As he played the role of hero for the Yankees on Saturday night, Juan Soto unknowingly paid tribute to the signature moment of his manager’s playing career.
Soto’s three-run, 10th inning homer off Guardians reliever Hunter Gaddis gave New York a 5-2 win in Game 5 of the ALCS and sent the Yankees to the World Series for the first time since 2009. It was also (according to MLB’s Sarah Langs) the first extra-innings homer in a pennant-clinching win since Aaron Boone’s historic Game 7 walk-off shot against the Red Sox back in 2003.
