Giancarlo Stanton’s Clutch 3-Run Double Keeps Yankees atop AL East — Watch the Highlights & Post-Game Reaction

Giancarlo Stanton chose the perfect moment to remind baseball of his game-changing power. The New York Yankees’ designated hitter ripped a 109-mph, bases-clearing double down the third-base line in the fifth inning of Thursday night’s 5-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox, a swing that kept New York tied with the Toronto Blue Jays atop the American League East at 91-68. The clutch hit extended the Yankees’ winning streak to five and secured home-field advantage for at least the Wild Card Series, but Stanton insists the Bronx Bombers aren’t satisfied yet. “We know we’ve got to go out and play well, execute, and play good baseball,” Stanton said as the club prepared for its final regular-season series against the Baltimore Orioles. With the Blue Jays holding the head-to-head tiebreaker, New York must finish a game ahead this weekend to claim its first division crown since 2022. Stanton’s 2025 resurgence • Despite missing the first two months with a lower-body injury, Stanton has hammered 21 home runs and posted a .264/.340/.561 slash line in 74 games, giving Aaron Judge the lineup protection the captain lacked early in the year. • The 16-year veteran has even logged occasional outfield innings to keep his bat in the order while Judge rotated to DH during his own injury stint. • Since Aug. 23, the Yankees are 22-8, erasing a 6½-game deficit to Toronto—momentum driven in part by Stanton’s .922 OPS in that span. Why his bat matters now New York’s offense hinges on right-hand thunder; when Stanton and Judge both start, the Yankees average 5.6 runs, nearly a full run more than when one is absent. Against an Orioles staff that ranks 11th in the AL in ERA, Stanton’s ability to punish mistakes could decide home-field stakes and, by extension, the path to a potential 28th World Series title. Key storylines to watch this weekend 1. Health check: Manager Aaron Boone hinted Stanton may get one game at DH and one in right field to keep his timing sharp while resting Judge’s legs. 2. Milestone watch: Stanton sits at 497 career home runs—three swings from joining the 500-club, a milestone that would amplify his Cooperstown case and create more buzz heading into October. 3. Pitch selection: Opposing clubs challenged Stanton with fastballs up early in the season; he adjusted, slugging .673 on four-seamers since Aug. 1. Whether Baltimore follows that script could shape the series. Looking ahead to October If the Yankees fail to overtake Toronto, they open the postseason in a best-of-three at Yankee Stadium. Stanton owns a career .286/.367/.635 playoff line, including five postseason homers in pinstripes. His track record—and current heater—make him the lineup’s X-factor against frontline arms such as Tampa Bay’s Shane McClanahan or Houston’s Cristian Javier. Bottom line The Yankees’ road to a deep postseason run will run through Giancarlo Stanton’s bat. One more torrid weekend could deliver an AL East banner; one more vintage October could deliver far more. Search traffic will be watching—and so will every pitcher tasked with navigating the most feared right-hand swing in the Bronx.