The Yankees’ new game plan finally clicked into place as they had hoped for this season. Juan Soto’s disciplined approach tested the opposing pitcher, resulting in a crucial seven-pitch walk, followed by Aaron Judge unleashing his power.
Judge ignited the offense with a two-run home run, sending Kevin Gausman packing early. Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Rizzo joined the home run parade, contributing to a commanding lead that the Yankees needed to secure a thrilling 9-8 victory over the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on Saturday evening.
“This is the kind of performance we want to see all season, and we’re off to a strong offensive start,” Rizzo commented. “Our hitters are making pitchers work hard. We might not always explode offensively, but if we can grind down pitchers consistently, we’ll be in a good place.”
Superstars’ patience and power trigger Yankees’ much-needed offensive outburst
Kevin Gausman, the runner-up to Gerrit Cole in last year’s American League Cy Young Award voting, struggled to find his rhythm against the Yankees. His fastball was notably slower, down by 3.3 mph from 2023 averages (94.7 to 91.4), with his splitter dropping by 4 mph (86.3 mph to 82.3).
The Yankees wasted no time capitalizing on this, punishing Gausman for six runs (five earned) in just 1 1/3 innings. This was a stark contrast to their previous game, where they were shut out in the home opener with just six hits.
“The energy tonight was incredible,” Judge remarked. “The fans were fired up right from the start. It feels great to get this win for them. We gave them something to cheer about early on, and that always gets the fans going.”
In the first inning, Gausman seemed in control with an 0-2 count against Soto. However, Soto’s patience paid off with a hard-earned seven-pitch walk. Judge, observing from the on-deck circle, took note.
“Seeing Juan work the count, it puts pressure on the pitcher,” Judge explained. “I knew I’d get a good look at the pitches, maybe seven or eight of them. It helps me fine-tune my approach before I step up to the plate.” With that, Judge smashed an 0-2 splitter into the left-center-field bullpen for his second home run of the year.
This marked Judge’s fourth career home run off Gausman, tying his record against any pitcher. The Soto-Judge combination seemed to have a winning formula, according to manager Aaron Boone.
“I was watching Soto reaching home, and then Judgie rounding third base,” Boone recalled. “That’s the blueprint right there. Our dynamic duo got us off to a flying start.”
Stanton added to the fireworks with a homer of his own later in the first inning, just clearing the right-field wall for his second of the season. As umpires reviewed the play for possible fan interference, Judge shared a light-hearted moment with Stanton, saying, “Next time, hit it a bit farther, man.”
Though Stanton didn’t send another ball over the fence, he smacked singles in the third and fifth innings, enjoying his first three-hit performance since August 23, 2023. The last hit of the evening marked his 500th hit with the Yankees.
“We all need a night like that now and then,” Boone remarked. “Stanton’s mental toughness and focus on his approach are unwavering. I never doubt that he’ll find his groove. He just needed to settle in, and tonight showed what he’s capable of.”
