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Aaron Judge saw 35 pitches in his five plate appearances, wearing down Rangers pitching and reaching base four times.
But such excellence has become nearly expected from the Yankees captain.
Less expected is Judge’s quality at-bats turning into runs.
The Yankees No. 3 hitter circled the bases a few times Saturday because his protection — most notably the club’s No. 4 hitter — lengthened a lineup that no longer seems so top-heavy.
Austin Wells drove in four runs with a double and a single on an afternoon the Yankees finished with 12 hits to lead the club over Texas in a series-opening and doubleheader-opening 8-0 shutout in The Bronx.
A big day from the offense and quality work from Carlos Rodon helped the Yankees (69-48) take their ninth game in the past 12 before the nightcap.
The Yankees knocked out Nathan Eovaldi after just three innings with six hits — several timely — and tacked on (including with another home run from Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the eighth) in a game that rarely was in doubt.
An all-around strong effort came with a concern.
Trent Grisham was lifted before the start of the fifth inning after his left hand was drilled with a fastball in the fourth.
Grisham, who departed with a hand contusion, received X-rays that came back negative.
Before leaving, he reached base twice in a game that the Yankees lived on the basepaths.
The tone was set immediately, with Juan Soto singling and Judge following with a single (on the ninth pitch of a battle with Eovaldi) in the first inning.
Wells’ drive into the left-center gap was caught, but No. 5 hitter Gleyber Torres came through with an RBI single that gave the Yankees a lead they never surrendered.
Soto and Judge (who singled on the sixth pitch he saw) reached again to start the home third before Wells smacked a double into the right-center gap to juice the lead to three.
That lead was doubled an inning later, when Alex Verdugo and Grisham reached and then came around to score on a rifled double from Judge, this time on the ninth pitch he saw.
Wells came through with a two-run single up the middle for a 6-0 lead that would prove plenty for the Yankees staff.
The Yankees would be fine with opposing teams pitching around Judge, who has received more intentional walks lately, if Wells keeps hitting like this.
The catcher, who has been playing nearly every day in Jose Trevino’s absence, has reached base multiple times in 11 of his past 14 starts, a span in which he’s 22-for-59 (.373) with 13 RBIs.
He also did his job defensively, catching 5 ²/₃ scoreless innings from Rodon on a day the Yankees staff allowed just five hits.
Rodon was not efficient (a season-high 110 pitches to record 17 outs), but was at his best when he danced into trouble.
Texas went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position against the lefty, who struck out six and saved his best stuff for the big moments.
The Rangers loaded the bases with two outs in the second, but Rodon induced a flyout from Jonah Heim to escape.
Two more reached base in the third, but Rodon struck out Wyatt Langford with 98.5-mph heat to finish the inning with style and with several shouts at home-plate ump Adam Hamari, Rodon apparently not happy with the zone.
Once more Rodon blazed his way out of trouble in the fourth, when two reached before Rodon got Josh Smith to swing through a 98.7-mph fastball.
Ron Marinaccio, called up as the 27th man, was strong for 2 ¹/₃ innings before Tim Hill finished off the five-hitter.
