Spring training roundup: Juan Soto goes yard in Yankees debut

Feb 25, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Juan Soto (22) hits a three run home run during the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Juan Soto ripped a three-run home run to the opposite field in his first spring training game in pinstripes and the host New York Yankees clubbed their way past the Toronto Blue Jays 12-6 on Sunday in Tampa, Fla.

Feb 24, 2024; Lakeland, Florida, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Luis Torrens (29) hits an RBI single during the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

Soto batted second in the Yankees’ lineup and mashed his homer in the fourth inning to put his new club up 7-1.

Luis Torrens added a solo shot in the sixth and George Lombard Jr. tacked on a two-run homer for insurance in the eighth. Aaron Judge went 2-for-2 with an RBI single and two runs in his first game of spring training.

Carlos Rodon (1-0) got the start for New York and went 2 2/3 innings with five strikeouts, two walks, one hit and one run.

Bowden Francis (0-1) gave up two runs on four hits over the first two innings for the Blue Jays. Alejandro Kirk went yard off Rodon.

Phillies 4, Yankees 0

Colin Pache had a solo homer, an RBI single and a run scored on an error as host Philadelphia one-hit New York’s split squad in Clearwater, Fla.

Feb 25, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) scores a run during the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Nola (1-0) struck out three batters over two perfect innings and seven relievers followed with a pristine inning. Gregory Soto gave up the only Yankees hit in the eighth inning, a single by Greg Allen.

Marcus Stroman (0-1) made his Yankees debut and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk in 2 1/3 innings. He fanned two.

Red Sox 5, Braves 4

Christopher Miller scored Karson Simas on a groundout for the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth, lifting Boston over host Atlanta in North Port, Fla.

Connor Wong had an RBI double and a run-scoring infield single for the Red Sox. Brendan Cellucci (1-0) pitched the eighth for the win and Gabriel Jackson earned the save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Atlanta was down 4-0 when Austin Riley hit a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth to begin a four-run rally over the next two innings. Grant Holmes (0-1) pitched the ninth and took the loss.

Feb 25, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Red Sox 8, Twins 6

Nick Sogard’s two-run home run to right center in the seventh inning pushed Boston over visiting Minnesota in split-squad action in Fort Myers, Fla.

The Twins scored all six of their runs in the top of the seventh to erase a 6-0 deficit. Two players walked with the bases loaded, and Will Holland was later hit by a pitch with the bags full before Yoyner Fajardo scored the tying run on a Boston fielding error.

Both teams finished with 11 hits, and Jordan DiValerio (1-0) received the win despite a blown save during 2/3 innings of work in the seventh. Caleb Boushley (0-1) allowed Sogard’s go-ahead homer.

Tigers 9, Rays 9

Ruben Cardenas and Kameron Misner homered in the seventh before Tampa Bay plated four more runs in the eighth to tie visiting Detroit in Port Charlotte, Fla.

Feb 25, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Bowden Francis (44) throws a pitch during the first inning against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

The Tigers had opened up a 9-3 lead through six innings before the Rays stormed back. Greg Jones, C.J. Hinojosa and Cardenas hit back-to-back-to-back RBI doubles off Wilmer Flores in the eighth before Austin Shenton’s single drove in Cardenas for the tying run. But neither team got on base in the ninth.

Yu Chang also homered for the Rays, while Justyn-Henry Malloy and Carson Kelly went yard for the Tigers.

Cardinals 3, Astros 0 (ss)

Alec Burleson, Nicholas Raposo and Moises Gomez supplied RBI singles as visiting St. Louis blanked Houston in Palm Beach, Fla.

Masyn Winn went 3-for-3 from the leadoff spot for the Cardinals, while Drew Rom (1-0) pitched two innings before giving way to four relievers.

Joey Loperfido had two of the Astros’ four hits. Bennett Sousa (0-1) yielded Burleson’s RBI hit in the third inning before Raposo and Gomez added on in the ninth.

