DETROIT -- Their ace pitcher returned from a shoulder injury and looked sharp. Their celebrated slugger finally ended a streak he never wanted to own.

It was a good night all around for the New York Yankees, who pummeled the Detroit Tigers 13-4 on Tuesday night at Comerica Park.

Masahiro Tanaka came off the disabled list and pitched seven solid innings, and Aaron Judge's record-breaking strikeout streak ended at 37 games.

Tanaka (9-10) was making his first start since Aug. 9 after recovering from shoulder inflammation. He held the Tigers to three runs on six hits and no walks while striking out four.

"I felt good. I had a little bit of time off and there was no issue, no problem with the arm," Tanaka said through his translator. "I think I went through the process pretty well. I gradually built up the strength of it and got ready for the game, so I wasn't worried about it at all."

Judge had struck out at least once in 37 consecutive games dating back to July 8. The streak was a single-season major league record, and it matched the all-time record set by Montreal Expos pitcher Bill Stoneman from 1971 to '72.

The rookie slugger walked on full counts during his first three trips to the plate and added an RBI single. Jacoby Ellsbury pinch-hit for Judge in the seventh inning.

Manager Joe Girardi denied that he deliberately pulled Judge to snap the streak. Girardi said he simply wanted to give Judge a little rest.

"I wouldn't have even known about it if you had not told me," he said. "I don't look at those things. It's not like he sat on his average or didn't play. I've got to take care of this guy. He plays every day."

Gary Sanchez hit a pair of two-run homers, including a mammoth blast in the first inning, for New York (67-57). Sanchez's first-inning shot to left field traveled an estimated 493 feet, according to MLB's Statcast, the second-longest homer in the majors this season behind only a 495-foot blast by Judge.

Sanchez, who was moved to the No. 3 spot in the order, has 11 homers in his past 24 games.

"He has the ability in a sense to carry a club," Girardi said.

Aaron Hicks hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs. Todd Frazier had three hits, including a two-run triple, for the Yankees.

Nicholas Castellanos hit two home runs, including an inside-the-park homer, and Ian Kinsler added an RBI double for Detroit (54-70). Matthew Boyd (5-7) was tagged for seven runs and seven hits in 2 1/3 innings, equaling his shortest start of the season.

"I didn't execute pitches, that's what it is," Boyd said. "It's wanting to go down and away with a changeup and missing up and Sanchez hits a homer. It's wanting to go down with a fastball and missing up and away and Frazier gets a chance to get a ball in the air for a two-run triple. It's little things like that. That's the difference."

Boyd has allowed 17 runs (16 earned) in his past four starts, spanning 16 1/3 innings. His rotation spot is in jeopardy.

"I need to be better," he said. "In terms of what other people decide about me, that's out of my control. I know I need to be better, and that's what I'm going to work on when I step in the door tomorrow."

Sanchez's monstrous blast followed Hicks' one-out single in the first. The Yankees tacked on another run in the inning when Judge walked and scored on Tyler Austin's sacrifice fly after advancing to third on Didi Gregorius' double.

A leadoff walk to Judge set the stage for the Yankees' four-run third. Austin knocked in Judge with a single. Frazier ended Boyd's night two batters later with his two-run, opposite-field triple. Ronald Torreyes' sacrifice fly off Warwick Saupold made it 7-0.

The Tigers got one back in the bottom half on Kinsler's two-out RBI double.

Hicks' fielder's choice and Judge's single brought home the runs during New York's two-run fifth.

NOTES: Detroit 3B Nicholas Castellanos is still expected to get an audition in right field this season. Management wants to see how Castellanos handles the switch, which would create a spot for top prospect Jeimer Candelario. "He's not ready to go out there right now," manager Brad Ausmus said. "The biggest thing is his comfort level." ... Yankees 1B Greg Bird appears to be close to returning from the 60-day disabled list. Bird, who is recovering from a right ankle bruise, collected four straight two-hit games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. "You hope he can make a big impact for us," manager Joe Girardi said. ... The Yankees began a stretch of 39 games in 41 days.