The Yankees bullpen blew another lead but Trent Grisham's go-ahead homer in the eighth inning propelled New York to a 5-4 win over the Astros on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

After the bullpen allowed two runs on two walks, one hit and one big error in the eighth, Grisham smoked a fastball from left-hander Bryan King over the right field wall 408 feet. It's Grisham's 21st homer of the season, extending his career high. 

Here are the takeaways...

- Luis Gil had a rude start to his second start this season when Jeremy Pena took him deep to begin the game. Gil would settle in nicely, however, as he worked into the sixth inning. Gil had his command, unlike his first start when he allowed four walks against the Marlins down in Miami. That pointpoint command allowed him to clip corners and strike out seven batters, including the side in the third inning.

The 2024 AL Rookie of the Year tossed 91 pitches (60 strikes) across 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on six hits, one walk and striking out seven batters.

- The Yankees had another test in Framber Valdez, just a day after taking on Cy Young candidate Hunter Brown. Manager Aaron Boone sent out an unconventional lineup. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jasson Dominguez were on the bench against the lefty, while Jose Caballero got the start at second and Giancarlo Stanton parked himself in right field.

The hitters would get to the southpaw early, loading the bases on two hits and one walk with no outs. A bases-loaded walk to Stanton pushed across the Yankees' first run and a Ben Rice sac fly gave New York the lead. Anthony Volpe could not push across more, as his inning-ending double play put a stop to the second. New York would get traffic on the bases against Valdez after the first but had trouble cashing in. Through three innings, they were 1-for-6 with RISPS and left four runners on base.

- After Houston tied the game, the Yankees would score a pair in the fifth. A walk by Judge followed by back-to-back singles from Cody Bellinger and Stanton gave New York the lead. Rice grounded into a double play but it allowed Bellinger to score from third.

- It was a bit of an adventure for Stanton in right field. He had not problem on balls hit at him, but when he had to drift back toward the wall, you could tell he can't bust it with his history of injuries. In the fourth, Jesus Sanchez lined a double off the wall that Stanton backed off to try and play it off the wall but let it skip past him. The play would cost the Yankees as Carlos Correa hit a single to right field to drive in Sanchez. To Stanton's credit, his throw home on the single was a seed but was a half second too late to get Sanchez.

Stanton finished 1-for-2 with two walks and two RBI.

- With the bullpen short on Friday, leading to another subpar Devin Williams appearance, it was well-rested on Saturday. Mark Leiter Jr. got an inning-ending double play to end the sixth, Luke Weaver got through the seventh in order on 11 pitches while Camilo Doval had the eighth. After allowing a leadoff walk, the new right-hander had an opportunity to end the inning when a chopper was hit right back to him, but his throw took Volpe off second base and everyone was safe. After Doval allowed a run-scoring single and walked the bases loaded, Boone went to David Bednar for the five-out save. Unfortuantely, Bednar walked in the tying run but struck out the next two batters to get out of the jam.

Bednar would mow down the Astros in order in the ninth after getting the lead for his second consecutive five-out save with the Yanks.

Game MVP: Trent Grisham

The Yankees looked destined for another heart-breaking loss, but Grisham's three hits including that homer saved the day.

Highlights

G drives in Judge 👊 pic.twitter.com/Vy6MeNjH9n

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 9, 2025

Go-ahead solo home run from Trent Grisham in the 8th! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/K3aAqbY860

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) August 9, 2025

What's next

The Yankees and Astros finish off their three-game set on Sunday at Yankee Stadium. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m.

The Yankees will send Max Fried (12-4, 2.78 ERA) to the mound while Houston has yet to announce a starter.

Turner slugging away from home, outfield merry-go-round continues originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

ARLINGTON, TX – A laugh, a shrug and a shake of the head is the reaction given Friday night from Trea Turner following the Phillies 9-1 win over the Texas Rangers. He went 2-for-4 with five RBI, a double and a home run.

That isn’t what particularly caused the response from Turner after the win … it was when the subject came up concerning his home and away power numbers.

