Daily Report – 4/24/26
Yankees
Early in yesterday’s game, the Yankees didn’t look like they had much of a chance against the Red Sox. Payton Tolle, in his season debut, struck out five of the first six batters he faced, totaling 11 strikeouts over six innings. That means the Yankees struck out in over 60% of their at-bats against Tolle.
Overall, the Yankees struck out 17 times. Giancarlo Stanton, who cooled off from his hot start at Fenway, struck out four times. The Yankees went 4-for-10 with runners in scoring position, but they left the bases loaded twice, including in the fourth inning with nobody out.
But these Red Sox aren’t the Red Sox of yesteryear. Cam Schlittler was better than Tolle, and the Yankees won 4-2, sweeping Boston. Schlittler struck out five batters, and he became the second straight Yankees pitcher (Max Fried on Wednesday) to last eight innings. He was efficient, using just 96 pitches, and allowed one earned run.
Before this series, Schlittler reported receiving death threats from Red Sox fans. If anything, in his first career start at his hometown ballpark, he gave angry Boston fans more reasons to threaten him. But Schlittler decided the fans in Boston weren’t as rowdy as he predicted. He did receive added security during warmups, though.
“You underestimate how many good people show up to the ballpark,” Schlittler said. “It was great. For the most part, they were really respectful, and it seemed like there were a lot of Yankees fans here.”
Perhaps if the Red Sox had played a more competitive game, then more fans would have shown up. The Red Sox scored the game’s first run, yet despite Tolle’s strong start, they didn’t mount a hurdle for the Yankees.
“I think them not scoring a lot or mounting a lot necessarily kind of took [away] a little bit of that angst that you get from playing at Fenway,” manager Aaron Boone said. “So, [Schlittler] did a good job of not giving them a lot to rally about.”
The Yankees’ rotation has set the bullpen up for a successful road trip. With three straight cities and zero days off, a bullpen can easily become exhausted. However, the Yankees only used two relievers – Brent Headrick and David Bednar – between their last two games.
Schlittler’s four walks in six starts are the fewest among American League starters, a testament to his sensational command. In the second inning yesterday, he walked Wilyer Abreu, but catcher Austin Wells caught him stealing second base.
With two outs, it looked like Schlittler would escape the inning, but Amed Rosario committed a fielding error, allowing Trevor Story to reach first base. Then, Marcelo Mayer doubled to bring him home, but Schlittler forced Caleb Durbin into an inning-ending groundout.
The Yankees tried to answer in the top of the fourth inning. Amed Rosario, Aaron Judge, and Ben Rice loaded the bases for Stanton, but he struck out swinging. Two outs later, Trent Grisham left the bases loaded, but in the fifth inning, Jazz Chisholm Jr. tied the game with his first home run of the season.
“I tend to have a couple of problems early in the season, but at the end of the day, it feels good to finally get [a homer] in there,” Chisholm said.
The home run was a baby blast that snuck around Pesky’s Pole in right field, but it still lifted a massive weight off Chisholm’s shoulders. During Spring Training, the Yankees’ second baseman proclaimed he would achieve a 50-50 season in 2026. He is far from there, but with his first home run, at least he got the monkey off his back.
Schlittler’s only earned run came in the fifth inning, as Carlos Naváez homered to regain Boston’s one-run lead.
“He has that F-you attitude, like Carlos [Rodón] and Gerrit [Cole], that everybody loves and adores when you’re playing behind him,” Chisholm said of Schlittler. “I think it’s pretty cool to see him go out there and do his thing, especially in his home city.”
In the seventh inning, Danny Coulombe replaced Tolle, and with one out, the Yankees loaded the bases for Wells, who struck out swinging. The Red Sox decided to replace Coulombe with right-hander Greg Weissert, but the Yankees made them pay by bringing in Cody Bellinger off the bench.
In his 10th Big League season, this was just Bellinger’s 38th career pinch-hitting appearance. He only had one pinch-hit RBI before this game, but he didn’t show it. He saw a fastball he liked, and he lined it the opposite way for a two-run single.
“You really just prepare as much as you can,” said Bellinger, who is hitting .304 against righties this season. “When your name’s called, I stick within myself and my plan and take my swing.”
Judge backed Bellinger up with an RBI single, giving the Yankees a two-run lead, prompting Boone to keep Schlittler on the mound for two more innings. In Bellinger’s words, Schlittler kept doing “Cam things.”
“He’s such a young kid,” Bellinger said of the 25-year-old Schlittler. “This rivalry is different when you wear these two uniforms. He’s just done a tremendous job pitching and handling everything that comes with it.”
The Yankees hope their rotation continues to shine tonight as they begin a three-game series in Houston. The rivalry against the Astros is no longer at its ripest, but Yordan Alvarez, who leads the Majors with 11 home runs, will challenge the Yankees’ pitching staff.
Tonight, at 8:10 PM (7:10 PM CDT), the Yankees will send RHP Will Warren (2-0, 2.49 ERA) to the mound against the righty Lance McCullers Jr. (1-1, 6.20 ERA) in their first game in Houston (YES, Gotham Sports).
Here is tonight’s starting lineup for the New York Yankees:
CF Trent Grisham (L)
RF Aaron Judge (C) (R)
LF Cody Bellinger (L)
1B Ben Rice (L)
DH Giancarlo Stanton (R)
2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. (L)
C JC Escarra (L)
3B Ryan McMahon (L)
SS José Caballero (R)
SP: RHP Will Warren (2-0, 2.49 ERA)
Tomorrow, at 7:10 PM (6:10 PM CDT), LHP Ryan Weathers (1-2, 3.18 ERA) will start against the righty Mike Burrows (1-3, 6.75 ERA) (YES, Gotham Sports).
On Sunday, at 2:10 PM (1:10 PM CDT), the series will conclude as RHP Luis Gil (1-1, 4.11 ERA) toes the slab against the righty Spencer Arrighetti (2-0, 2.45 ERA).
Schedule
Tonight 4/24:
6:00 PM (5:00 PM CDT): New York Giants 2026 Press Conference, Draft Edition; MSG, Gotham Sports
7:00 PM (6:00 PM CDT): 2026 NFL Draft, Rounds 2 and 3; ABC, ESPN
8:10 PM (7:10 PM CDT): NYY at HOU; YES, Gotham Sports; SP: RHP Will Warren (2-0, 2.49 ERA) vs. LHP Lance McCullers Jr. (1-1, 6.20 ERA)
Saturday 4/25:
6:00 PM (5:00 PM CDT): 2026 NBA Playoffs Round 1, Game 4 – New York Knicks (1-2) at Atlanta Hawks (2-1); NBC, Peacock
7:10 PM (6:10 PM CDT): NYY at HOU; YES, Gotham Sports; SP: LHP Ryan Weathers (1-2, 3.18 ERA) vs. RHP Mike Burrows (1-3, 6.75 ERA)
Sunday 4/26:
2:10 PM (1:10 PM CDT): NYY at HOU; YES, Gotham Sports; SP: RHP Luis Gil (1-1, 4.11 ERA) vs. RHP Spencer Arrighetti (2-0, 2.45 ERA)
Cover Image Courtesy: New York Yankees
