The Yankees sweep the Giants, and for the third year in a row they start their season with a sweep, setting a new franchise record
- Davis Cornell
- Mar 28
- 3 min read
The Yankees took down the Giants 3-1 to complete the sweep. For the third straight year, the Yankees have started their season with a sweep, setting a franchise record.
Cody Bellinger crushed a two-out triple in the top of the first inning, but was stranded at third as Ben Rice grounded out to end the frame.
Warren quickly retired the first two hitters he faced in the bottom half of the inning, before surrendering back-to-back singles to Luis Arraez and Rafael Devers. Then punched out Heliit Romas for his first strikeout of the ballgame and stranded runners at the corners.
The Yankees got on the board in the third inning, thanks to a two-out two-run double from Ben Rice, giving them a 2-0 advantage. Rice tried to come around to score on a single to left from Giancorlo Stanton, but he was gunned down at the plate.
The Giants struck right back in the bottom half of the inning on a Matt Chapman RBI single, cutting the Yankees' lead in half, making it 2-1. The first run the Yankees have allowed in 2026 after 20 scoreless innings from the pitching staff.
In the top of the fifth inning, Aaron Judge crushed a solo shot, his second home run in as many days, extending the Yankees' lead to 3-0.
Warren came back out for the bottom half of the fifth and picked up the first out before walking Jung Hoo Lee to end his day. Brent Headrick replaced Warren on the mound and recorded the final two outs of the inning.
Warren was really solid in his first start of the year, firing 4.1 innings, allowing one run, surrendering five hits, walking two, and striking out three on 83 pitches. Warren relied heavily on his fastball, throwing it 48% of the time, the sinker 33%, the sweeper 17%, the curveball and changeup just 1% of the time. Warren topped out at 97.9 mph and had 10 swings and misses on the night.
Headrick came back out for the sixth and surrendered a leadoff double, then handed the ball over to Jake Bird. Bird allowed a single putting runners at the corners with nobody out. However, Bird struck out Willy Adames on a nasty sweeper, then got former Yankee Harrison Bader to bounce into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
Bird came back out for the bottom of the seventh and retired both hitters he faced. Tim Hill then took over and punched out Lee, looking, thanks to a successful ABS challenge to end the inning.
Hill came back out for the eighth inning and faced the minimum, thanks to Devers bouncing into a 4-6-3 inning-ending double play.
Yankees closer David Bednar came in for the bottom of the ninth and walked the first batter he faced, then surrendered a single to put two on with nobody out. But Bendar dialed it in, striking out Bader, and got Patrick Bailey to ground into a 4-6-3 double play to end the ballgame and give the Yankees the sweep.
The Yankees will have an off day tomorrow, then be back in action on Monday in Seattle for a three-game set against the Mariners. Ryan Weathers will get the start, making his Yankee debut, facing off against Luis Castillo. First pitch is scheduled for 9:40 p.m. ET on the YES Network.
My thoughts on the game: Perfect start to the season for the Yankees. Warren was solid today; his pitch count got up there early on with about 40 pitches in two innings, and he struggled to put hitters away tonight, but it was still a good start to his 2026 campaign. Another day, another Judge home run, and Rice just missed a homer of his own but did end up picking up a two-run double instead, which ended up being the difference in the ballgame. The bullpen was great as Headrick, Bird, Hill, and Bednar combined for 4.2 shutout innings with five strikeouts. Bird was really impressive in his second outing this season, picking up five huge outs and a couple of punchouts and stranded runners at the corners with nobody out in the sixth. Bednar was a little shaky to start the ninth but got the job done, so no harm, no foul. On to Monday, I can't believe I am saying this, but I am thrilled for some late-night West Coast baseball on Monday. Sorry, no quotes again tonight. I will be back to doing quotes on Monday.
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