‘We’re dawgs out there’: Yanks, Soto roar from gate
PHOENIX – Alex Verdugo has already coined “The Soto Effect’’ to define the New York Yankees’ relentless lineup through the first few games of 2024.
After last Sunday’s win at Houston completed a four-game sweep against the Astros, Verdugo had another memorable way to describe the Juan Soto-led start, the Yanks’ best out-of-the-gate run since 2003.
“We just get amped up and we love it. We’re dawgs out there,’’ said Verdugo, following his sliding catch in left field to seal the Yankees’ 4-3 afternoon victory at Minute Maid Park.
Verdugo has been awed by the way Soto “controls the zone, doesn’t let the moment get too big. It’s very impressive and I’m happy that he’s on our team.’’
And being able to celebrate victories with Soto and Aaron Judge, well, “We’re dawgs out there.’’
Judge mentioned wanting Verdugo on the Yankees’ side for a while, and the lefty-hitting outfielder – who had some issues last year with the Red Sox, including discipline concerning lateness – has fit in seamlessly so far.
Verdugo has helped to balance what was an overly right-handed lineup, but his plus-defense in left field has already made a significant difference in the Yankees’ season-opening series.
“I look forward to making the plays and trying to help out our pitching staff,’’ said Verdugo, who hears the pitchers praising his effort, and “that makes me want to go out and just keep working hard and making the plays for those guys.’’
A veteran of the recent Red Sox-Yankees battles, Verdugo said that last Sunday’s ninth-inning energy at Minute Maid Park felt close to a postseason game.
“The adrenaline was definitely flowing,’’ said Verdugo. “Very close to that playoff-type feel.’’
After getting another good read on a tough play, Verdugo’s sliding catch of Kyle Tucker’s sinking liner, with two runners aboard, was the game’s final out, sealing the four-game sweep.
During the series, there were shallow fly balls that “I’ve kind of just missed or just tipped off my glove,’’ said Verdugo. “That one, I felt a lot more comfortable going to.
“The other ones were a little bit more of a do-or-die, full layout. That one, I had time to do a basket catch.’’
Soto lifts Yankees to early-season sweep
As long as there are Yankees who’ve experienced October heartbreak here, the bad memories of Minute Maid Park won’t fade.
Yet, the electric presence of Soto has quickly added distance to that painful past.
Soto’s latest game-winning hit “just put a bow on the series,’’ said Yankees manager Aaron Boone, having completed that season-opening sweep of a bitter league rival.
“Just a killer at-bat,’’ Boone said of Soto’s ninth-inning, tiebreaking RBI single off closer Josh Hader, boosting the Yankees past the Houston Astros 4-3 before 36,908 fans.
In need of a strong start, if only to sprint from any comparisons to the fourth-place mess of 2023, these Yankees made a bold, initial statement.
“Anytime you can go on the road against a great opponent and pull off a
four-game sweep … that’s a little extra sweet,’’ said Boone, whose Soto-fueled team has its best franchise start since 2003.
There’s a three-game series in Arizona before the Yankees play the April 5 home opener, where the Bronx welcome for Soto might be a deafening roar.
“You feel good when he’s up there,’’ Verdugo said. “You feel really good.’’
Soto makes Astros pay at each turn
During a long weekend series downtown, Soto made the Astros pay at nearly every critical turn.
Soto’s Houston tally: Nine hits in 17 atbats, three walks and an RBI in each of the four games, becoming just the sixth player to accomplish that to start his Yankees career – a list that includes Joe DiMaggio.
“That’s what we play for,’’ said Soto, whose killer weekend included gunning down the would-be tying run from right field on opening day and smashing a goahead homer on Saturday night.
“That’s the kind of start I wanted,’’ Soto said of lifting his new team. “I grinded really hard this offseason, this spring training, to be successful.’’
And he grinded through another tough at-bat, after Gleyber Torres blooped a two-out single and easily stole second base in the ninth.
Once more, Torres was running on Hader’s delivery as Soto shot a full-count sinker to left field, the lefty slugger’s third hit of the afternoon.
“What a game, what a series. I was in here screaming with the rest of the staff,’’ said Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt, who watched Soto take a borderline 2-2 sinker before delivering the big hit.
Yankees work late magic again versus Astros
In his first start of 2024, Schmidt pitched into the sixth inning. He resembled the reliable starter of the last four months of 2023, expanding his pitch mix and limiting damage against a tough lineup.
Yordan Alvarez made some loud outs, but the Houston slugger was just 2-for-17 in the four-game series with zero extrabase hits.
Jose Altuve was a still a pest (homer, double, walk) and the Yankees managed to avoid any late disaster, thanks in part to their improved defense.
Clay Holmes saved his third game of the set, but this one – like opening day – was a nervous ninth inning due to shaky command.
It took a run-saving defensive play by third baseman Jon Berti against Altuve, and a dash of good fortune, for Holmes to get through it.
Verdugo’s sliding catch of Kyle Tucker’s sinking liner ended it, with runners at first and second.
Similar to the runaway first-half Yankees of 2022, “there’s an energy, an excitement in the clubhouse and there’s a trust factor too,’’ said Schmidt. “Everybody’s leaning on each other.’’
Soto wasn’t around for the Yankees’ ALCS heartbreak against the Astros in 2017 or 2019, the year his Washington Nationals defeated Houston in the World Series, or 2022 either.
“You don’t really play playoff games in March, but this was a big-time series and a big-time sweep,’’ said Schmidt of humbling the Astros.
“Just kind of letting them know, letting everybody else know we’re here. And this is just the start for us.’’