As Stro finds rhythm, Soto finds seats twice to reach 30-HR plateau
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NEW YORK -- Yankees right-hander Marcus Stroman was scheduled to pitch during Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Angels. But he had struggled so badly in his previous eight starts -- 28 earned runs in his last 36 2/3 innings -- that manager Aaron Boone decided to push him back a couple of days to work on his mechanics. The skipper wanted Stroman to be better engaged with the lower part of his body.
“Everything athletically speaking starts from the ground up, and I think he was probably getting a little bit out of his legs,” Boone said. “It’s something he has worked on with a couple of bullpens that he has had. Hopefully, that translates in just being a little more crisper with his stuff and then ultimately his stuff.”
Stroman was much better Sunday afternoon, pitching five-plus solid innings while Juan Soto homered twice in an 8-7 victory over the Rangers at Yankee Stadium.
Stroman shut out Texas for five innings while allowing three hits. He left the game in the sixth inning after walking Josh Smith to start the frame and allowing an RBI double to Corey Seager. Right hander Jake Cousins entered the game and struck out three batters around a single to Josh Jung.
“He stayed out of the heart of the plate a lot more,” Boone said about Stroman, who threw 89 pitches (52 strikes). “I thought his stuff was crisp. I probably went a little long with him today because he hasn’t been anywhere near that pitch level in a while. Maybe he was a little tired out there going back out there in the sixth. But I thought he stayed away from dangerous places. He was able to put the ball in the ground.”
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Stroman credited catcher Austin Wells for his success on the mound.
“I felt [Wells] was doing a great job mixing [pitches],” Stroman said. “I just felt confident. I felt I was making good pitches when I needed to. I felt I was back in my groove a little bit. Definitely good to get the win.”
Asked what he did to get right on the mound, Stroman said, “Just a lot of things. I’ve been in this game for 10 years. So I feel like I know my body. When I’m off, a lot of it reverts to the weight room. It comes down to feel for me, feeling a certain way on the mound mechanically. Once I feel that way, I can constantly deliver any pitch to the plate.”
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Stroman received plenty of run support, especially from their aircraft carriers in Soto and Aaron Judge. Soto hit two homers, while Judge drove in a much-needed insurance run with a solo homer in the seventh inning.
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Soto hit his first homer of the day in the third inning off Andrew Heaney, a monster shot into the right-center-field bleachers. That gave Soto a homer against all 30 Major League teams.
“Another goal,” Soto said. “At the beginning of the season, I want to try to hit a home run in every ballpark in the big leagues. But hearing [what I’ve accomplished], it’s really nice.”
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Four innings later, Soto tagged Andrew Chafin for his 30th homer of the season. It marked the third time Soto has reached the 30-homer plateau.
Judge followed Soto in the seventh and mashed the ball over the right-center-field fence for his 42nd homer of the season.
“It’s fun to watch them do their thing. Juan with a couple of really good swings on pitches up in the zone -- no-doubters to right, and then Aaron following up,” Boone said.
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Judge is on pace to hit 56 home runs for the season, which would be six short of the American League record he set in 2022. Judge could become the third player to have multiple 60-plus home run seasons, after Sammy Sosa (three) and Mark McGwire (two).
Judge, who played in his 952nd career game, is also a homer shy of 300.
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Stroman believes the baseball world is witnessing history when Soto and Judge perform on the field.
“We take it for granted a little bit how incredible they are each and every day,” Stroman said. “It’s easy to think that it’s expected. It’s hard to put into words what they are doing this year. It becomes normal around here because of how incredible they are each and every day. What Judge and Soto are doing is truly special. I’m thankful for those guys. [They create] a lot of havoc for opposing pitchers.”