Here’s the breakdown heading into Saturday’s game: Turner has 12 home runs on the road, none at Citizens Bank Park this season. His RBI totals are 14 at home compared with 37 on the road, and his slugging percentage is .500 on the road to .365 at home.

Pretty interesting when you consider Turner has played 58 games at home and 55 away and has only eight more at-bats on the road. Most of the rest of his numbers are comparable in the home and road splits, it’s just those power numbers.

“I have no idea to be honest with you,” Turner said of the disparity. “So I looked at my heat zones for home and away, and away I have a lot more zones. And then at home, I’m just hitting the ball away really well. I don’t think I’ve ever had that in my career to where I’ve always been good at pulling the ball. I take my hits the other way but at home it just seems like that outer third is kind of my sweet spot. I couldn’t tell you why. We were talking about it in the cage and I have no idea. Hopefully with a little adjustment the last few days, hopefully that kind of turns around and goes back to normal.”

In a nine-game stretch from July 27 to August 5, Turner hit a bit of a lull where he went 4-for-38 and saw his average dip down to .280. His last three games before Saturday, Turner has seemed to find a rhythm with six hits in 12 at-bats with a home run and six RBI.

“I have no idea what that is,” said Thomson of the road power surge. “I think it’s just coincidence, really. He’s hit home runs in CBP before. I don’t know what it is.”

Thomson’s extended plan for outfield rotation

The search for a “regular” outfield lineup continued Sunday as Nick Castellanos got a day off and the outfield consisted of Brandon Marsh in left, Harrison Bader in center and Max Kepler in right to go against Jacob deGrom.

“So, it was pre planned,” Thomson said. “I didn’t give it to you yesterday because I hadn’t seen Casty yet. This turf is, I like the turf because it plays a little bit more like grass than other turf but it’s pretty firm, pretty hard. So, I was trying to give all the outfielders one day off on it. That’s one thing. Plus, Bader’s had pretty good success against him. Three at-bats but he’s hit the ball hard twice and he’s got a couple of hits. I just felt it was a good day to give Casty the day off. I just thought, where we’re at, we’re trying to figure out who everybody is and how we’re going to align this thing. Just the matchup and the surface is probably the best day to do it.”

So, the question was posed, once you do figure it out, will there be pretty much a set starting outfield moving forward?

Thomson was non-committal.

“It’s probably just a day-to-day thing right now, unless somebody gets super-hot and then we have to go with the hot hand.”

Odds and ends

Thomson said that Jhoan Duran would see action Saturday, no matter what. “He needs to pitch today. Banks has had four days off, he’s had five days off. Although we had up last night and he got hot, he doesn’t like to go more than five days without seeing hitters. We’ll get him in tonight for sure. And Banks is really good when he pitches more often so we need to get him in too.”

On the pitching front, Thomson added that reliever David Robertson will join the team Sunday after his stint in Lehigh Valley. Aaron Nola will get another start there on Tuesday, and if all goes well it appears he will join the Phillies after that and possibly get a start next weekend. José Alvarado will pitch for the Iron Pigs on Sunday and then go again either Tuesday or Wednesday. He can rejoin the team on August 19th.

Rafael Devers' hot stretch at plate coincides with growing comfort at first base originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Rafael Devers, daily, is taking extra work to improve his defense at first base and get more comfortable at the position.

If the three-time MLB All-Star can get that to match his comfort level at the plate, there’s no limit on what the veteran slugger can do.

One day after making a pair of spectacular defensive plays, Devers went deep for a second consecutive day when he connected for a home run leading off the sixth inning.

It was the seventh time Devers has gone deep in 45 games in a Giants uniform, showing why president of baseball operations Buster Posey targeted him just before the trade deadline.

“I think it’s just him being Devers at this point,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said in the aftermath of Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the Washington Nationals at Oracle Park. “He’s just a really good hitter who knows what his strengths are.”

That was the scouting report on Devers before joining San Francisco: A well-accomplished slugger with a career .277 batting average who has clubbed 10 or more home runs in each of his 10 MLB seasons.

Things didn’t start well for Devers with his new team on the West Coast. He had some inconsistencies at the plate and in the field, leading some to question the trade with Boston.

