MLB playoffs: Analysis, takeaways as Yankees win ALCS
The New York Yankees have won the pennant.
With a thrilling Game 5 win Saturday against the Cleveland Guardians, the Yankees won the American League Championship Series and punched their ticket to the World Series for the first time since 2009.
Here is how the game went down, from live updates and analysis to takeaways and what's next for both teams.
Takeaways
New York Yankees 5, Cleveland Guardians 2
New York wins series 4-1
The second-longest pennant drought in Yankees history is over. For the first time since 2009, New York is headed to the World Series after winning the last two of three dramatic games against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Juan Soto showed why he is the most complete hitter in the game with a masterful at-bat against Hunter Gaddis in the 10th, fouling off four pitches after falling behind 1-2, then mashing a three-run homer to right-center as the jubilant Bombers spilled out of the visitors dugout in euphoria. All three runs were unearned thanks to a botched catch of a flip by Cleveland shortstop Brayan Rocchio on what could have been an inning-ending double play. That was symbolic of a series in which the Guardians were at times ragged and their margin of error in the matchup was thin as it was. On the night of the 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony not far from the ballpark, the Yankees are dancing the night away in Cleveland. For the Guardians, who last won the World Series in 1948, baseball's longest title drought continues for at least another year.
What's next: One way or another, we are headed for a classic big market World Series showdown and the Yankees can now go home and see who survives the Dodgers-Mets series in the NLCS. Either we get the second Yankees-Mets edition of the Subway Series, or we get the 11th edition of the Yankees-Dodgers rivalry in the Fall Classic and the first since 1981. -- Bradford Doolittle
