NEW YORK — Long after the first-inning roll call from Yankee Stadium’s right-field bleachers has ended, Juan Soto still hears the chants throughout games. “Juaaaan So-to!” “Juaaaaan So-to!” “Juaaaan So-to!” Between pitches, Soto turns to the crowd, flashes the universal “I love you” sign and embraces himself to acknowledge the love.
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Not even Aaron Judge, amid another historic season, receives this level of support while standing in center field. During spring training, Judge was asked whether he would assist the New York Yankees in recruiting Soto, a free agent at season’s end, to remain in pinstripes for his entire career. He said yes, adding, “But I think the fans are going to show up and do a lot of convincing, too.”
“It’s always great to see the crowd go crazy,” Soto said of Yankees fans. “I feel like they are so into the game and everything that it just makes you feel like they are part of this. It’s really exciting to see them going crazy like that every day, every game and every evening. It doesn’t matter if we’re winning or losing. They’re right there every single time. It’s really cool. I feel like they’ve been supporting me since day one. I’m really happy about that.”
Soto enjoys gazing at Yankee Stadium’s crowd and spotting Dominican Republic flags. He likened the energy in the Bronx to that of a World Baseball Classic game. When he was traded to New York in December, he anticipated the Yankees would be in the playoff race and contenders for a World Series title. However, what has surprised him the most through 101 games with this team is the unwavering loyalty of the fan base.
“Everybody talks about how hard Yankees fans can be,” Soto said. “It’s really surprising how much fun you can have here when you’re winning. They always have your back, no matter what. I think it’s been even more than what I expected. I knew we were gonna be good and it was gonna be fun. It’s been an amazing ride with the team we have.”
"They want to win, they are really hungry to win… Most impressive fans I've ever played for."
Juan Soto joins the show! pic.twitter.com/IaINkYJvjR
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The superstar right fielder lights up when talking about everything he loves about playing in New York. He gushes over what comes with being a Yankee. But pose the million-dollar question and Soto shifts into business mode.
Given how much he’s enjoyed playing for the Yankees, can he envision himself in New York for the rest of his career?
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“It hasn’t crossed my mind. I’m actually just thinking about this year,” he said. “That’s been my mindset. I feel like we have a really good chance to win a championship here. That’s what I’m all about.”
Being 25 years old, a World Series champion and already on a Hall of Fame trajectory, it’s possible Soto will receive one of the largest contracts in North American sports history. It might seem far-fetched to believe the generational wealth awaiting him in a few months isn’t at the forefront of his mind, but Soto insists it’s true.
The reason, he says, is because the Yankees are winning. Despite their 10-21 record in their last 31 games, the second-worst mark in MLB (only the Chicago White Sox, at 10-22, are worse), they are likely headed for the playoffs, whether by winning the American League East or securing one of the three wild-card spots.
Soto said it would be difficult not to think of the future if he were on a losing team with nothing to play for daily. But because the expectation in New York is World Series or bust, Soto feels liberated when he’s on the field.
“This team is making it easy for me,” Soto said. “Whenever we are winning and things are going our way, it makes you forget about a lot of things out there. The race we’re having is really throwing (my free-agency decision) out. It’s just putting me in a good spot to be ready to keep playing and trying to win games.”
As for what will matter most to Soto when he makes his free-agency decision this offseason, he said winning is priority No. 1.
“Being in a place where we can win a couple of championships, and even if we don’t, just being in the race every year. I think that’s the biggest thing for me,” Soto said.
But he won’t be crossing off any team in free agency — even though not every team is built to win. It’s the smartest business decision. Even a team like the Colorado Rockies could enter the bidding process and Soto would hear them out.
“I’m telling you, you never know who’s going to come next,” he said. “I’m going to try to build a beautiful team around me to win a championship. At the end of the day, you have to sit down, look at what these teams are offering and make a decision from there.”
A 4-hit night for The Generational Juan Soto 💪
Presented by @Delta pic.twitter.com/sQYPQl4BEy
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 20, 2024
The Yankees have what Soto is looking for in his forever home: They are almost always in the race to make the playoffs, they have a front office willing to be aggressive to build the best possible team (even if not all moves work out), and they boast a slugger in Judge whom he gets to hit in front of, which has helped Soto’s production.
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Soto is amid the best full season of his career. He has a 1.008 OPS and leads MLB in walks. His .433 on-base percentage is the highest since 2021. Soto credits part of his success this year to learning from Judge. The two share notes on how to attack different pitchers, their mindsets in different counts and strategies to inflict more damage at the plate.
“I think people think we have a different approach because of all the homers he hits, but I think we have a really similar approach that we both share,” Soto said. “I think the biggest difference is he’s going to hit for more power because he’s 6-foot-7 and 280 pounds. You see him get his walks. I’m taking my walks. We’re taking good pitches and taking good hacks. I think it’s really similar. I think I have a couple of things he doesn’t have and he has a lot of things that I don’t have. We’ve tried to share what we have and put it together.”
Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner has publicly statedhe would like Soto to remain a Yankee for life, and he hoped the team could work out an extension before free agency. However, that is not happening. Soto said he instructed his agent, Scott Boras, to convey to Steinbrenner that his focus is on 2024 and bringing New York its 28th championship.
If Soto continues performing, Steinbrenner will be hard-pressed not to give him every penny he desires this offseason. Yankees manager Aaron Boone believes Soto can become an even better player than he already is.
“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Boone said. “He’s looking like a generational type of player and hitter. To think he’s only 25 is pretty impressive.”
(Photo: Wendell Cruz / USA Today)
Chris Kirschner is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the New York Yankees. He previously covered the Atlanta Hawks from 2018-2022 for The Athletic. Chris was named Georgia's Sportswriter of the Year in 2021 for his work covering the Hawks. Chris is a native of Bronx, NY. Follow Chris on Twitter @chriskirschner
