A mostly positive atmosphere has been filling Yankee Stadium every day recently, with the stadium packed for the big game against the Dodgers. On a beautiful, perfect summer Friday in the Bronx, Yankees fans’ emotions briefly swung from immense relief and joy to momentary disappointment, but one loss out of 162 games is not going to ruin an overall positive day.
Technically, the Yankees lost 2-1 to the rival Dodgers in the 11th inning, snapping an eighth-game winning streak in the $300 million-plus series. But unofficially, it was another day of victory.
The most important result wasn’t the extra innings, but the one that came seven hours earlier, a win that doesn’t affect the standings but ultimately means much more than what happened on the field afterward. The good news came when a midday MRI showed Yankees superstar Juan Soto was suffering only from inflammation in his left forearm/elbow.
Although Soto was said to be “day-to-day” and sat out Friday, there was a sense of relief throughout the division, especially as the duo of Soto and homegrown superstar Aaron Judge helped turn this season into one of celebration, and no one in the division wanted to imagine either of the AL co-MVP candidates missing an extended period of time.
The atmosphere in the sellout crowd of 48,048 was understandably jubilant for much of the game as the Yankees overcame a serious injury threat to their new Bronx star (second only to home-grown Judge), so there was no reason to lament as they fell to 45-20.
The Yankees and Dodgers have always provided some of the best October drama, but this time it was a celebrity-studded game between two teams with a playoff atmosphere (and good weather). Both teams were considered World Series favorites this season, and the Yankees’ win solidified oddsmakers’ initial view.
The crowd was there hoping to see the Dodgers’ big names, especially Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman, and many Dodgers fans came out to see Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run double off Ian Hamilton to give Los Angeles the lead. But until the final inning, the Dodgers’ big-name lineup couldn’t beat Yankees pinch-hitter Cody Poteet and his four relief pitchers, who were matched by the Dodgers’ $325 million (plus $50.6 million posting fee) pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was 0-0.
Coveted by the Yankees (and just about every big city team) this winter, Yamamoto was in great form for the big stage, reaching 97 mph more than 20 times after only reaching that mark three times before. There was plenty of energy in the ballpark, and Yamamoto delivered a signature performance against a strong Yankees lineup (minus the great Soto, who sat out because manager Aaron Boone suggested he might come off the bench).
Soto’s amazing diagnosis was first reported by The Washington Post, and it was met with cheers from Yankees fans across the city. It was the news they wanted to hear. My guess is the fans were more worried about him than he was. Incidentally, Manager Boone wasn’t too worried about Soto.
“He’s a really cool customer,” Boone said.
He’s also the once-in-a-decade talent who reinvigorated a Yankees lineup that, despite a losing season in 2023, is the Bronx Bombers again, and people across the region are celebrating.
Apparently, very little bad can happen to the Yankees, who are currently dominating the game. Not all the positives have to do with him, but it’s probably no coincidence that so much has happened since he got here. Things are just magical for the best team in the American League.
Alex Verdugo seems rejuvenated playing for his former team’s biggest rival, Long Island native Marcus Stroman is nostalgic pitching for the team he rooted for as a kid, Luke Weaver is phenomenal, and yes, Brian Cashman had a great winter.
Almost everything is going well. And, of course, no one is better than Soto, who has helped transform a lineup that was moribund last year, especially after most of its key players began to get injured.
Yankees fans probably had flashbacks to last year when news broke late Thursday that Soto had been experiencing “discomfort” in his forearm/elbow for about 10 days, and he was just hanging in there and continuing to perform despite not being at full strength.
That’s what this year has been like. The Yankees faced their lone setback in the form of an elbow injury to ace Gerrit Cole, but have continued to thrive since then. Miraculously, the Yankees’ starting rotation is the best in baseball, their best pitcher is still out, and Cole is on his way back.
Cole said he was “feeling great” after making his first rehab start for Double-A Somerset, and while he didn’t want to speculate on a return date, some have projected he could be back as soon as June 20 with two more rehab starts, which would make the American League’s best team even stronger.
