Yankees get 2 hits from every starter for the first time in franchise history in 15-1 rout of Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yankees manager Aaron Boone watched the hits begin to pile up on the massive, crown-shaped scoreboard beyond the centerfield wall at Kauffman Stadium, and he knew that his team was doing something impressive against the Kansas City Royals.

He didn't know until afterward that it was something historic.

Yes, there were six home runs, including two from Amed Rosario. And the Yankees put up 24 hits in the 15-1 romp, their most since a game against Baltimore in July 2011. But what set the performance apart from all others Tuesday night — including all those games played by Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle — was this simple fact: For the first time in their storied history, the Yankees got at least two hits from every single player in their starting lineup.

“I did see all the hits on the board,” Boone said afterward, “and I was like, ‘Man, you don’t see that very often.'”

The Yankees had the benefit of facing the Royals on a designated bullpen day. Struggling reliever Bailey Falter was first on the mound, and he allowed as many hits (seven) as he record outs. Luinder Avila wasn't a whole lot better when he replaced him.

The last of the hits came against outfielder Tyler Tolbert, who threw a steady diet of 44 mph pitches to get through the ninth inning.

Yet that doesn't take away from one of the impressive hitting performances in Yankees history. Their hit total tied for their eighth-most ever, and the 24 hits were their most in a road game since Aug. 31, 1974, in a game against the White Sox.

The six homers were the most by a team in the majors this season.

“The performance they put up today,” Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler said, “that was awesome to watch.”

The barrage began with Cody Bellinger's second homer in as many days, a two-out shot in the first. But it really gained steam after Paul Goldschmidt's double, when Ben Rice hit a sinking liner to right field that Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone lazily grabbed at grass level. Boone challenged the out call, and a review confirmed that the ball had touched the ground for an RBI single.

Rosario came to the plate next and belted a two-run homer an estimated 420 feet to left field.

Anthony Volpe added his first homer of the season in the second inning, and the Yankees piled on four more runs on a steady stream of singles in the third. Aaron Judge provided an RBI double in the fifth, Trent Grisham went deep in the seventh, Jazz Chisholm Jr. — the last of the starters to get two hits — homered in the eighth and Rosario hit his second of the game in the ninth.

He sheepishly admitted that he was just trying not to strike out against Tolbert's languid lobs to the plate.

“It feels good to be part of history,” Rosario said through a translator. “It's a team effort and being part of it is great.”

The Yankees have now hit 82 home runs this season, by far the most in the majors. The Royals, by comparison, have hit 51, including the solo homer that Bobby Witt Jr. hit in the third inning for their only run of the entire game.

Meanwhile, the 24 hits that the Royals allowed were the fourth-most in a game in franchise history. Rosario finished with four hits while Grisham, Rice, Volpe and Austin Wells had three apiece. The rest of the starters each had two.

“Look,” Boone said with a smile, “as hard as hitting is — as hard as it is now, night-in and night-out — to have a day where everyone, you know, can fatten up a little bit, it's good.”

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New York Yankees' Aaron Judge hits an RBI double during the fifth inning of baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

New York Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. celebrates as he crosses the plate after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning of baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

New York Yankees' Trent Grisham watches his solo home run during the seventh inning of baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge and Paul Goldschmidt (48) celebrate after their baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

New York Yankees' Amed Rosario celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the ninth inning of baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Jalen Williams was out. Ajay Mitchell was out. And that led the Oklahoma City Thunder to give Jared McCain his first career playoff start, almost out of desperation.

It turned out to be a genius move.

McCain scored 20 points — 18 of them coming in the second half — and the Thunder beat the San Antonio Spurs 127-114 in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday night, a victory that put the reigning NBA champions one win away from a return trip to the NBA Finals.

Williams was downgraded to out by the Thunder for Game 5 about an hour before game time Tuesday. after being listed as questionable throughout the day because of his ongoing issues with a strained left hamstring.

Mitchell, who typically starts in Williams' place, was ruled out earlier by the Thunder with a strained right soleus.

And that created a moment for McCain — who delivered. He wasn't shy, either, with his 19 shot attempts in Game 5 tying Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the most on the Thunder.

McCain was making the first playoff start of his career. He averaged 8.8 points in 12 playoff games off the bench for the Thunder entering Tuesday.

It's unknown how long he'll remain in the starting five. Game 6 is Thursday in San Antonio, but his effort Tuesday certainly was one heck of an audition.

Williams returned for Game 1 of the West finals, scoring 26 points in 37 minutes in Oklahoma City’s 122-115 double-overtime loss. He had four points in seven first-quarter minutes in Game 2, including an alley-oop dunk with 2:12 left in the period, and hasn't played since.

Williams has now missed 58 of the Thunder’s 95 games this season, including playoffs. Of those absences, 19 were for a right wrist issue and the other 39 were related to his hamstrings — the right one costing him 30 games during the regular season, the left one now costing him nine during the playoffs.

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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) reacts to a basket against the San Antonio Spurs in the second half of Game 5 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Oklahoma City.(AP Photo/Gerald Leong)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) and San Antonio Spurs guard De'aaron Fox (4) vie for a loose ball in the first half of Game 5 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) drives against San Antonio Spurs guard De'aaron Fox (4) in the first half of Game 5 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) reacts to a basket against the San Antonio Spurs in the second half of Game 5 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain (3) celebrates after making a 3-pointer during the second half of Game 2 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the San Antonio Spurs Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams (8) and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) celebrate after a 3-pointer during the second overtime of Game 1 in a third-round NBA basketball playoffs series against the San Antonio Spurs Monday, May 18, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)