The New York Yankees desperately needed a win today, as they were just coming off of two uncompetitive losses to the Tampa Bay Rays over the weekend. Hoping to get back into the win column and avoid taking another series loss, they would have the struggling Carlos Rodon go up against Zack Littell, and after a string of brutal outings for the left-hander, he put together an absolute masterclass on the mound. Striking out 10 batters across seven innings of one-run baseball, Rodon set the tone for what would be a lopsided win for the Bronx Bombers.
With five home runs in the contest including a two-homer performance from Juan Soto, the Yankees were able to walk away from today’s game with a win and take the season series against Tampa Bay.
Juan Soto and Carlos Rodon Power the Yankees to a Series Split
It looked as if Zack Littell would dominate against the Yankees, as he struck out the side to open the game including eviscerating Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. That first inning would be forgotten quickly however, as Austin Wells opened the scoring with a laser to right field for his seventh home run of the season. The left-handed catcher has emerged as of late, getting red-hot and continuing to look like this team’s catcher of the future.
His steady improvements on offense and defense have been incredible, and his wRC+ on the season climbs to 106. He wouldn’t be the only first-rounder to go yard that inning, as Anthony Volpe blasted a solo home run right after Wells, ending a two-month drought without rounding the bases. With a 2-0 lead in hand, Carlos Rodon continued to mow down Tampa Bay hitters, and Oswaldo Cabrera would deliver a two-run single to hand the Yankees a 4-0 lead.
The only run Tampa Bay scored all day came from Jose Siri, who launched an opposite-field home run in the top of the fifth, and he would take a slow trot around the bases as the exclamation point. The Yankees responded by hitting three more home runs, with DJ LeMahieu launching his first of the 2024 season over the left-field wall. Carlos Rodon remained excellent as well, finishing his start strong and putting together a much-needed gem for the Yankees.
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With 10 strikeouts across seven frames of one-run baseball, he was mixing in the secondaries well while locating his fastball well, hitting spots around the zone. This is the best he’s looked in a while, and hopefully the Yankees are able to see this version of Carlos Rodon more down the stretch as they continue to search for that consistent third starter behind Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil.
Despite such great performances from various hitters around the lineup and on the mound, Juan Soto stole the show with two home runs. His first bomb came in the seventh inning, hitting a missile into the suites in right field, and he took his time around the bases with a 37-second trot. The show wasn’t over though, as he delivered a three-run blast in the eighth inning, giving the Yankees a 9-1 lead and burying the Rays for good.
The two best qualified hitters this season have been Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, a duo that somehow exceeded pre-season expectations. How the Yankees build their lineup around them though will define how this season goes, and with the trade deadline just a few days away, Brian Cashman will have his work cut out for him.