NEW YORK – Six months ago, the scenes that unfolded Thursday night at Yankee Stadium, on the field and in the home clubhouse, would have been considered unlikely.

Not only is Gerrit Cole healthy, but he’s peaking at the right time, six months before he’s forced to shut down with an elbow injury. Giancarlo Stanton was not only on the field, but also smashing baseballs in a game that counted again, six months removed from the worst season of his career.

The two together contributed to the New York Yankees’ decisive 10-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

But it happened Thursday night as the Yankees defeated the Orioles, the defending division champions and preseason favorites, completing their climb to the summit of the American League East – one the franchise aims to achieve every season – after failing to reach the playoffs in 2023 had.

With a record of 93-66, the Yankees are one game ahead of the Cleveland Guardians and have the best record in the American League and home-field advantage heading into the World Series. They finish the regular season with a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates starting Friday.

“This is a special evening,” said Cole as the loud celebration continued around him. “That’s what you want as a player. The division is at the door. You have to go out and get it.”

Cole went out and grabbed the win with another dominant performance. With a nine-inning debut against the Oakland Athletics, the right-hander got the better of Orioles ace Corbin Burnes by giving up two hits over 6 ⅔ scoreless innings in his 17th and final start of the regular season. He had five strikeouts per walk and threw 95 pitches.

The reigning Cy Young Award winner finished the season 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA over 95 innings after making his season debut on June 19 and not returning to the injured list. He’ll next take the mound with a full tank for Game 1 of the AL Division Series against a team to be determined on Oct. 5.

“I expect to throw 110 (pitches) next week,” Cole said.

Stanton, on the other hand, was vintage Stanton. The slugger opened the scoring with a solo home run in the second inning off Burnes, who allowed just one more hit and struck out nine in five innings. Two at-bats later, Stanton hit a 116.4 mph three-run double as the Yankees opened the game with a six-run sixth inning.

Aaron Judge extended the lead in the seventh inning with his 58th home run of the year, a two-run moonshot that landed in the Orioles’ bullpen over the left-center field wall.

In doing so, Judge became the fourth player in Major League history with at least 58 home runs in a season, joining Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. He hit a home run in five straight games, matching his career high.

“I didn’t realize that,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said when informed of Judge’s streak. “That’s the part that takes it for granted.”

Stanton’s home run was his 27th of the season. He is batting .235 with an OPS of .781 in 112 games. Those aren’t top-notch Stanton numbers — he once hit 59 home runs in a season — but they’re light years better than a terrible 2023 season in which he batted .191 with a .695 OPS and struggled at times, just the ones to run bases.

The struggles motivated Stanton to lose muscle mass and focus on his mobility in the offseason. The work paid off, helping the Yankees win their 21st division title since division play began in 1969.

Next week, attention turns to ending the franchise’s 15-year championship drought with World Series title No. 28.

“You can’t take that for granted at all,” Stanton said. “It’s expected for sure, but in times like last year they happen so you have to appreciate it. We’re here now, enjoy it, you never know if you’ll ever get another chance, so you have to go.”