Yankees clinch playoff spot on walk-off, belt celebration signals October push

The New York Yankees clinched a playoff berth with a 3-2 walk-off victory over the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night. Jose Caballero blooped a single to center with two outs and two strikes to score Aaron Judge for the deciding run, giving New York a playoff spot for the second straight year and the eighth time in the last nine seasons.

That win, which also came as the Blue Jays lost, left the Yankees one game behind Toronto in the AL East and secured a wild-card berth as they head toward October. The celebration carried into the clubhouse, where Caballero was presented with the Yankees' championship belt amid cheers, and manager Aaron Boone reminded the team not to take the moment for granted while focusing on bigger goals.

Jazz Chisholm Jr., who has reached 31 homers and 31 steals this season, spoke in interviews with YES Network as music blared and teammates cheered, saying he was proud but focused on winning the World Series. The win tightened the AL East race; with a Blue Jays loss, New York was one game back in the division, though Toronto still held the tiebreaker. The Yankees had already clinched a wild-card spot and could chase more in the closing weeks of the season.

The on-field celebration extended to the infield, where the team posed for a photo in navy blue 'October Baseball' shirts with a Yankees logo in the middle. Cody Bellinger celebrated with Giancarlo Stanton after the playoff-clinching win, and teammates sprayed drinks in the clubhouse as they looked ahead to a five-game stretch that could shape the remainder of the regular season and set the tone for October.

With five games left, the Yankees still have a chance to win more games, pursue a division title, and build momentum heading into the postseason, continuing a season that has featured highs and lows but now culminates in a renewed focus on October baseball.