The New York Yankees secured their place in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) after defeating the Kansas City Royals 3-1 in Game 4 of the American League Division Series (ALDS). The Yankees won the series 3-1 and will now wait for the outcome of the Game 5 matchup between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians, which will take place on Saturday.
This marks the Yankees’ second ALCS appearance in the last three seasons. In their previous appearance in 2022, they were swept by the Houston Astros. Game 1 of the ALCS is scheduled for Monday at Yankee Stadium, with first pitch set for 7:37 p.m. ET.
Gerrit Cole delivered a standout performance on the mound for the Yankees, allowing just one run on six hits and striking out four over seven innings. His effort earned him the win. After the game, Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge praised Cole, stating, “What a performance by (Cole) to come out here and do his thing. That’s why he’s our ace.”
Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton continued his strong form in the series, contributing two hits and an RBI in Game 4. Stanton finished the series with a .375 batting average and a 1.132 OPS over the four games.
The Royals struggled offensively throughout the series, managing just 12 runs in total. Their lineup combined for a .597 OPS with only two home runs. Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who had been a key player for the Royals during the regular season, hit just .118 in the series with no extra-base hits or RBIs. Witt, along with Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez, combined for six hits in 49 at-bats over the four games.
