Yankees Sweep Giants in Opening Series of 2026

The Yankees' season got off to another hot start, with the team sweeping the Giants. These are the key takeaways from last weekend's action.

Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

March 30, 2026

For the fifth straight season, the New York Yankees won their opening series, with the team’s most recent victory completing a sweep against the San Francisco Giants. This was also the Yankees’ third consecutive series-opening sweep, as the team is 11-0 in March since 2024. These are the biggest takeaways from the Yankees’ success this past weekend.

Bullpen Looks Improved

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In 2025, the Yankees’ Achilles heel was their bullpen. During the regular season, the team posted a 4.37 ERA, the fifth-worst in the American League and the worst among all playoff teams. In the postseason, the group failed to meet expectations again, allowing 18 earned runs in seven games.

Surprisingly, the Yankees elected not to address their bullpen via free agency. Rather, the team put their trust in pitching coach Matt Blake, hoping he could turn around a relief corps that struggled mightily in 2025.

Through three games, it appears that was the smart decision. In the Yankees’ three-game sweep of the Giants, the team’s bullpen threw 11 shutout innings with 12 strikeouts.

The most encouraging sign, however, was the fact that the Yankees’ largest contributions came from the players who disappointed the most last year.

For example, Jake Bird had a miserable 2025 with the Yankees. After being acquired from the Colorado Rockies at the trade deadline, Bird allowed six earned runs in two innings. He was sent to the minors after three games, spelling the end of his 2025 tenure.

However, in two appearances against the Giants, Bird was a different player. In 2 1/3 innings pitched, Bird allowed two hits with three strikeouts, even earning the win in Saturday’s contest.

Likewise, Camilo Doval struggled with his command after being acquired from the Giants at the 2025 trade deadline. However, that issue failed to appear against his former team this past weekend, as Doval threw consecutive one-inning shutout relief appearances. His command looked especially good on Friday, as he struck out the side in the seventh inning.

Injury Concerns Don’t Seem Prevalent

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During spring training, injury concerns arose for two key Yankee contributors.

In February, manager Aaron Boone revealed that starting pitcher Cam Schlittler was dealing with back inflammation, forcing him to miss bullpen sessions. The team insisted it was nothing major, but Yankee fans began to prepare for the worst. As a result, Schlittler started Friday’s contest on a pitch limit. However, he proved his injury was nothing to worry about.

In 5 1/3 scoreless innings, Schlittler allowed one hit with eight strikeouts. He threw 68 pitches, looking as dominant as ever in his first start of the 2026 season.

Likewise, slugger Giancarlo Stanton was revealed to have tennis elbow, something the former National League MVP has struggled with over the past two years. Once again, Yankee fans prepared for the worst despite being told it was nothing to worry about.

But through three games, Stanton doesn’t look like his normal self; he looks better. Against the Giants, Stanton collected six hits in 12 at-bats. He also homered in Saturday’s contest, proving his power hasn’t gone anywhere.

Next Up

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The Yankees will look to continue their undefeated season on Monday, as they begin a three-game series with the Seattle Mariners in the Emerald City. First pitch is scheduled for 9:40 p.m., as pitcher Ryan Weathers makes his first start in a Yankee uniform.