Juan Soto's fourth home run of Yankees spring training headlines takeaways from Sunday's 9-8 win over Braves
Juan Soto's fourth home run of Yankees spring training highlighted a handful of key takeaways from New York's 9-8 win over the Atlanta Braves at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla.
Four things to know from Sunday's game
1. Soto's electric spring continues. With runners on the corners and none out in the fourth inning, Soto pulled a first-pitch fastball at 91 mph by Patrick Halligan over the right-center concourse to keep his March power trip going.
He launched the go-ahead homer 447 feet and put the Yankees up 7-6 -- perhaps a preview of things to come this summer and fall.
Soto, who batted second and started in RF before giving way to OF Oscar Gonzalez in the fifth inning, posted a 2-for-3 day. Through 18 spring training at-bats, Soto is slashing .500/.550/.1.828 with 10 RBI.
2. Batting leadoff and starting at 3B, DJ LeMahieu continued to bounce back from his slow spring. He built off Friday's two-hit, one-walk performance with a 1-for-3 effort that included two RBI on a third-inning single up the middle.
LeMahieu, whom INF Kevin Smith replaced in the fifth inning, is up to four hits through 17 at-bats this spring.
3. One starter who did not reach the fifth inning was Aaron Judge. While there was no injury update or word from Aaron Boone as of publishing time, and this could have been part of the plan, Judge exited in the fourth -- a frame earlier than the other starters -- giving way to OF Trent Grisham, whose pinch-hit appearance followed Soto's homer.
Judge struck out twice, his fourth and fifth times fanning this spring. He has two hits and one walk through 14 Grapefruit League at-bats.
4. On the mound, RHP Clarke Schmidt's third start of the spring turned out to be his worst outing. In 2.2 IP, he surrendered four runs on four hits while walking two and striking out five.
Schmidt, who threw 34 strikes on 52 pitches, has a 5.19 ERA and 1.04 WHIP through 8.2 IP this spring.
Highlights
What's next
The Yankees go the split-squad route with Monday's 1:05 p.m. games against the Orioles and at the Phillies. New York's probable pitchers are RHPs Will Warren (1-0, 3.86 ERA) against Baltimore in Tampa and Clayton Beeter (0-0, 3.60 ERA) at Philadelphia in Clearwater, Fla.
