The champagne was flowing in the visitor’s clubhouse in Cleveland as the Yankees celebrated their first pennant in 15 years following a thrilling win in game five on Saturday night.
As Saturday night turned to Sunday morning the Bombers continued to celebrate the franchise’s biggest win since 2009, and it included a notable message from Jazz Chisholm.
To sum up, “Pay Juan Soto.”
After Soto’s three-run home run in the 10th inning sent the Yanks on their way to the World Series, Chisholm declared to Meredith Marakovits of the YES Network that the Yankees should back up the Brinks truck for the pending free agent, who has been every bit as advertised all season, including in October.
“He’s gonna do it. That’s the only thing going through my mind,” Chisholm said when asked about the feeling in the 10th as Soto stepped to the plate. “He’s gonna do it because he’s Juan Soto. Pay my guy! Pay Juan Soto! Seven hundred million!”
Both Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner were in attendance for the clinching game, and Cashman said “Thank God” is what was going through his mind as Soto’s home run cleared the center field wall, expressing his gratitude for pulling the trigger on the blockbuster deal back in December.
Meanwhile, Soto was thankful to have accomplished another step in what he came to the Bronx to do, which is win a title.
“This is great. This is a great feeling...another goal that we did,” Soto said. “Man, we’re going all the way.”
The other hero for the Yanks in game five was Giancarlo Stanton, who tied the game in the sixth with a two-run home run, his fourth of the series and fifth of the postseason, earning himself ALCS MVP.
“This is incredible,” Stanton said. “Another step forward. Another step that we put on our goal list. Can’t ask for a more special moment at this time.
“Anything I can do to help us win. It took all of us, and it’s gonna take all of us continuing going forward. But this is awesome.”