Thursday MLB Recap: Yankees and Dodgers Celebrate Division Titles; White Sox Avoid Record Losses

In an exciting Thursday night of baseball, the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers both clinched their respective division titles, while the Chicago White Sox managed to steer clear of a historically disappointing record.

Yankees Secure AL East Crown

The New York Yankees celebrated their clinching of the American League (AL) East title with a resounding 10-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. This triumph was propelled by Aaron Judge, who homered for the fifth consecutive game, hitting a two-run shot in the seventh inning. Judge’s latest homer brought his season total to an impressive 58, leading all of Major League Baseball. If he homers again on Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he will become only the fourth player this decade to hit home runs in six or more consecutive games.

Judge is in good company; Joey Votto and Mike Trout each had seven-game streaks in recent seasons, while Rafael Devers hit six in a row earlier this year. The last time anyone reached 58 home runs in a season was when Judge set an AL record with 62 in 2022, and Giancarlo Stanton hit 59 in 2017.

Stanton played a crucial role in the Yankees’ victory as well, driving in four runs and hitting his 27th home run. Thursday marked the 14th time this season that Judge and Stanton both homered in the same game, matching a franchise record set by legends Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris in 1961.

The Yankees’ scoring began with Stanton’s solo homer in the second inning, but the real damage came in the sixth. After loading the bases, Yennier Canó walked Austin Wells, allowing a run to score. Stanton followed with a double, bringing in three runs, and Anthony Rizzo added a two-run single. Judge’s homer later in the game made it 9-0, and Alex Verdugo capped the scoring with a solo shot in the eighth. The Orioles could only muster a late sac fly, rendering their efforts insufficient.

Reflecting on the season, Judge noted the team’s desire to rebound after missing the playoffs in 2023. “Coming up short last year, it stings,” he said. “We wanted to make a statement going into the postseason.”

Dodgers Triumph in NL West

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers secured their 11th National League (NL) West title in the last 12 seasons with a hard-fought 7-2 victory against the San Diego Padres. The team, which invested over $1 billion in player contracts during the offseason, faced numerous injuries, with all five starting pitchers from the season’s beginning sidelined at various points.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed pride in his team’s resilience. “With what we’ve gone through this year, this feels a tick sweeter,” he remarked. The game wasn’t easy for the Dodgers; they trailed 2-0 in the seventh inning before Will Smith tied the game with a two-run homer. Shohei Ohtani then provided a go-ahead RBI single, and Mookie Betts followed with a two-RBI single to extend the lead. Andy Pages sealed the game with a two-run homer in the eighth.

Ohtani, who is making his first playoff appearance in seven MLB seasons, shared his excitement about clinching the division. “I’m really happy,” he said. “Today, I came to the stadium really wanting to clinch, and I’m happy we did that.”

White Sox Dodge Historical Infamy

In a different narrative, the Chicago White Sox emerged victorious against the Los Angeles Angels, winning 7-0 to avoid tying the record for the most losses in modern MLB history. This win marked their third consecutive victory and ensured they would not suffer a modern record of 121 losses this season. Chicago was previously tied with the infamous 1962 New York Mets for the most losses in the modern era.

With an outstanding performance from starting pitcher Chris Flexen, who struck out seven batters while allowing just five hits over 6 1/3 innings, the White Sox avoided infamy. Their offense erupted in a productive fifth inning, scoring all seven of their runs.

Looking ahead, interim manager Grady Sizemore expressed optimism about the team’s upcoming series against the Detroit Tigers, who are vying for an AL Wild Card spot. “We’re going there to compete and not make it easy,” he stated, highlighting the team’s determination to finish the season strong.

As the postseason approaches, both the Yankees and Dodgers will look to maintain their momentum, while the White Sox strive to finish on a high note, defying the odds stacked against them this season.