An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) celebrates with New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) after he scores on his solo homer, Image 2 shows New York Yankees pitcher Ryan Weathers pitches in the first inning
The Yankees entered this weekend winless in their past three series. Their lineup was an issue in dropping a series against the A’s; their fielding a problem in a sweep in Tampa; their pitching (and particularly the bullpen) exposed while splitting a set against the Angels.
And then the Royals arrived for a get-right series after which the Yankees sure look a lot more right.
The Yankees finished off a demolition of the worst team the American League has to offer with a 7-0 smacking Sunday in front of an announced Bronx crowd of 40,198, whose beverages should have been free after sticking through a 2-hour, 45-minute weather delay at the start.
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Aaron Boone’s group (13-9) completed a 5-2 homestand that began with too many home runs served up against the Angels and ended with nine launched against the Royals (7-15).
Aaron Judge, Ben Rice and Trent Grisham all went deep in the finale to back Ryan Weathers (7 ¹/₃ scoreless innings) and inspire some confidence ahead of a nine-game road trip through Boston, Houston and Arlington, Texas. The final tally from three games involving teams from New York and Kansas City: an NFL-like 24-7.
“I thought we played really well, obviously, this weekend in a lot of facets,” Boone said after the offense broke out in a second straight game, Weathers and Angel Chivilli combined for a shutout and the defense executed a relay to cut down a runner at the plate. “You want to play clean. You want to feel like you can do different things on a given day to win a game.”
Among the issues that the Yankees faced just a few days ago was their lack of offensive firepower against lefty pitchers, against whom they owned the majors’ second-worst OPS (.535) entering this weekend.
Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) celebrates with New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) after he scores on his solo homer. Robert Sabo for NY Post
That number has ballooned after they teed off Saturday against Noah Cameron and Sunday against Cole Ragans, southpaws who allowed a combined 14 runs in 8 ¹/₃ innings.
“Hopefully that is something that guys are starting to find their stride a little bit offensively,” said Boone, whose lineup decisions have led to another issue facing the club: Rice has been coming off the bench frequently against lefty pitchers.
Sunday, what had been metaphorical became literal: Rice leapfrogged a few spots in the order and jumped in front of Judge as the leadoff man against Ragans, the club’s one-two punch batting first and second for the afternoon. They kept punching.
In the first inning, Rice worked a walk and Judge followed with a first-pitch trip to Monument Park, Judge’s ninth of the season and sixth in eight games. Remember that talk about his slow start? Through 22 games, the Yankees captain is on pace for 66 homers.
Yankees pitcher Ryan Weathers (40) pitches in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals Sunday, April 19, 2026 at Yankee Stadium. Robert Sabo for NY Post
After showing off their power, the Yankees used patience to score again in the frame, three walks and an Austin Wells sacrifice fly adding a third run against Ragans.
An inning later, it was Rice’s turn to do damage against a lefty and further force his way into the everyday starting lineup, turning on an inside fastball from Ragans and visiting the short porch for a solo shot. He has swatted four dingers in as many games and is up to eight on the season.
Judge’s and Rice’s 17 combined home runs are the most by any duo in the sport, one more than the entire Mets team (16) and four more than the Red Sox (13), whom the Yankees will see beginning Tuesday.
The Yankees notched just seven hits Sunday, but three left the park — Grisham ended the scoring with a three-run shot to the second deck in right in the fifth — and they created traffic with 10 walks.
Weathers bounced back from a five-inning, four-homer outing against the Angels and limited the Royals to five hits and one walk with eight strikeouts while pitching into the eighth inning.
He was dominant, and the defense behind him crisp, including a sixth-inning relay from Trent Grisham to José Caballero to Austin Wells to nail Elias Díaz by several steps to preserve the shutout.
Against the Royals, the lefty Weathers and the whole team looked right.
“This was a big series for us,” said Judge, who praised a young Royals team that has gotten off to a poor start. “To be able to come out there and put up some big runs, especially the last two games, was huge for us.”
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