Aaron Judge’s much-anticipated return to the New York Yankees lineup on Friday helped energize a team that was already showing signs of offensive improvement as the regular season neared its conclusion. The Yankees defeated the New York Mets 6-4 in the opening game of the Subway Series at Yankee Stadium, an event marked by the 25th anniversary commemoration of the September 11 attacks.

While Judge’s presence in the lineup was a major talking point, the contributions from other key players were significant. Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, Luis Garcia Jr., and Spencer Jones combined for 10 hits in 16 at-bats, driving in five runs. Rice and Bellinger batted ahead of Judge, while Garcia and Jones followed him, providing a well-rounded offensive surge that helped the team break through after months of struggles at the plate.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged the offense’s recent difficulties and expressed optimism about their current progress. “The middle of the season until a few weeks ago, there’s no hiding, it was a grind for us,” Boone said. “A couple months of really struggling. You know, we’re winning games, but on the strength of pitching really well. So I do feel like we’re finding our stride a little bit offensively.”

The victory kept the Yankees positioned three games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East standings as the postseason approached. The offensive resurgence around Judge was a notable development, providing support to the star hitter as he works to regain his full form after time away from the lineup.

On the pitching side, the Yankees faced Nolan McLean, who entered the game with a strong record, allowing just five runs (four earned) over his previous 31 innings in five starts. Despite this, New York managed to score five runs against McLean, reflecting a level of performance befitting the high-stakes environment of a late-season matchup coupled with the emotional significance of the 9/11 anniversary.

The game was played in front of a full house of 47,410 fans, underscoring the importance of both the sporting event and the national remembrance. The combination of competitive baseball and solemn tribute offered a poignant backdrop for the Yankees as they pushed forward in their pursuit of a playoff berth.