Juan Soto and the New York Yankees seem to be a match made in heaven.
Soto has established himself as the team’s best player after 36 games, batting.316/.421/.559 with eight home runs, 28 RBIs, and a remarkable 26 walks to only 23 strikeouts. He’s also been an above-average outfielder, a significant improvement over the previous two seasons.
Soto’s first season in New York could not be off to a better start, with the Yankees sitting 10 games above.500 at 23-13. But, with Soto in the midst of a contract year, it’s natural to want to look ahead.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post recently quizzed Soto about his likely future with the team. Soto was not yet ready to make a long-term commitment to New York, which was unsurprising.
“I mean, right now, I’m still learning about the team. Soto told Heyman, “You can’t tell from one month into the season. “You’ve got to see how it’s going to be all the way until the season ends.”
Soto did express how much he is enjoying his first season in New York, however.
“I’ve really enjoyed it,” Soto explained. “It’s been an excellent experience. It’s an awesome set of guys. We are all comfortable playing for each other. So far, it feels amazing.
Soto is on his way to having one of the most productive offensive seasons in Yankee history. He’s been the most consistent force in a lineup that needs it, especially as 2022 American League MVP Aaron Judge is off to a poor start by his standards.
Judge has played in all 36 games and is hitting.220 with seven home runs, 20 RBIs, 26 walks, and 44 strikeouts. His.789 OPS would be the lowest of any season in his career, with the exception of his first season in 2016, when he just made 95 plate appearances.
Judge should sort things out sooner rather than later, and the Yankees could get another shock next month in ace Gerrit Cole.
That should relieve some of the burden on Soto, who seemed unconcerned about it after more than a month in New York.
Soto reportedly rejected a 15-year, $440 million contract with the Washington Nationals before being dealt to the San Diego Padres in August 2022. Just over a year later, in December 2023, he was on the move again, this time to New York, as the Padres realized they were unlikely to secure a record-breaking agreement with Soto as well.
The Yankees have the money to make it happen, and Soto is content in New York. He’s anticipated to break two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani’s average annual value record, which will require the Yankees to sign their richest contract ever. That record now belongs to Judge, who inked a nine-year, $360 million contract in December 2022.
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