The New York Yankees took down the Houston Astros Saturday evening in Houston, 5-3, giving them the first three games of a four-game set that will on Sunday at 2:10 p.m. ET.
Believe it or not, this is the first time the Yankees have started the season 3-0 since 2003. For what it's worth, they won the AL pennant that season.
Let's dive a little deeper into this series:
Three Yankees comebacks
On Opening Day Thursday, the Astros jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and then added another in the second. It was still 4-0 Astros heading to the fifth inning, but then the Yankees rallied to get three in the fifth, tie the game in the sixth and take the lead in the seventh. They would hold on to win, 5-4.
Friday, the Astros grabbed a run in the first and had a lot of traffic on the bases in the early innings, but still only held a 1-0 lead when starter Cristian Javier was removed. The bullpen couldn't hold it, and the defense couldn't glove it. In fact, the Yankees' offense exploded for seven runs in the final three innings to win, 7-1.
Saturday, the Astros again scored early, plating two runs in the second inning. The Yankees would get one in the third, though the Astros maintained a 3-1 lead going to the seventh. That's when Oswaldo Cabrera hit a two-run homer to tie it ...
Cash Cab 🤯 pic.twitter.com/u1AefKCO7v
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 31, 2024
... and then Juan Soto homered to give the Yankees the lead.
3, 2, Juan... Liftoff 🚀 pic.twitter.com/pHDbLULXBi
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 31, 2024
An Anthony Volpe home run provided insurance in the eighth and the Yankees won by two runs. Before we get into Soto and Cabrera, it's worth pointing out that Volpe is hitting .400/.571/.800 through three games in his sophomore campaign at age 22. That's a good sign for the infielder, who ended last season with an 81 OPS+.
As for the Yankees as a whole, it is just three games out of a marathon 162-game season. We shouldn't overreact. This is, however, no ordinary 3-0 start. It is three come-from-behind wins on the road. The Astros have been the marquee ballclub in the American League for nearly a decade -- they have been in the ALCS seven straight seasons, a stretch that includes four pennants and two World Series titles -- and they have a roster that -- in all likelihood -- will keep them in that conversation again this season. It would've been a successful start to the season for the Yankees to just split the series. Instead, they've got a shot Sunday to sweep a four-game series against their biggest rivals of this generation.
The three comebacks mean this is the first time the Yankees have come from behind to win games three straight times to start a season since 1957 ( via New York Yankees Stats). That team won 98 games and the AL pennant before dropping the World Series in seven games to the Braves.
Soto's hot start
The Yankees acquired Soto to great fanfare in December. Rightfully so, on the fanfare, as he's a 25-year-old superstar with three top-six MVP finishes and a World Series ring. He's been as advertised for the Yankees so far. He saved Opening Day by throwing out the would-be-tying run at home plate in the ninth inning and has made several other plays in the field since. At the plate, he's now 6-for-12 with a double, home run, three RBI and two runs scored.
Clutch Cabrera
On the opposite end of Soto is Oswaldo Cabrera. He has been forced into action due to the injury to D.J. LeMahieu, which was announced to be a foot fracture on Saturday. Through three games, he's 7-for-13 with two homers and six RBI. Entering this season, he'd never previously hit a game-tying home run in the sixth inning or later (via Katie Sharp). He's already done it twice this year.
Astros home woes continue
I didn't expect this storyline to linger much into 2024, but it'll stick around as long as Houston allows it.
Remember, the Astros were 39-42 at home last season, compared to 51-30 on the road. In the playoffs, they were 5-0 on the road and still failed to make the World Series, as they went 1-5 at home, including dropping all four home ALCS games. During most of the rest of their seven-year run in the AL, they were great -- or even stellar -- at home, so it seemed like an anomaly. Hell, it'll probably prove to be.
So far in 2024, though, it's been more of the same. The Astros are already 0-3 at home. It is a trend until they reverse it.
