MINNEAPOLIS — There have been a few times this season when it looked like the magic might be starting to run out on Trent Grisham.
Except every time, before long, he reaches back into his bag of tricks and does it again. And then it is the middle of September, with 10 games to go, and he has 33 home runs as an integral part of the Yankees lineup.
Grisham’s career year continued Wednesday when he crushed two more home runs to help lift the Yankees to a 10-5 win over the Twins in the rubber game of the series at Target Field.
“It’s been a massive year for him,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Whether he’s going through a little lull or he’s on a hot streak where he’s hitting for power, it’s just a good at-bat and obviously there’s been a lot of big homers he’s hit for us, a lot of big hits.”
For the first time since Sept. 7, the Yankees (85-67) picked up a game on the Blue Jays (who own the tiebreaker), trimming their lead atop the AL East to four games. In the more realistic race, the Yankees continued to hold on to the top AL wild card, now leading both the Mariners and Red Sox by two games.
The win preceded another late night for the Yankees, who for the second time on this 10-day, 10-game trip were playing a getaway game at night. They were set to arrive in Baltimore in the early hours of Thursday morning before they begin a four-game set against the Orioles on Thursday night.
Yankees’ Trent Grisham (12) rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Minnesota Twins in the fourth inning on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, in Minneapolis.AP
They faced the same situation arriving in Minnesota from Boston in the early hours of Monday, then laid an egg offensively that night. But they bounced back in a big way with a pair of 10-run efforts over the next two nights to take the series.
“I think what happened speaks to the guys we have in the clubhouse, the guys we have in that lineup,” said Grisham, whose second home run was a three-run shot that made it 6-2 in the fourth inning. “Just a resilient group. They fight a lot. Up and down the lineup, it’s just tough AB after tough AB. … It’s just who we are.”
There may not be a hitter in the lineup that embodies that more than Grisham. Through Monday, he had been stuck in a 1-for-25 rut over his past eight games. But then he homered in Tuesday night’s offensive explosion before adding two more on Wednesday against Twins right-hander Taj Bradley.
Trent Grisham of the New York Yankees celebrates his two-run home run against the Minnesota Twins in the second inning at Target Field on September 16, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.Getty Images
New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) hits a two-run home run against the Minnesota Twins during the ninth inning at Target Field.IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
New York Yankees designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) congratulates outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) on his two-run homer.Nick Wosika-Imagn Images
Since Aug. 20, nobody in the majors has hit more home runs than Grisham (12), who now has eight in his past 19 games.
“Honestly, it’s been amazing,” said Cody Bellinger, who crushed his 29th home run in the ninth inning, a two-run shot for more breathing room. “Stability from that [leadoff] spot, he can take you deep, he’ll take his walks, hits the ball really hard. Kind of solidified that [leadoff] spot, which is a really important spot. He does it with ease. It’s been really fun to watch.”
Bellinger’s left-on-left homer in the ninth allowed David Bednar to get the night off as Camilo Doval closed out the Twins (66-86) in the bottom of the inning, capping off 4 ¹/₃ shutout innings from the bullpen (along with Fernando Cruz, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver) in relief of an ineffective Luis Gil.
Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil (81) delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the second inning at Target Field.IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
A night after Cam Schlittler could not make it through the fifth inning despite being staked to a nine-run lead, Gil did the same thing. Coming off his best start of an injury-abbreviated season, in which he tossed six no-hit innings against the Red Sox, Gil was not his sharpest and only lasted 4 ²/₃ innings while giving up five runs (four earned) on a career-high nine hits and two walks.
“I got two outs quickly [in the fifth inning] and I went deep in my pocket to get more strength,” Gil said through an interpreter. “I executed some good pitches in that inning, but you got to give them credit. They were able to make some good contact on good pitches. Definitely wanted to get that last out.”
But Gil’s offense had his back. Aaron Judge had another strong game, going 3-for-4 with a double, a walk a steal and two runs, while Jasson Domínguez (who dealt with a tooth infection in recent days) went 1-for-3 with an RBI double, two steals and two runs.
Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) hits a RBI-single against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Target Field.IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Camilo Doval (75) celebrates the victory over the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“It’s just a really, really deep team,” Bellinger said. “We come in here for a purpose, trying to win every ballgame, and right now we’re playing well and trying to keep it rolling.”
