Yankees Beat Diamondbacks 9-2 in a Crucial Start for Cole, Aaron Judge on IL

Gerrit Cole pitching for the Yankees.

The Yankees had a crucial game on September 18. Gerrit Cole was their starter. He has struggled mightily in his previous two starts, giving up several home runs. He needs to be right if the team is to go far in the postseason. So, this was a big start for him.

Even bigger news for the Yankees was that Aaron Judge was placed on the 10-day injured list before the game with a Calf Strain. He is eligible to come off the injured list with one gay remaining in the regular season. This is the second time this season that he has been put on the injured list. While it is good that the injury is unrelated to the rib, fans question how much they are going to get from Judge in the postseason. Do you think Aaron Judge will be effective in the postseason as the Yankees pursue their 28th World Championship?

Yankees Against Diamondbacks Game Summary September 18

Jun 4, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks closing pitcher Paul Sewald (38) reacts after striking out an Arizona Diamondbacks batter in the ninth inning at Chase Field. The Diamondbacks faces the Yankees on September 18. Mandatory Credit: Anna Carrington-Imagn Image
Jun 4, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks closing pitcher Paul Sewald (38) reacts after striking out an Arizona Diamondbacks batter in the ninth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Anna Carrington-Imagn Image

The Yankees received some bad news before the game today. Aaron Judge was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained right calf. He is eligible to come off the Injured List for the last game of the season; however, it is logical for fans to question how much they will get from him in the playoffs. In the meantime, this was a huge start for the pitcher Gerrit Cole, who struggled in his past two starts. Here is how the game played out.

The Yankees scored five runs in the first inning. First, Ben Rice walked with the bases loaded and Paul Goldschmidt scored. Then, Amed Rosario singled and Cody Bellinger scored. A wild pitch by Eduardo Rodriguez scored Heloit Ramos. Then, George Lombard Jr. had a two-run single. Both Ben Rice and Amed Rosario scored. When it was all said and done, it was 5-0 Yankees.

In the second inning, Corbin Carroll hit a two-run home run. Geraldo Perdomo also scored. The score was now 5-2. However, Ben Rice hit a solo home run in the third inning, and the score was 6-2.

In the sixth inning, George Lombard Jr. hit a solo home run, making the score 7-2. In the seventh inning, Ryan McMahmon reached on a throwing error, and Paul Goldschmidt scored; then Spencer Jones grounded out, and Heloit Ramos scored. That made the score 9-2, the final score of the game.

The Suddenly Off-Injured Aaron Judge

It was very bad news for the Yankees that they had to place Slugger Aaron Judge on the 10-day Injured List before this game. Judge just returned to the lineup after missing 84 games and 99 days. At 34 years old, fans must wonder if the huge slugger is now on the downside of his career.

It is a good thing that this injury seems unrelated to the rib injury that cost Judge more than half the season. However, it is the case that players often compensate for one injury and hurt something else. It is unclear whether this happened here, but the timing is curious. To say this is bad news for the team would be an understatement. This has been a last season for Judge, but he can redeem himself by coming back and having a big playoff run.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Yankees beat the Diamondbacks in this game 9-2. The player of the game was the Yankees’ starting pitcher Gerrit Cole. He pitched six strong innings, striking out six, walking none, and giving up only two runs. The team had a day off yesterday, so they did not need a long start from Cole to save their bullpen, but long starts always help the cause. Ben Rice also had a good game.

These two teams play the second game of their three-game series tomorrow at 8:40 pm. It is always difficult when the Yankees play in the West. We see late games in the Eastern time zone, and it is difficult to view them. At least all three games in this series, the third from the end of the regular season, are on the YES Network.

Conclusion

By far the biggest story from this game was Aaron Judge being placed on the Injured List. Fans were very concerned about the injury when it happened, and given the reaction of the Slugger, it is not surprising that he wound up on the Injured List again. This was a good start for Gerrit Cole, which is encouraging for the team, as they need him to be effective in the playoffs. This would have been the biggest story of the game.