Juan Soto responds to umpire killing multiple early Yankees rallies in ALCS Game 1

If you don't get to the 2024 Cleveland Guardians early, it's tough to get to them at all. Why? Cleveland's the only team in MLB history with four different relievers with 60+ innings pitched and ERAs under 2.00. Luckily for the road team, home plate umpire Mike Estabrook is making an already unenviable task downright impossible for the New York Yankees in ALCS Game 1.

After Carlos Rodón battled through the top of the first inning, Gleyber Torres and Juan Soto both laced singles up the middle, putting the Yankees exactly where the Guardians wanted them: Aaron Judge up with runners on and nobody out with a chance to set the stadium on fire.

Non-Yankee fans are probably laughing, but this same situation manifested itself in Games 1 and 2 of the ALDS against Kansas City, and Judge's difficult at-bats set a negative tone for the MVP for the rest of the contest.

This time around, Judge was prepared to battle against two-seamer artist Alex Cobb, taking a 1-1 moving fastball six inches below the zone and inside for ball tw -- oh. Alright.

Yankees vs. Guardians ALCS Game 1 home plate umpire Mike Estabrook loves Alex Cobb

Judge, naturally, struck out on a two-seamer on the other corner on the very next pitch, completely baffled by how to handle himself. After all, with the plate expanded in all directions by several inches, in addition to a modicum of playoff pressure, what was he to do?

In the second inning, the home fans were treated to more of the same -- remember, this is a home game! -- with Jazz Chisholm at the plate.

Chisholm took what he thought was a 2-1 pitch well low, and saw the count leveled instead. This call, complete with sloppy framing, was far worse than the Judge misstep.

You're not going to believe this, but surprise roster addition Anthony Rizzo and Alex Verdugo both singled with two outs. If Chisholm had reached (after taking just one more legitimate ball), he might've scored.

Thankfully -- THANKFULLY -- the Yankees have Juan Soto, who knows that the only way to ensure an umpire has no impact on a baseball game is by tattooing one into the bullpen.

Soto, who took another off-the-plate strike one to begin the AB, battled both the officiating and the wind monster to slice through the air and dent the scoreboard.

Get your laughs off at the Yankees battling against the umpires after supposedly shaking hands with them in the ALDS. We'd much rather write about Soto shots anyway.