Sept. 24 (UPI) — Aaron Judge raced home on a Jose Caballero single to lead the New York Yankees to a walk-off win over the Chicago White Sox, sealing a 2025 playoff berth.
“It’s great for us to check that box, knowing we are going back to October baseball,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters after the 3-2 triumph Tuesday in New York.
Caballero blooped the single into center field in the bottom of the ninth inning. The hit landed the Yankees, last year’s American League champions, in the postseason for the eighth time in nine years.
“It’s an honor, but I’m just happy for the team that we clinched the postseason,” Caballero said on the YES Network broadcast. “Big things for us are ahead. We are really happy.”
Catcher Austin Wells gave the Yankees an initial lead with an RBI double in the bottom of the second inning Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery answered with a 428-foot, go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the sixth. Neither team scored for the next two innings.
Shortstop Anthony Volpe and Wells raked singles to start the bottom of the ninth. Wells was retired when center fielder Trent Grisham hit into a double play, but Volpe scored on a wild pitch to tie the game.
Judge, who was walked earlier in the inning, stood on second as Caballero headed to the plate. The Yankees third baseman battled White Sox relief pitcher Steven Wilson for a 2-2 count over eight pitches. Wilson then tossed an 83-mph sweeper down and away.
Caballero swept his swing about a foot off the dirt, connecting with the pitch and sending the ball high above the infield. The hit allowed Judge to dart around third and slide into home to capture the 60th playoff berth in Yankees history.
Judge went 0 for 2, but walked three times for the Yankees. First baseman Ben Rice and second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. recorded three hits apiece. Volpe and Wells each went 2 for 4 .
Yankees starter Luis Gil allowed four hits and two runs over six innings. The Yankees bullpen allowed three hits over three shutout innings.
No White Sox players recorded multiple hits in the loss. Starter Shane Smith allowed five hits and one run over five innings.
The White Sox (58-99), who lost an MLB modern-era record 121 games last season, are closing in on their third-consecutive season with at least 100 losses. They own MLB’s second-worst record, behind the Colorado Rockies (43-114).
So far, nine of MLB’s 12 playoff spots are secured.
Entering Tuesday, the Toronto Blue Jays were the only American League team with a postseason ticket. The Seattle Mariners joined the Yankees and Blue Jays in the six-team American League playoff field with a 4-3 win over the Rockies on Tuesday in Seattle.
No American League teams have clinched division crowns. The Yankees (89-68) sit one game behind the division-leading Blue Jays (90-67) in the American League East.
The Cleveland Guardians authored a 5-2 comeback win over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday in Cleveland. They are now tied atop the American League Central with matching 85-72 records. The Guardians trailed the Tigers by 10.5 games in the division on Sept. 1.
The Houston Astros (84-73) trail the division-leading Mariners by four games in the American League West. The Yankees currently hold the top wild card spot in the American League. The Boston Red Sox (86-71) and Tigers/Guardians are among the other teams leading the wild card race.
The Astros are one game back in the wild card race.
While a trio of tickets are still up for grabs in the American League, just one remains in the National League. The MLB-best Milwaukee Brewers (95-63) remain the top seed and already clinched the National League Central crown. The Philadelphia Phillies (92-65) clinched the American League East, while the American League West title remains available.
The Los Angeles Dodgers (88-69), who also clinched a playoff spot lead that division. The second-place San Diego Padres (87-71), who also clinched a playoff berth, trail the Dodgers by just 1.5 games. The Chicago Cubs joined the Padres this week as the two of three National League teams to clinch a wild card berth.
The New York Mets (81-76) beat the Cubs (88-69) on Tuesday in Chicago. The Cincinnati Reds (80-77), who are among teams batting for a playoff berth, lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates (68-89) on Tuesday to drop a game behind the Mets in the wild card race. The Arizona Diamondbacks (80-77) are tied with the Reds for fourth in the wild card standings after Tuesday’s games.
MLB playoff games will start Tuesday. The World Series is scheduled to start Oct. 24.
The Padres will host the Brewers in the first MLB game of Wednesday’s slate with significant playoff implications. That matchup will start at 4:10 p.m. EDT in San Diego. The Reds will host the Pirates at 6:40 p.m. Wednesday in Cincinnati. The Guardians will host the Tigers at the same time in Cleveland.
