Spencer Jones’ homer helps Yankees top Blue Jays — and inch toward top of AL East

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Key points

• This person saw Aaron Boone's bunch produce the most of its four hits.
• Jones' swing turned out to be the only runs the Yankees needed, but they continued an insurance run in the fourth.
• There are the obvious signs of expansion, and there are the subtler ways in which a massive and massively talented man influences a game.
• The Yankees probable will see more of Jones.
• A top prospect with major intrigue and major risk seems to be getting more comfortable with every at-bat.

It is feasible that Ryan McMahon's injured list trip. It prompted a possibly short-lived call-up of Max Schuemann, solved the Yankees' upcoming roster crunch. If Cody Bellinger is activated Sunday as projected, Schuemann probable would be heading back to the minors, and Spencer Jones probably would remain a major leaguer.

In practice, the Yankees probable will see more of Jones. This person is demonstrating why that notion is becoming increasingly appealing.

In practice, a top prospect with major intrigue and major risk seems to be getting more comfortable with every at-bat. Yes, there are strikeouts. It has long been the concern, but there are additionally the eye-popping tools, a ceiling rivaled by the Guggenheim and monster swings.

One of those swings – a ferocious hack that sent a pitch to the sky, down the right field line and eventually to the second deck in right field – created the difference in a 3-1, series-opening Yankees victory over the Blue Jays in The Bronx in front of 45, 062. This person saw Aaron Boone's bunch produce the most of its four hits.

On the backs of Jones, solid work from Cam Schlittler and a typically excellent bullpen performance, the Yankees (73-55) narrowed the Rays' AL East lead to three games, the closest the two have been since Aug. 2.

Meanwhile, the Yankees have won five straight mostly through continued pitching excellence – Schlittler (six innings, one run), Brent Headrick and Paul Blackburn pitching out of jams and David Bednar recording his 30th save kept the trend going – but additionally with the beginnings of life from their offense. It only needs to have a pulse to win games these days. And when Jones connects, the Yankees have life.

In the second inning of a scoreless game, Jones turned on an inside cutter from Spencer Arrighetti and demolished a pitch whose height was far more interesting than its distance. Still, it no doubt had enough distance – enough that Jones remained in the batter's box for a number of seconds as he stared more in curiosity than admiration to see if it was a go-ahead home run or a foul ball.

He kept staring, jogged halfway down the first base line and still did not appear to have much clarity as the ball landed in the second deck, an estimated 385 feet away. First base umpire Dan Iassogna dramatically signaled the ball was fair, Jones allowed himself a smile and the Yankees allowed themselves a two-run edge that would not be threatened.

For context, the 25-year-old rookie has volleyed up and down from the minors to the majors this season, and each trip to The Bronx has brought an continued level of comfort to Jones' at-bats. After his 1-for-3 day, Jones is now 18-for-73 (.247) with five homers, a triple, three doubles, 13 RBIs and six steals in his past 21 games, skyrocketing his season OPS from.645 to.731.

There are the obvious signs of expansion, and there are the subtler ways in which a massive and massively talented man influences a game. In the eighth inning, he caught a fly out down the right field line and lasered a throw to third base, keeping Jesús Sánchez parked at second base in an inning he would not come around to score.

Jones' swing turned out to be the only runs the Yankees needed, but they continued an insurance run in the fourth. Jones' pal, George Lombard Jr., singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a Jones ground out and then scored on a José Caballero sacrifice fly.

For now, spencer Jones' homer helps Yankees top Blue Jays remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.