Juan Soto going to the Yankees has the makeup to be the best story of the MLB season. But can one man make such a difference to an organization looking for another World Series ring? Possibly!
On Opening Day in Houston, the Yankees were looking for the spark needed to get 2024 back on track and the found it with a bat and an arm, but not the arm one would think.
The Astros put a damper early on in the game, to any hopes of a Yankees victory, as they scored four runs in the first two innings on a Chas McCormick two RBI single, Yainer Diaz RBI single and a Jake Meyers solo home run.
After the home run, Nestor Cortes settled in and retired the next 12 of 13 batters he faced to keep the Bronx Bombers in the game.
That was enough to allow the Yankees to go to work.
In the top of the fifth, New York got on the board after newcomer Soto got his first hit as a Yankee, as he lined a sharp bases loaded single to right field scoring Jose Trevino.
Both Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton struck out and then Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch, allowing the second run to score. Then Astros starter Framber Valdez was removed from the game to an injury and replaced by Seth Martinez, who then issues a walk to Anthony Volpe to pull the Yankees within 4-3.
In the sixth, New York pulled even at 4-4, when Oswaldo Cabrera homered over the right field fence. Then another newcomer Alex Verdugo hit a sac fly in the top of the seventh, scoring Aaron Judge, who doubled to lead off the inning, to put the Yankees in the lead at 5-4.
What a throw by Juan Soto to gun down the tying run at home!!! pic.twitter.com/JL86E35bUk
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) March 28, 2024
With the game at 5-4, the Astros started the bottom of the ninth with a single from Mauricio Dubon. After Jose Altuve lined out to second base, Yordan Alvarez singled moving the tying run to second base. Kyle Tucker then hit a line drive single to right fielder Juan Soto and the new Yankee came up throwing and gunned down Dubon attempting to score and tie the game. Soto who is known more for his bat, saved the play with his arm. Clay Holmes then got Alex Bregman to ground out into a force out, securing the Yankees first win of the season.
Can Juan Soto be the man that takes the Yankees back to the promise land?, well he proved for one night that he can help win a game even if he doesn’t hit one out.
