Yankees Near Playoff Berth After 11-2 Rout of Mariners, Led by Judge & Soto

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Yankees dominate Mariners/ Judge and Soto shine/ New York vs Seattle MLB/ Newslooks/ SEATTLE/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Aaron Judge drove in four runs and Juan Soto hit his 40th homer of the season, helping the New York Yankees defeat the Seattle Mariners 11-2. Soto’s blast also marked his 200th career home run. The Yankees can clinch a wild-card spot with a win on Wednesday, as they extended their AL East lead to four games.

New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge hits a two-run designated hitter during the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Yankees Dominate Mariners: Quick Looks

Aaron Judge’s Big Night: Judge drove in four runs with a double and a single, pushing his league-leading RBI total to 136.
Soto’s Milestone: Juan Soto hit his 40th homer of the season and his 200th career home run, becoming the first player to homer in all 30 MLB parks.
AL East Lead: The Yankees extended their division lead to four games and are close to clinching a playoff spot.
Seattle Struggles: Mariners’ pitcher Bryan Woo gave up a season-high seven earned runs, ending his scoreless streak against the Yankees.

Yankees Near Playoff Berth After 11-2 Rout of Mariners, Led by Judge & Soto

Deep Look:

The New York Yankees are now on the verge of clinching a playoff spot after an 11-2 thrashing of the Seattle Mariners, led by stellar performances from Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. With one more win on Wednesday, the Yankees can guarantee at least a wild-card spot in the American League, further solidifying their dominant position in the AL East.

Aaron Judge wasted no time getting the Yankees on the board. In the first inning, he drove a two-run double to left, quickly putting New York ahead. In the second, he added a two-out, two-run single, increasing his RBI total to 136, the highest in the league. Judge’s early offensive surge set the tone for the Yankees, who came into the game with a four-game lead in their division.

But the night belonged to Juan Soto, who made history with his 40th home run of the season, a two-run shot to the opposite field in the third inning. The blast also marked Soto’s 200th career homer, an impressive milestone for the 25-year-old star. With this home run, Soto has now homered in all 30 Major League ballparks, a rare accomplishment that adds to his growing legacy. “To get to another goal in my career is just a great feeling,” Soto said. “All the work that I’ve been putting in and get the results is really cool.”

Soto and Judge joined elite company in Yankees history, becoming just the third pair of teammates to each hit 40 home runs in a season. The other duos? Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig (1927, 1930, 1931) and Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris (1961). “It’s an honor. It’s tough to really put into words. Those are baseball legends you’re talking about,” Judge remarked after the game.

The top of New York’s lineup was unstoppable on Tuesday. Judge, Soto, and Gleyber Torres combined for a dominant 7-for-8 performance, driving in six runs and racking up four extra-base hits. Mariners’ starting pitcher Bryan Woo, who had not allowed a run in two previous starts against the Yankees, struggled mightily this time, giving up seven earned runs in just 4 2/3 innings.

Woo (8-3) was knocked out of the game in the fifth inning after Jasson Dominguez’s first home run since returning from Tommy John surgery. Dominguez’s shot capped off the Yankees’ relentless offensive performance. “Not very good. Just made some mistakes,” Woo admitted after the game, reflecting on his toughest outing of the season.

The Yankees added to their lead in the sixth inning with a bases-clearing double from Austin Wells, pushing the score to 11-1. It was the 14th time this season that New York had scored 10 or more runs in a game. Notably, the Mariners had gone 107 consecutive home games without allowing double-digit runs, the longest active streak in the majors.

Despite early control issues, Yankees starter Luis Gil (14-6) navigated through five innings, giving up just one run while striking out five. His biggest break came in the first inning when Seattle’s Victor Robles attempted to steal home with the bases loaded and two outs. The risky play resulted in an out, ending the Mariners’ chance to score early. “Vic is an aggressive player, no doubt. That’s part of his game,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “But that’s a situation where you have got to know you’re going to make it.”

Seattle’s lone offensive highlights came from solo home runs by Jorge Polanco and Luke Raley, along with four hits from Julio Rodriguez, who sported crystal-embellished shoes during the game. However, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Yankees’ firepower.

Marcus Stroman, making his ninth career relief appearance, pitched three innings for New York, allowing five hits and one run, including Raley’s homer. The Yankees’ win puts them in a strong position to clinch a playoff berth as they continue their road trip.

Up Next:

Yankees: Left-hander Nestor Cortes (9-10, 3.90 ERA) will take the mound on Wednesday after a strong outing against Boston, where he struck out nine and allowed just one run over five innings.
Mariners: Right-hander Bryce Miller (11-8, 3.12 ERA) will start for Seattle, having allowed only one earned run while striking out 11 over his last two starts combined.