Anthony Volpe Hits Grand Slam in Spectacular Return to New York Yankees

The emphatic win completed a three-game sweep for the Yankees, tightening the race at the top of the American League East standings as the regular season enters its final stretch with 16 games remaining. New York moved within three games of Tampa Bay in the cima de la división and established a 4.5-game cushion over Boston for the premier AL Wild Card spot.

Volpe was recalled from the minor leagues earlier Thursday and slotted straight into the starting lineup at second base. The defensive shift became necessary after infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. landed on the 10-day injured list. Volpe capitalized on the opportunity immediately, driving in his first run with a single in the second inning before launching his second major league home run of the season deep over the right-field wall in the seventh frame to cap the scoring.

The blast marked the second grand slam of Volpe’s career, complementing one in the 2024 World Series. As he rounded the bases and returned to the dugout, fans at Yankee Stadium chanted his name repeatedly, prompting the young infielder to step out and tip his cap to the crowd.

The offensive onslaught provided ample breathing room for a patchwork pitching staff. Max Fried started for New York in his third appearance since returning from the injured list, striking out seven batters but laboring through 80 pitches to complete just 3 1/3 innings. Five different relief pitchers bridged the gap, with John Schreiber earning his first victory in a Yankees uniform by tossing 1 1/3 scoreless innings to improve his record to 2-3.

Support came from up and down the batting order. Luis García Jr. jump-started the offense in the first inning with a two-run home run off Colorado starting pitcher Ryan Feltner, who surrendered four runs and six hits across five frames while falling to 5-10 on the year. Rookie Spencer Jones contributed three hits, including a two-run single, while Cody Bellinger chipped in with a pair of doubles and a sacrifice fly.

Aaron Judge enjoyed a planned night off following consecutive starts upon returning from a 60-day injured list stint.

For the Rockies, who hold the worst record in Major League Baseball at 55-91, the struggles continued away from home. Kyle Karros connected for a 431-foot home run, and Jake McCarthy added an RBI triple, but Colorado dropped its fourth contest and absorbed its seventh straight road loss—marking the club’s worst racha de la temporada. The Rockies have now dropped 10 of their last 13 games.

The victory pushes the Yankees’ strong late-season surge to 16 wins across their last 23 outings, arriving just in time for the second Subway Series of the season against the cross-town rival New York Mets at the Bronx ballpark.

Looking ahead to the upcoming weekend slate, the Yankees are scheduled to send left-hander Carlos Rodón to the mound on Friday night to face Mets rookie right-hander Nolan McLean, with the matchup coinciding with the 25th anniversary observances of September 11.