The New York Yankees continued their push through a difficult stretch of the season Wednesday night, holding off the Baltimore Orioles 5-3 to claim the first two games of their series.
The victory kept the Yankees moving forward despite ongoing injury concerns that have tested the roster for weeks. New York has managed to stay competitive even as several key players have dealt with various ailments.
Concerns arose in the second inning when veteran infielder Ryan McMahon appeared to hurt his hand while sliding into second base. McMahon stayed in the contest for several more innings but eventually left in the eighth.
After the game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone updated reporters on the situation. McMahon suffered a thumb injury that made it difficult for him to grip his bat properly by the time he exited.
Boone noted that McMahon underwent an X-ray and received treatment following the contest. The early findings offered some positive signs.
“Ryan McMahon hurt his thumb on this play, Aaron Boone said. He was having trouble gripping his bat by the time he came out. McMahon got an X-ray and treatment postgame. He said initial results were encouraging,” reporter Gary Phillips wrote on X.
The Yankees have faced a series of setbacks with injuries over the past two months. Yet the team has stayed afloat in the standings through solid play and contributions from available players.
McMahon is in his 10th major league season and his second with New York. He has appeared in 105 games this year, logging 275 at-bats with a .215 batting average, .367 slugging percentage and .649 OPS. His totals include 29 runs, 59 hits, 10 home runs, 31 RBIs, three stolen bases and 24 walks. He has also spent some time on the injured list earlier in the campaign.
The Yankees cannot afford many more absences as they aim to stay in contention. There is hope that outfielder Cody Bellinger could return as soon as the end of this week. Optimism also remains that Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton will rejoin the lineup before the regular season concludes.
Following the win Wednesday, New York improved to 71-55. That mark ranks as the second-best record in the American League. The Yankees trail the Tampa Bay Rays by five games in the AL East race.
The series continues with the final game scheduled for Thursday. New York will look to complete the sweep while monitoring McMahon’s status closely in the coming days.
Team officials will continue evaluating the thumb injury and determine the next steps for the infielder. Any extended absence would further test the depth of the roster at a critical point in the schedule.
Fans and observers will watch for additional updates as the Yankees balance their immediate series goals with longer-term health considerations for several key contributors. The club has shown resilience so far, but the margin for error continues to shrink with each new injury report.
