When Juan Soto made the move to the New York Yankees in the offseason, it marked a significant change for the young star. A new city, a new ballpark, and a new league awaited him, including his first visit to Progressive Field.
Following a hitless outing with a walk in the doubleheader’s opening game, Soto made his mark in the second game with a milestone: a three-run home run.
This crucial blast helped power the Yankees to an impressive 8-2 victory and secured a doubleheader sweep. The earlier game saw the Yankees edge past the Indians with a tight 3-2 win.
Soto’s home run in the second game not only added another victory to the Yankees’ tally but also added another achievement to his MLB resume. This homer marked his 26th MLB stadium where he’s gone yard. (Notably, he also homered for the Padres in Mexico City back in 2023.)
Soto’s smash caps twin-bill sweep
Manager Aaron Boone praised Soto’s prowess, stating, “He’s a great, great player. So, any time you throw things like that out there at a very young age it’s not surprising. I’m sure it won’t be long until it’s 30 out of 30.”
The impressive blast by Soto sailed 408 feet to center field off pitcher Triston McKenzie, extending the Yankees’ lead to a commanding 6-0. Soto also added two walks to his productive outing.
The Yankees’ offensive prowess was on full display, with two runs scored in the first inning courtesy of well-placed hits after back-to-back walks. Aaron Judge commented on the team’s approach, stating, “We know [McKenzie] has some nasty stuff. So we just tried to lock into our zone, and we were able to execute that.”
Before Soto’s heroics, the Yankees tacked on another run with an RBI single from Anthony Volpe. They continued to pad their lead with two more runs in the fifth inning, including an RBI double from Oswaldo Cabrera.
Pitcher Cody Poteet, serving as the 27th man for the doubleheader, delivered an impressive performance on the mound. He allowed just one run over six solid innings, securing his first win since May 23, 2021, during his time with the Marlins.
Poteet, who received news of his callup just a day before the game, described his feelings as a mix of excitement and nerves. However, his pitching showed no signs of jitters, with an efficient 77 pitches to get through six innings.
“To go six in the second game of a doubleheader was huge,” praised Boone. “I thought he did a great job [mixing his pitches] to get off the barrel. Really strong effort.”
Despite a lone blemish, a solo home run surrendered to former Yankee Estevan Florial, Poteet’s performance was a testament to his resilience and determination.
“I always had the belief in myself that I was a Major League starting pitcher,” Poteet affirmed. “Just thankful for the opportunity.”