José Ramírez homers, drives in 4 runs for Guardians in 6-4 win over AL-leading Yankees

CLEVELAND (AP) — José Ramírez hit a three-run homer and Kyle Manzardo went deep on the next pitch in the third inning, helping the Cleveland Guardians beat the American League-leading New York Yankees 6-4 on Monday night.

Ramírez and Manzardo both cleared the fence in right off Clarke Schmidt (0-1), who gave up five runs in four innings. Manzardo has homered in three straight games and has a team-high seven.

Cleveland led 6-0 before Jasson Domínguez hit a two-run homer in the seventh and Jazz Chisholm Jr., who had been in a 1-for-18 slide, had a two-run drive in the eighth. The Yankees went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.

New York, playing Cleveland for the first time since winning last year's AL Championship Series, lost for the second time in eight games.

Aaron Judge extended his on-base streak to 19 games, going 1 of 4 with a walk, but struck out against Cade Smith with a runner on second for the final out. The reigning AL MVP leads the majors with a .384 average, 33 hits and 25 RBIs.

Gavin Williams (2-1) allowed two runs and seven hits over 6 1/3 innings in his first win over an AL East squad in eight career starts and Smith worked the ninth for his second big league save, his first this season.

Schmidt, who made his season debut last Wednesday, held the Guardians hitless in the first two innings before allowing two homers, two doubles and three singles over the next two frames.

With 668 extra-base hits, all with Cleveland, Ramírez moved past Hall of Famer Tris Speaker for sole possession of second on the team career list behind Hall of Famer Earl Averill (724).

Yankees RHP Will Warren (1-0, 5.17 ERA) takes on Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (1-2, 5.85 ERA) on Tuesday in the second game of the three-game series.

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New York Yankees' Aaron Judge warms up before a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, left, talks with New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, right, before a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams delivers against the New York Yankees during the first inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt pauses after giving up a solo home run to Cleveland Guardians' Kyle Manzardo during the third inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan, right, slides home as he evades a tag by New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

New York Yankees' Jasson Dominguez, right, is greeted by Pablo Reyes (19) after his two-run home run off Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

New York Yankees' Jasson Dominguez celebrates after his two-run home run off Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan (38) and Brayan Rocchio, left rear, congratulate Jose Ramirez, right, after Ramirez's three-run home run off New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt during the third inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians' Brayan Rocchio watches his RBI single off New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt with catcher Austin Wells during the third inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge watches his double off Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams during the third inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez, right, watches his three-run home run off New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt with catcher Austin Wells, center, and umpire Nick Mahrley, left, during the third inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Monday, April 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s massive holdings of U.S. Treasurys can be “a card on the table” in negotiations over tariffs with the Trump administration, Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato said Friday.

“It does exist as a card, but I think whether we choose to use it or not would be a separate decision,” Kato said during a news show on national broadcaster TV Tokyo.

Kato did not elaborate and he did not say Japan would step up sales of its holdings of U.S. government bonds as part of its talks over President Donald Trump's tariffs on exports from Japan.

Earlier, Japanese officials including Kato had ruled out such an option.

Japan is the largest foreign holder of U.S. government debt, at $1.13 trillion as of late February. China, also at odds with the Trump administration over trade and tariffs, is the second largest foreign investor in Treasurys.

Kato stressed that various factors would be on the negotiating table with Trump, implying that a promise not to sell Treasurys could help coax Washington into an agreement favorable for Japan.

Trump has disrupted decades of American trade policies, including with key security allies like Japan, by i mposing big import taxes, or tariffs, on a wide range of products.

A team of Japanese officials was in Washington this week for talks on the tariffs.

The U.S. is due to soon begin imposing a 25% tariff on imported vehicles and auto parts, as well as an overall 10% baseline tariff. The bigger tariffs will hurt at a time when Japanese economic growth is weakening.

Asian holdings of Treasurys have remained relatively steady in recent years, according to the most recent figures.

But some analysts worry China or other governments could liquidate their U.S. Treasury holdings as trade tensions escalate.

U.S. government bonds are traditionally viewed as a safe financial asset, and recent spikes in yields of those bonds have raised worries that they might be losing that status due to Trump’s tariff policies.

FILE - Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato arrives at the prime minister's office Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, file)