Long lauded for his prowess at the plate, Juan Soto wowed on defense Thursday in his New York Yankees debut.
Soto threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the ninth inning after starting New York’s comeback from a four-run deficit in a season-opening 5-4 win over the Houston Astros.
“That was a Yankee classic right there,” New York captain Aaron Judge said. “Juan’s debut, that was pretty special out of him. Come up, get his first hit, first at-bat, he takes a walk. Then come up there and, biggest moment of the game and just be cool, calm and collected and deliver a strike home.”
Oswaldo Cabrera homered and Judge doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning as the Yankees went ahead.
Mauricio Dubón and Yordan Alvarez singled off Clay Holmes to give the Astros two on with one out in the ninth.
Kyle Tucker lined a single to right and Soto- an All-Star acquired from San Diego in a December trade, made a one-hop 87.6 mph throw slightly up the third-base line. Catcher Jose Trevino made a sweep tag and caught Dubón’s left arm just before the runner’s finger touched the plate. Umpire James Hoye’s call was upheld in a video review.
