Juan Soto draws cheers from Washington crowd in his first visit with Yankees
Yankees' Juan Soto doffs his batting helmet to the crowd during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Washington. Credit: AP/Nick Wass
WASHINGTON — Monday wasn’t Juan Soto’s first time back at Nationals Park, but it was his first time back as a Yankee, and as an impending free agent.
So it was a big deal in the District when Soto re-returned to the ballpark in which he led the Nationals to a World Series title in 2019 before getting traded to San Diego in 2022.
Soto was treated to cheers from the Nationals crowd and tipped his batting helmet before his first at-bat. The love flowed in part because the fans still appreciate what he did for the franchise, and in part because they would love to see him re-sign in D.C. in the offseason.
Of course, Yankees fans want Soto to stay in the Bronx. They chanted “Please sign Soto” to the Yankees after Soto homered on Sunday (the first of back-to-back-to-back homers with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in the seventh inning).
Asked about that after the game, Soto joked: “They have to talk to Cashman.”
That would be Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who, when texted by Newsday for his reaction on Monday, did not respond.
What’s left to be said about Soto’s impending free agency? Until the offseason, and until the offers worth hundreds of millions of dollars start pouring in, it’s all just talk.
“At the end of the day, right now I’m playing for the Yankees,” Soto said before Monday’s series opener when asked about his future for the umpteenth and a half time. “I’m happy where I’m at and we will see what happens in free agency.”
The Nationals once offered Soto a 15-year contract worth a reported $440 million. He said no thanks, so Washington traded him to San Diego as part of an eight-player deal that netted the rebuilding Nationals some of the Padres’ top prospects.
Two of those prospects, shortstop CJ Abrams and outfielder James Wood, were in the lineup for the Nationals on Monday. Another, lefthander MacKenzie Gore, will start against the Yankees on Wednesday.
“I think it’s going to be fun to see those guys,” Soto said. “Definitely. I worked out with James Wood this offseason and I saw how great he is, how much skills he has. So I can’t wait to see him on the field.”
Nationals fans felt the same about Soto, who turned 21 during the 2019 postseason and will turn 26 this Oct. 25. Soto, who went 0-for-4 with a walk on Monday in the Yankees’ 5-2 win, is batting .296 with 95 RBIs and a career-high 37 home runs.
Said Yankees manager Aaron Boone: “In a lot of ways, he’s probably still scratching the surface of who he’s becoming as a player, and that’s scary when you consider the success that he’s already had. I think we’re clearly seeing now — still a young man and very much even just entering the physical prime of his career, probably — but also now probably reaping the benefits of being an experienced player in the league now for a while.”
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.
