The New York Yankees advance to the World Series for the first time since President Obama's first year in office.
On Saturday, Juan Soto hit a three-run homer, clinching the American League pennant for the Bronx for the first time since 2009. The 25-year-old superstar outfielder threw seven pitches and struck out two against Cleveland Guardians pitcher Hunter Gaddis. , he hit a high fastball deep into center field. He watched with uncertainty as to how far the ball would fly after leaving the bat.
The ball sailed over the center field fence, giving the Yankees a 5-2 victory in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series and a 4-1 series victory.
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New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto celebrates after hitting a three-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning against the Cleveland Guardians during Game 5 of the ALCS of the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Progressive Field. (David Dahmer Imagine Images)
The Cleveland crowd was three-quarters stunned into silence, and one-fourth were raucous Yankees fans. Traveling Yankees fans continued to stir up the Progressive Field crowd with chants of “Let's Go Yankees!” long after the final game ended. It echoed beyond the quiet town and across Lake Erie in Ohio.
For Cleveland, this is a crushing loss and continues a heartbreaking October trend against the Evil Empire.
Cleveland has lost four postseason series to the Yankees dating back to Aaron Judge's rookie season in 2017. That year, Cleveland was eliminated from the American League pennant, winning 102 games that season, the longest winning streak in American League history. The wild-card Yankees took a 2-0 lead and won their third straight game, but Cleveland hasn't been the same team since. The Yankees defeated Cleveland again in the 2020 Wild Card Series and 2022 Division Series, denying Cleveland a World Series appearance.
Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase shows off the honors immediately after making a save against the Yankees in the Arcus.
The New York Yankees hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning during Game 4 of the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio on October 18, 2024. Giancarlo Stanton #27 responds. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
For the Yankees, this victory marks an important step in their high-stakes mission to win their 28th championship.
Soto, the night's hero, was traded in the offseason with only one year left on his contract. Soto, along with Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, has proven to be a game-changer for the Yankees' batting lineup this year. But the Yankees and general manager Brian Cashman knew they had to win this year for this trade to be worth it.
Soto could sign the richest contract in MLB history this offseason. He could have commanded such a contract even before hitting his signature home run on Saturday. Now the price could be even higher.
Soto and the Yankees will await the winner of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.
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The New York Yankees celebrate after defeating the Cleveland Guardians in Game 5 of the ALCS of the 2024 MLB Playoffs held at Progressive Field. Required Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images (SScott Galvin-Imagn image)
The Dodgers lead the series 3-2 and need just one more home win to earn a ticket to their 12th World Series against the historic Yankees. The Mets need two straight wins on the road to play their local rival in the Subway Series for the first time since 2000.
No matter who the Yankees play, the expectations will be the same. However, they will be hoping that this time, for the first time in a long time, the Yankee brand will live up to their expectations.
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