The New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles were locked in an extremely tense Sunday showdown. The Yankees were essentially on their tippy toes, and though the previous day’s win against the Orioles was savage, they couldn’t take their guard down. And on Sunday, as the scoreboard read 2-1 in Baltimore’s favor, things were looking rough for the Yanks.

The New York Yankees needed a spark, and then they got it in the form of Paul Goldschmidt. Now, Goldschmidt, who hasn’t started since Friday, had every reason to relax on the bench. At 37 years old, with over 2000 games under his belt and a likely Hall of Fame plaque waiting for him down the road, he didn’t need to sweat it out. So no one would have blamed him for taking things easy.

However, when Giancarlo Stanton signaled and Ben Rice moved to third, Goldy stepped up without any hesitation to pinch-run. Then moments later, Jazz Chisholm Jr. ripped a double to the right center, and Rice ended up scoring too. And Goldschmidt is the one chugging right behind him. The veteran, the one who gave the Yankees the lead in the game they would go on to win.

Manager Aaron Boone was left in complete awe of Goldy. “That’s a guy in his late 30s, that’s probably going to the Hall of Fame. Probably going to the All-Star Game this year. He isn’t playing a second day in a row, and the guy’s ready to go in and pinch-run and do that. That’s freakin’ humility.” This is not leadership; it is that championship DNA, and it’s why the Yankees love having him around. Even though Ben Rice is sitting, waiting in the wings.

While Rice has shown flashes of his power, his range and plate discipline remain a major work in progress. Meanwhile, Goldschmidt is showing up and batting .298 with eight homers and 32 RBIs. He also has 21 stolen base attempts without getting caught! And now, with a $12.5 million contract set to expire, he might soon hit the open market. Meanwhile, while the New York Yankees may have pulled a nice win over the Orioles, the team’s rotation took another hit—literally!

New York Yankees handball to Allan Winans

With Ryan Yarbrough landing on the injured list, the Yankees have turned to right-hander Allan Winans to fill the gap. Now Winans will get the start Monday night when they will face the Cincinnati Reds at New York Yankees Stadium. It will be his first appearance with the Yankees since being claimed off waivers from the Braves back in January.

Now 29 years old, Winans’s big league resume has been more than just tipsy-turvy starts. He made his debut in 2023 with Atlanta and put up a rough 7.20 ERA across eight games. His 2024 MLB outings were not better in any sense—two starts, a 15.26 ERA, and an early exit. But here is where the story takes a steep turn. Since joining Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Winans has been lights out.

He posted an eye-watering 0.90 ERA with a perfect 7-0 record in just 11 starts. One of his unforgettable nights would be the one in April when he struck out 10 of the first 11 batters! It’s a feat not many have seen since 1961. Now, Yarbrough has been solid in a swing role this season. He has been managing his discomfort since mid-June and was placed on IL starting June 20. Aaron Boone has downplayed the setback, but it seems like he is only masking the effort. Now, given that stars like Stroman, Cole, and Gil are still recovering, the New York Yankees will hope Winans can keep the momentum going. Do you think he can?