Mets 3, Astros 1 (ss)

Francisco Alvarez mashed a two-run home run to the opposite field as host New York beat Houston’s split squad in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Jose Butto (1-0) scattered three hits over two scoreless innings before six relievers finished the job. Tyler Jay fanned three over the sixth and seventh innings.

Brandon Bielak (0-1) yielded a run on Ji Man Choi’s double-play ball in the first. Waner Luciano’s double play scored the Astros’ only run of the day across both games.

Nationals 6, Marlins 3

James Wood and Lewin Diaz hit two-run home runs in consecutive innings to help visiting Washington defeat Miami in Jupiter, Fla.

Mackenzie Gore started for the Nationals and had four strikeouts while yielding two hits and a run in two innings. Luis Perdomo (1-0) worked the fifth and got the win.

Christian Bethancourt, Nick Gordon and Marty Costes supplied the Marlins’ RBIs. Calvin Faucher (0-1) gave up three runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk in 2/3 innings of work.

Orioles 2, Pirates 0

Baltimore starter Cole Irvin and six relievers combined to three-hit host Pittsburgh in Bradenton, Fla.

Irvin tossed three strikeouts over two innings of work. Luis Gonzalez (1-0) pitched the sixth for the Orioles and got the win after Coby Mayo scored on a Pittsburgh throwing error in the top of the seventh for the game’s first run. Maverick Handley added an RBI single in the ninth.

Cam Alldred (0-1) allowed the unearned run to Mayo but struck out three in the seventh for the Pirates.

Dodgers 4, Athletics 2

Max Muncy hit a two-run homer and James Outman had a solo blast as Los Angeles beat visiting Oakland at Glendale, Ariz.

Kyle Muller (0-1) pitching two innings for the Athletics, and served up Outman’s homer in the second.

Oakland scored both its runs in the seventh inning.

Reds 9, Angels (ss) 4

Luke Maile slammed a three-run homer and Conner Capel hit a solo shot as Cincinnati beat visiting Los Angeles at Goodyear, Ariz.

Hunter Greene (1-0) struck out four in 1 2/3 innings for the Reds.

Alan Rangel allowed five runs and six hits in two innings of relief for the Angels.

Padres 7, Cubs 0

Jose Azocar went 2-for-2 with a homer to help San Diego rout host Chicago at Mesa, Ariz.

Prized rookie Jackson Merrill reached base three times and went 2-for-2 with two RBIs for the Padres.

The Cubs went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base.

Diamondbacks 5, White Sox 0

Ketel Marte had two hits to help Arizona knock off visiting Chicago at Scottsdale, Ariz.

Chicago didn’t have a hit through 7 2/3 innings and finished with two.

Bryan Ramos reached on an infield single with two outs in the eighth, and pinch-hitter Oscar Colas singled with one out in the ninth.

Guardians 8, Mariners 4

Austin Hedges and Angel Martinez hit two-run homers and Will Brennan smacked a solo shot as visiting Cleveland defeated Seattle at Peoria, Ariz.

Mitch Haniger hit a solo blast for the Mariners.

Seattle had just five hits.

Rockies 10, Brewers 3

Aaron Schunk went 3-for-3 and scored twice as Colorado routed host Milwaukee at Phoenix, Ariz.

Michael Toglia and Hunter Goodman each hit solo homers for the Rockies.

William Contreras slugged a solo shot for the Brewers, who had just five hits.

Royals 1, Angels (ss) 0

Freddy Fermin scored on a wild pitch by Kelvin Caceres (0-1) in the fifth inning as Kansas City defeated host Los Angeles at Tempe, Ariz.

Jonathan Bowlan (1-0) pitched two innings of hitless relief for the Royals.

Angels star Mike Trout was 0-for-2 for the second straight day.

Giants 0, Rangers 0

The Giants and host Rangers both had just three hits in the scoreless contest played at Surprise, Ariz.

Andrew Heaney started and gave up one hit and struck out five in two innings for Texas.

Kyle Harrison struck out four and hit one batter in two innings for San Francisco.

–Field Level Media