A lot of that noise has been muted lately.

Devers is playing a lot more effectively at first base and is currently one of the hottest hitters in Melvin’s lineup.

After ending July in a 0-for-14 funk, Devers has found a nice rhythm at the plate. In eight games this month, he has gone 9-for-28 (.321) with three home runs, eight walks and seven RBIs.

In the 45 games since his acquisition from the Red Sox, Devers has 22 RBIs.

“Just basically doing the same thing that I’ve done all year, just making sure that I take advantage of all my at-bats,” Devers said through interpreter Erwin Higueros. “I don’t think that it’s necessary for me to change anything. I’m just being the type of player that I am. Things are beginning to work out for me.”

That includes playing first base, one of the issues that led to his exit from Boston. He was reluctant to play a position he had never played before at the big league level.

Devers faced early criticism from the media and Giants fans but has quieted that chatter with some smooth fielding. That included a heads-up play Friday when the Nationals loaded the bases and hit a grounder to first that Devers snagged and wisely threw home to get the out.

“Every single day, I’m always making sure that I work at first and make sure that I’m ready for everything that’s going to be thrown my way,” said Devers, who had two hits and two walks as the Giants’ designated hitter on Saturday.

It’s worth noting that Devers’ comfort level on defense has coincided with his output at the plate. It makes sense that less stress and concerns in one area would translate into success in other areas.

Devers isn’t sure if that’s what’s happening but acknowledged that playing in the field keeps him more engaged.

“I really don’t know if that’s something that’s working out. I just know that when I play first base, I’m more involved in the game,” Devers said. “You’re thinking about different aspects of the game, not just thinking about your next at-bat.”

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The Yankees are going through it right now. 

They were defeated by the Houston Astros in extra innings on Friday night, cutting their lead for the final wild card spot in the American League to just a half game. 

They've now dropped six of their last seven games, and with each loss, Aaron Boone’s seat seemingly gets hotter and hotter. 

The boos have been loud and heavy lately in the Bronx. 

Joe Torre has been there before; he understands what the long-time skipper is going through. 

“People always ask me who I root for, I root for people,” he told SNY’s Chelsea Sherrod at Old Timers' Day. “I feel for Aaron, I’ve been in that place before -- you’re trying to rearrange the furniture and hopefully it makes a difference.”

Though things aren’t looking good right now, Torre remains confident in the team under Boone’s leadership.

The four-time World Series champ certainly knows what it takes. 

“This club is too good to not have a run, there’s still time left,” he said. “If it were Sept. 1, I’d be more concerned, but I have a lot of confidence -- Booney has been down this road before, he’s a third-generation major leaguer.

“I feel that they’re going to make a run and will be where they are supposed to be at the end of things.”

Wille Randolph. 

Jorge Posada. 

Tino Martinez.

Johnny Damon.

That’s just a few of the Yankees stars who were in attendance at the Stadium on Saturday afternoon for this year’s Old Timers’ Day festivities. 

It’s the 77th annual Old Timers' Day game, but the first since 2019.

The event also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the 2000 World Series championship.

While that team and all the great memories they shared were a hot topic of discussion, so was the current state of the organization as they fight through a brutally tough stretch. 

The Yankees currently find themselves trailing the Blue Jays and Red Sox in the AL East and hold a slim advantage for the final wild card spot after dropping Friday’s series opener in extra innings to the Astros.  

“They’re going through a tough time,” Damon told SNY’s Chelsea Sherrod. 

“Teams are not afraid of us anymore,” Randolph added. “We need to get that mojo back to where when they come into Yankee Stadium and places like that, they know they’re going to be in for a big fight.”

Though things are looking bleak, there is still plenty of baseball to be played.

“They’re struggling right now, but they’re still in the hunt,” Martinez said. “As long as you’re there this time of year and you can improve from here, they have a chance, but they have to minimize the mistakes and play better baseball.”

“It’s more of an attitude than anything,” Posada added. “They have to get a little angry, hopefully a fight or something to get them going -- they need to have that chip on their shoulder, they need to play like that.”