The Yankees are back in the playoffs — and they made sure to celebrate.
The Bronx Bombers rallied in the bottom of the ninth inning on Tuesday night in The Bronx to beat the White Sox, 3-2, and reach the playoffs for the second straight year and eighth time in the last nine seasons.
Trade deadline pickup José Caballero played hero when he blooped a single to center to score Aaron Judge with the deciding run with two outs and two strikes.
It was no surprise, in the middle of the jubilation in the clubhouse afterward, that Caballero was presented the Yankees’ championship belt, much to the approval of his teammates.
“Hell yeah!” Caballero yelled as he was given the belt by manager Aaron Boone, with the Yankees just beginning to imbibe the first of their adult beverages.
“We’ve been through a lot already, this is the first box to check, right?” Boone said. “We’ve gotta get in — we’re in. Don’t take that s–t for granted. We are in the playoffs, we’ve got a lot more to do, right? We’ve got a lot of bigger goals. But enjoy this, celebrate this right now and come get ’em tomorrow.”
After the skipper closed his remarks, the drinks were sprayed around the clubhouse in exaltation in what has been a year of highs and lows for the Yankees. Now, though, with Tuesday’s win and a Blue Jays loss, the Yankees are just one game behind the Blue Jays (who hold the tiebreaker) in the American League East race after locking up at least a wild-card spot
Jazz Chisholm Jr., getting interviewed by YES Network as music blared and players yelling, was asked how he felt about his season, which has now seen him attain 31 homers and 31 steals.
Echoing his manager’s words, Chisholm said his focus is team-oriented with bigger goals on the mind.
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“I feel like I’m very proud but I feel like I’d be prouder with a ring on my finger and saying that we won the World Series,” he said.
The partying made its way back onto the infield, where the Yankees took a team picture with their navy blue “October Baseball” shirts that featured a Yankees logo in the middle.
With five games left, the Yankees still have a chance to achieve more regular season success and potentially have one more celebration before they start another trip in October.