Sun Sep 27 12:43am ET
Field Level Media
A majority of the focus for the New York Yankees is planning their roster and preparing to host the Boston Red Sox in next week's wild-card series.
Another area of focus will be finishing out the regular season with their 94th win when the Yankees host the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, weather permitting.
The start time has been moved up to 1:05 p.m.
The Yankees (93-68) were off on Saturday because a nor'easter resulted in a single-admission doubleheader on Friday. Since New York was eliminated from the American League East race on Tuesday night, its past four games have seen the team give regulars time off and rest some of its prominent relievers while seeing other defensive alignments.
On Friday, the Yankees took a 10-2 loss in the opener and earned their fifth doubleheader split of the season with a 6-3 victory before the tarp was put on the field immediately after the final pitch.
Cody Bellinger, Luis Garcia Jr. were among those who rested in the opener before starting in the second game. Anthony Volpe played third base in the first game and shortstop in the second game after playing only at second base following his return from the minor leagues on Sept. 10.
Volpe had three hits in the doubleheader, including a two-run double in the sixth inning Friday night. Volpe's newfound versatility may be something for the Yankees to consider for their postseason roster as he's hitting .265 (11 for 49) with nine RBIs in 14 games since returning.
"This is the most important part of the season," Volpe said. "This is the best part of why you do it; this is why you play. It's Yankees/Red Sox -- that's what October baseball is."
Ben Rice had three hits in the doubleheader and enters the regular-season finale with 41 homers and 97 RBIs in a year when Aaron Judge has played 66 games and may miss the wild-card series because of a moderately strained right calf.
The Orioles (79-82) are concluding their second straight losing season after winning 275 games from 2022-2024.
Pete Alonso enters Sunday with 43 homers and 113 RBIs in his first season with the Orioles. He will win the AL RBI title and is one ahead of Yordan Alvarez and Junior Caminero for the AL home run crown.
Alonso is looking to play in his 162nd game of the season for the third consecutive year.
Eight of Alonso's past 10 hits are homers and he has the most homers by an Oriole since Mark Trumbo mashed 47 in 2016.
"It's impressive," manager Craig Albernaz said. "It's not only the at-bat quality and the pitches he's getting, he's not missing them. He's squaring them up pretty good."
If the game gets played, the Yankees will get another look at Elmer Rodriguez (0-3, 5.40 ERA). Rodriguez has made six starts this season and has 21 strikeouts and 16 walks in 26 2/3 innings.
Rodriguez last pitched in the major leagues when he struggled through 3 2/3 innings during a 10-1 road loss to the Angels on Aug. 31. He also showed increased velocity Aug. 26 in a no-decision in New York's 9-3 win over Houston when he allowed three runs on three hits in six innings.
Shane Baz (6-15, 4.11) starts for Baltimore and likely will pitch an abbreviated outing similar to Trevor Rogers, who threw 55 pitches in four innings Friday. Baz is 2-6 with a 4.37 ERA in his past 10 starts and took a no-decision Monday against Toronto when Baltimore rallied in the eighth inning.
Baz is 0-3 with a 6.48 ERA in eight career starts against the Yankees.
![]() | Baltimore Orioles |
![]() | New York Yankees |
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