'That's how you draw it up' as Soto, Judge set tone

NEW YORK -- For the first time this season, the Yankees' new formula worked exactly as they hoped it would. Juan Soto brought his patience, making the opposing pitcher labor through a seven-pitch walk, and Aaron Judge followed with the power.

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Judge sparked the offense with a two-run homer as the Bombers sent Kevin Gausman to an early exit. Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Rizzo also went deep to help build a big lead, and the Yankees needed every run as they held on for a 9-8 victory over the Blue Jays on Saturday evening at Yankee Stadium.

“That’s what we want to be throughout the entire year, and we’re off to a really good start offensively,” Rizzo said. “Guys are wearing pitchers out. It’s not always going to be an explosive offense, but if we grind out pitchers on a nightly basis, I think we’ll be all right.”

A runner-up to Gerrit Cole in last year’s American League Cy Young Award voting, Gausman had few answers for the Yankees on a night when his velocity was down significantly. Gausman’s fastball dipped 3.3 mph from its 2023 norms (94.7 to 91.4), and his splitter fell 4 mph (86.3 mph to 82.3).

The Yankees noticed immediately, and with Gausman’s weapons diminished, New York peppered the righty for six runs (five earned) in 1 1/3 innings – quite a reversal from their fortunes in Friday’s home opener, when the Bombers were shut out on six hits.

“The energy today was amazing,” Judge said. “The fans were jumping from the beginning. It was awesome to get that win for them tonight. We gave them a reason to cheer early on, so that always helps and gets the fans going.”

In the first inning, Gausman got ahead of Soto with an 0-2 count but couldn’t put him away, losing the outfielder to a seven-pitch free pass. From the on-deck circle, Judge watched intently.

“I’m going to see about seven, eight pitches [hitting behind Soto]. He’s going to work the count, put some pressure on the pitcher,” said Judge, who slammed an 0-2 splitter into the left-center-field bullpen for his second home run of the year.

“It kind of shows me what their game plan is for the night. Getting a chance to sit behind him and watch him do his thing, I can go in there and fine-tune my approach before I walk in. It always helps out.”

The home run was Judge’s fourth career blast off Gausman, tied for his most against any pitcher. The Soto-Judge combo “has a pretty good look to it,” manager Aaron Boone said.

“I was watching Soto coming at me, getting ready to score, and Judgie coming around third base,” Boone said. “I’m like, ‘That’s how you draw it up right there.’ That’s our two big boys getting us rolling right out of the gate.”

Stanton added a big swing of his own later in the first, slugging a drive just over the right-field wall for his second homer of the season. As umpires reviewed the play for potential fan interference, Judge said that he joked with Stanton: “Hit it a little farther, man.”

Though Stanton didn’t clear the fences again, he ripped singles in the third and fifth innings, enjoying his first three-hit performance since Aug. 23, 2023. Stanton had started the season 3-for-24, and his final hit of the evening was the 500th of his Yankees career.

“We all need a night like that once in a while,” Boone said. “He’s so mentally tough and disciplined to what he’s trying to do that I don’t worry about things snowballing. He’s just got to get comfortable and settled in the box. I feel like he’s been in the fight this whole time.”

Gleyber Torres just missed a grand slam with a long sacrifice fly, and Soto picked up his first Yankee Stadium RBI in pinstripes with a run-scoring single to right field that chased Gausman.

Rizzo added a two-run homer off Mitch White in the fifth inning, arcing his body to will it inside the right-field foul pole. The Yanks improved to 32-4 (including the postseason) when Judge and Stanton homer in the same game.

Yet they had to sweat out the finish, with starter Clarke Schmidt lasting only 4 1/3 innings in a 91-pitch effort.

Luke Weaver struggled in a three-run seventh, and Toronto scored three times in the ninth, prompting Boone to call upon closer Clay Holmes in a game that New York had once led by seven runs.

“When you run out to a big lead and you’re hanging on for dear life at the end, that’s an extra exhale,” Boone said.