With Aaron Judge batting behind him, Juan Soto has thrived in New York as the Yankees' co-star
The Yankees' Juan Soto is introduced before Game 1 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday at Yankee Stadium. Credit: AP/Godofredo Vásquez
Juan Soto had an impactful Division Series, reaching base in seven of 18 plate appearances in the Yankees’ four-game victory over Kansas City.
He did all the little things. He had a double and three singles in 14 at-bats. He walked three times, scored a run and drove in two. He threw out a runner at the plate in a key play in the Yankees’ ALDS Game 1 victory.
Soto was a table-setter rather than a big bopper.
On Monday, in Game 1 of the ALCS against Cleveland, Soto was a table-setter and a big bopper in the Yankees’ 5-2 victory.
Soto went 2-for-3 with a walk, hitting a third-inning home run into the Yankees’ bullpen in right-center for the game’s first run. He was 2-for-2 against Guardians starter Alex Cobb, against whom Soto is a ridiculous 9-for-13 (.692) with two home runs. It was his eighth postseason homer.
The Yankees went on to score two more runs in the inning on — get this — four walks and two run-scoring wild pitches.
The wild pitches were thrown by reliever Joey Cantillo, who in the fourth threw two more wild pitches and walked two more batters. Cantillo was mercifully removed by manager Stephen Vogt after walking Soto. A sacrifice fly by Aaron Judge made it 4-0 and gave the Yankees an incredible four runs in the two innings on one hit — Soto’s blast.
“That’s what good teams do,” Soto said. “It’s not all about one guy, it’s about the whole lineup. We put pressure on those guys, taking pitches and getting our walks, getting guys over, bases loaded, making those guys make wild pitches and everything. I think at the end of the day, it’s a team effort, and we showed up today.”
Carlos Rodon was brilliant (six innings, three hits, one run, no walks, nine strikeouts). Giancarlo Stanton added a 439-foot solo homer. Luke Weaver nailed down a five-out save with four strikeouts, including three in the ninth, and the Yankees took the opener with Gerrit Cole primed to start Game 2.
Soto has been a terrific wingman for Judge during Soto’s first and what could be only Yankees season. Is that reality — plus $500 million to $700 million or so — enough to keep him in pinstripes for years to come?
Some guys want to be the No. 1 player on a team. As long as he’s upright, that will be Judge with the Yankees. Bryce Harper with the Phillies. Francisco Lindor with the Mets.
Soto doesn’t seem to have that desire. Ask him about his contributions to the Nationals’ World Series title in 2019, and he’ll talk about how “our big stars had big moments, as we all expected. But at the end of the day, it’s all about the whole team.”
With the ALDS win over Kansas City, Soto improved to 7-1 in postseason series, his only loss coming with San Diego in the 2022 NLCS against the Phillies.
Soto turned 21 on the day of Game 3 of the 2019 World Series. He’s a grizzled veteran now who will celebrate his 26th birthday on Oct. 25, when the Yankees either will be playing in the World Series or home for the winter.
Once the World Series is over, Soto will be free to sign with whatever team he fancies. You suspect Steve Cohen’s Mets are going to come calling. The Dodgers are always in on the best talent. Soto’s old Nationals team is said to be hoping for a reunion.
There may well be others. Soto, with Scott Boras as his agent, will listen to them all. Any sentimentality Soto may feel about his time in the Bronx will fade away when it’s time to talk money.
Even though Soto has loved and has been loved at Yankee Stadium, you can bet Boras will try to squeeze out every last dollar for this generational talent, just as he did in 2000 when Alex Rodriguez broke what was then the all-time American sports contract record with a $252 million deal with the Texas Rangers.
Can you imagine a world in which a $252 million offer would be laughed at? That’s the world we live in. Like high-rollers at a Vegas poker game, bidders for Soto will have to ante up a $500 million or so chip to even get a seat at Boras’ table.
Judge, whose contract is for a mere $360 million, went 0-for-2 with the sacrifice fly and a walk on Monday. After Judge hit .154 in the ALDS, his every at-bat is being scrutinized, each one a referendum on whether he is going to snap out of his long multi-postseason funk.
That’s fair because Judge is the Yankees’ captain and one of the faces of baseball. Judge hit 58 home runs this season, which is not a career high because he once hit 62.
Soto hit a career-high 41 home runs. He wasn’t the star, he was the co-star, or maybe just the special guest star if it turns out 2024 is his only season in pinstripes.
Soto showed in Game 1 that he likes the bright lights. But maybe he likes it best when they don’t shine brightest on him. Along with the millions, the Yankees can offer Soto that, too.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.