Judge, Soto guide Yankees sail past Mariners to the verge of playoffs
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Follow UsAaron Judge dominated early, driving in four runs and extending his MLB-leading RBI count to 136. Juan Soto complemented with a double, walk, and two-run homer against Woo. The Yankees cruised to an 11-2 win over the playoff-contending Mariners at T-Mobile Park, reducing their postseason clinching magic number to one.
Tuesday night’s game felt like a prelude to bigger things, as the Yankees overpowered the Mariners in a decisive 11-2 win. Despite going up against right-hander Bryan Woo, New York forced him out by the fifth inning. A crowd of 31,668 at T-Mobile Park witnessed the Yankees’ dominance.
Key contributions came from the top of the Yankees batting order, with Gleyber Torres, Juan Soto, and Aaron Judge combining for an impressive 7-for-10, drawing three walks, driving in six runs, and scoring seven times. The Yankees (88-63) have now won eight of their last 11 games, trimming their magic number to one for clinching a playoff berth.
A win Wednesday would make New York the first American League team to secure a postseason spot this year. Aaron Judge shared the team’s excitement about the possibility, especially after missing the playoffs last season. He emphasized that while clinching is crucial, it’s just the first step in their bigger pursuit of a World Series title.
“We’d definitely be excited [to clinch], especially after the season we had last year, missing out on the postseason,” the Yankees captain said. “That’s what we came into this season to do: get into the postseason and give ourselves an opportunity to go out there and win a World Series. That’ll be step 1, but we got to get there first.”
The Yankees also strengthened their lead in the AL East, widening the gap to four games, the largest since early June. This came in part due to Baltimore’s loss earlier in the day.
Yankees offense allowed Gil enough cushion
The Yankees offensive firepower neutralized a surging Mariners team (77-74) that had won eight of their previous 11 games in a push to stay in the playoff race.
Juan Soto stole the spotlight with a single swing in the fourth inning, achieving three career milestones at once. He belted his 40th home run of the season, which also marked the 200th of his career, and completed his personal goal of homering in all 30 MLB ballparks. Soto said this last achievement was the most meaningful, describing his pride in rounding the bases and reflecting on how ballpark dimensions vary. As he approaches free agency, he believes this accomplishment strengthens his resume.
“It’s a great feeling for me,” the Yankees slugger said. “So many different ballparks, so many different dimensions. I just want to get all of them checked [off]. What a best way to go into free agency with homers in all 30 ballparks, checking my list.”
Gleyber Torres also shined, both at the plate and in the field. He went 3-for-4, including a double, while making three standout defensive plays at second base.
Aaron Judge continued his impressive campaign, going 2-for-4 with a walk and driving in four runs, boosting his season RBI count to 136.
Jasson Dominguez joined the action with his first home run of the season in the fifth inning, extending the Yankees’ lead to 7-1 and chasing Mariners pitcher Bryan Woo from the game. Austin Wells capped off the victory with a three-run double in the sixth, sealing the win.
The Yankees’ offensive firepower took the pressure off starter Luis Gil, who, despite battling control issues, completed five innings while allowing just one run. Marcus Stroman, appearing in relief for the first time this season after being moved from the starting rotation, closed out the game with three innings of work. He surrendered a solo homer but earned the save.
The Mariners, particularly Victor Robles, unintentionally gave Luis Gil a lifeline during his shaky start on the mound. Gil, handed a 2-0 lead, ran into early trouble by hitting Robles with his first pitch, then walking two batters on 3-1 counts to load the bases with just one out.
After getting Luke Raley to pop out for the second out, Gil found himself in another bind, falling behind 3-0 to Justin Turner. While Gil paused to grab the rosin bag, seemingly struggling with his command, Robles took an aggressive lead off third base and made a surprise dash for home. Gil spotted him just in time and fired the ball to the plate, where catcher Austin Wells applied the tag to end the inning without any damage.
Manager Aaron Boone called it a fortunate break for the Yankees, crediting the play with helping Gil settle in. After the chaotic first inning, Gil found his rhythm and pitched five solid innings.
“[A] 3-0 count, that felt like a big break, little bit of a gift for us there,” he said. “Helped get Luis off the ropes and he was able to settle in and do enough to give us a strong five.”
From there, the Yankees extended their lead. Juan Soto launched a two-run homer off Mariners starter Bryan Woo in the fourth inning, pushing New York’s lead to 6-1.
Soto’s blast marked his 40th home run of the season, joining Aaron Judge as part of an exclusive Yankees duo. They became only the third pair of teammates in franchise history to each hit 40 home runs in a single season, a feat last achieved by Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in 1961. Before that, Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig accomplished it in three different seasons.
The Yankees are on the verge of clinching a playoff spot, potentially locking it in as soon as Wednesday night. This would mark the first of two major goals the team aims to achieve in September.
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