game against the Rays at Rogers Centre with the AL East race hanging in the balance.
They’re also hoping for good news after Jazz Chisholm Jr. was forced to exit Saturday’s game, having been hit on the left forearm in the fifth inning by Grant Wolfram’s 96.8 mph sinker. Initial X-rays were negative, and Chisholm will undergo a CT scan, the team said.
Cam Schlittler capped his first regular season with seven strong innings, striking out a career-high nine batters while allowing just two hits and one walk. He finished with a 2.96 ERA over 73 big league frames – a convincing audition for a potential Game 3 start in October, whether in the AL Wild Card or Division Series.
Max Fried and Carlos Rodón are locked in as the Yankees’ Nos. 1 and 2 starters in their next round. Boone has said the club will weigh Schlittler alongside Luis Gil and Will Warren for the remaining postseason rotation assignments.
