You’d think not having Aaron Judge around might make it more of a fair fight for teams like the White Sox.
But the supposedly resurgent White Sox were pummeled 12-2 by the Yankees on Tuesday night in The Bronx, as the Judge-less offense still pounded them for three homers in the first four innings en route to the lopsided win.
Gerrit Cole barely broke a sweat, as he allowed just one base runner until the sixth inning.
For the Yankees, it was their seventh win in their past eight games, as they improved to an AL-best 44-27.
“It’s not like Judge and [Giancarlo Stanton] are coming back tomorrow, so we have to do this for a while,” said Paul Goldschmidt, who hit his 10th homer of the season. “This is a good start, but we’ve got to keep it going. I think the way we’re playing speaks to our depth and the culture I stepped into here last year. It’s about winning, no matter who’s out there.”
Beating the teams they should helps, as well.
The Yankees have won 11 of 13 games this season against the consistently lackluster AL Central, having swept the Guardians in Cleveland just over a week ago and winning all six games against Kansas City.
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A four-run third inning set them up for an easy win with Cole on the mound and a six-run fourth ended any hope of a Chicago comeback.
By the end, they put up 16 hits — their second-highest total of the season — and hit four homers.
Cole, brilliant in his first two starts back from Tommy John surgery before struggling in his past two, was strong again Tuesday.
He allowed a two-out solo homer to ex-Yankee Andrew Benintendi in the first.
The Yankees tied it on Spencer Jones’ second homer since his arrival — and first at home.
In the third, the Yankees loaded the bases with no one out to set up a two-run single by Cody Bellinger, which made it 3-1.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s one-out walk loaded them again for Jones, who drove in another run by also drawing a walk.
José Caballero hit a sacrifice fly to add to the lead, as the Yankees went up 5-1 in the 40-pitch inning.
A pair of two-run homers in the fourth — one from Rice and then Goldschmidt — ended Chicago starter Davis Martin’s night. However, the Yankees weren’t done, as Ryan McMahon added an RBI single and a throwing error by new pitcher Chris Murphy led to another run.
Cole rolled along, as he retired 13 straight after the homer to Benintendi before Tristan Peters opened the sixth with a single that Rice couldn’t handle.
By then, the Yankees had chased Martin, who entered with the sixth-best ERA in the majors. He’d also allowed just three homers in 13 starts on the season and gave up three in just 3 ¹/₃ innings Tuesday.
Chicago entered the game in a virtual tie with Cleveland atop the AL Central, but looked more like the laughingstock that just suffered through three straight 100-plus-loss seasons.
And while the Yankees have been making it look easy even with their stars sidelined, Goldschmidt said they know there will be hard times ahead as Judge & Co. are on the mend.
“We know how long the season is, especially with two of our best hitters out,” Goldschmidt said. “But this is what we’re built for.”
