Jose Caballero supplied the only power New York needed, and Gerrit Cole did the rest as the Yankees edged the Cubs 2-1 on Sunday afternoon in Chicago to take the deciding game of the weekend set.
Caballero’s two-run homer in the third inning, his 11th of the season, proved to be the difference. The blast came off Cubs starter Colin Rea after Ryan McMahon opened the frame with a leadoff single, and it gave the Yankees a cushion they never fully surrendered.
Cole turned in 5 2/3 innings of one-run work to improve to 5-5. He allowed four hits and three walks while striking out five, and he kept the Cubs from cashing in on several chances. Chicago’s offense was limited to one extra-base hit all afternoon, a double from Seiya Suzuki.
The Cubs answered in the fourth when Suzuki’s double set up Michael Busch’s RBI single, trimming the deficit to 2-1. But that was as close as Chicago would get.
New York’s bullpen handled the late pressure. In the sixth, Pete Crow-Armstrong walked and Suzuki singled to put runners on base, then Ian Happ drew a two-out walk to load them. Brent Headrick entered and got Nico Hoerner to fly out to center to end the inning.
Headrick stayed on for the seventh and struck out the side. Then in the eighth, Crow-Armstrong and Busch both walked off Paul Blackburn before David Bednar came in with two outs and retired Happ on an inning-ending flyout.
Chicago mounted one last push in the ninth when Pedro Ramirez walked and stole second with one out, but Bednar shut the door by getting Dansby Swanson to ground out and striking out pinch hitter Michael Conforto for his 24th save.
The Yankees had won Friday’s opener 2-0 before dropping Saturday’s game 5-2, but Sunday’s result gave them the series.
In Other News...
Yankees Deadline Push Now Hinges On One Catching Upgrade
The Yankees are still trying to make one more meaningful move before the deadline, and the most interesting part of their search has centered on catcher. They want a right-handed bat behind the plate, a sensible fit for a roster that is already being pushed toward added bullpen help and another right-handed hitter elsewhere, and they have not been shy about working the market with that kind of urgency.
Tyler Stephenson, Adley Rutschman and Ryan Jeffers have all come up as possible answers, which shows how broad the search has become and how competitive the market is likely to be. For a club intent on upgrading in more than one spot, the catching pursuit may end up shaping how the rest of the deadline unfolds, especially if the front office has to decide how far it wants to go to land the right fit. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees May Have A Trade Answer For Their Injury Hit Lineup
The Yankees lineup has been strained by the injuries to Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, and the front office has been doing what it can to survey a thin trade market for help. Catchers and infielders are scarce in particular, which makes the search more difficult and pushes the conversation toward whatever productive bats might actually become available before the deadline.
One name worth watching is Randy Arozarena, a player the Yankees know well enough to appreciate as a possible fit in a lineup looking for more punch. The Seattle outfielder has put together strong offensive numbers this season, and his situation could make him one of the more interesting names to track if New York decides it needs to act on the market rather than wait for reinforcements from within. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Fans Just Got A Yankees Trade Twist To Process
The Yankees are adding another wrinkle to their infield and batting-order picture, with ESPNs Jeff Passan reporting they are reportedly trading for Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. It is the kind of move that immediately invites lineup speculation because Garcia gives New York another capable left-handed bat, and any extra offense around the middle of the order tends to matter in October-minded planning.
But the fit is not as simple as just slotting in one more name and moving on. Garcias arrival adds depth, yet it also brings a real juggling act for the Yankees as they try to sort out playing time and keep the lineup balanced without creating unnecessary friction on the bench. The upside is obvious, but the next question is how New York makes all of the pieces work once everyone is actually in the mix. [Read more 🡒]