It started in Juan Soto’s first game as a Yankee, when the slugging outfielder came up big in the clutch, and it hasn’t stopped through the season’s first five weeks. 

With the game on the line, he’s at his best. Way back on March 28, he introduced himself to his new team by throwing out the tying run at the plate in a thrilling season-opening win over the rival Astros. 

Sunday afternoon was just the latest example of Soto coming through in a big spot. 

The Yankees had just flushed a brilliant Nestor Cortes start, Ian Hamilton allowing two inherited runners to score in the top half of the seventh inning.

In the bottom half, Soto’s bases-clearing double provided the difference in a 5-2 victory over the Tigers in a rain-shortened, eight-inning game that capped off an impressive sweep. 

“I think I just like big moments,” Soto said after improving to 11-for-25 with 22 RBIs with runners in scoring position on the young season. “It just gives me a little bit of adrenaline going and I want to get the job done so bad, it just happens.” 

The Yankees loaded the bases with one out to bring up Soto.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch called upon southpaw reliever Andrew Chafin, who is death on left-handed hitters.

Entering the at-bat, lefties were 1-for-14 against Chafin with seven strikeouts. 

Soto was undeterred. The free agent-to-be roped a 2–1 sinker down the right-field line, enabling the Yankees to retake the lead for good. 

“In any situation, he’s about as good as it gets,” manager Aaron Boone said. “But there’s no question, he loves being in that moment, in that situation. Chafin is a really tough lefty obviously. He just got himself in a good count and that’s who he is as a hitter. 

It put a capper on a feel-good weekend in The Bronx. There was a late rally Friday night.

An early offensive explosion Saturday. And a strong performance against an elite ace Sunday. 

The Yankees entered the weekend struggling after a humbling series loss to the rival Orioles, but they closed it riding high, led by a previously dormant offense that showed its potential against a talented pitching staff. 

Detroit arrived in The Bronx having won four straight series, but blew a ninth-inning lead to start the three-game set and southpaw ace Tarik Skubal couldn’t stop the bleeding on Sunday. 

“Wins are precious in this league, and any time you can sweep a club especially a team that came in playing really well and pitches as well as they do and they got their ace going today who you know is going to be load, it’s really good to shake hands three times [going] into an off day,” Boone said. “Does a lot for the soul.” 

The left-hander notched a career-high 12 strikeouts, but the Yankees made him work, and he was out after six strong innings and 96 pitches.

Cortes matched him, continuing his impressive work at home, having allowed just five earned runs over 28 ¹/₃ innings at the Stadium. 

The Tigers’ bullpen imploded in the seventh. Shelby Miller and Chafin combined to allow three runs as the Yankees broke it open and moved to 10 games over .500 at 23-13 for the first time since this season. 

Skubal had entered the day with a 1.72 ERA, having allowed just one run over his last two starts spanning 13 innings.

Three batters in, the Yankees were on the board.

Aaron Judge took him over the right-field fence, lacing a 97 mph fastball to the opposite field for his seventh homer of the season.

In the second, Gleyber Torres and Jon Berti had back-to-back singles and Oswaldo Cabrera plated Torres with a double down the right-field line, lining a slider the other way. 

Cortes was brilliant over the first six innings, allowing just two base runners.

After giving up a two-out double to Spencer Torkelson in the second, Cortes retired 13 of the next 14 hitters.

He ran out of gas in the seventh, touched for singles by former Mets outfielder Mark Canha and Jake Rogers that ended his afternoon. Hamilton couldn’t shut the door.

Torkelson drove in Canha and the Tigers got even when Javier Baez beat out a potential double play. 

It, however, only set up another big Juan Soto moment. It looks like there will be plenty more to come.