New York Yankees’ Juan Soto slaps hands with first base coach Travis Chapman after hitting an RBI … [+] single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
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The monetary terms of Juan Soto’s next contract whether it is for the Yankees or someone else remain unknown and will be in that state into the following offseason.
The future contract that some speculate will exceed Aaron Judge’s $360 million pact, will be mostly because of his bat and not necessarily his glove though in the season opener for the Yankees, the defense shone through in a big way.
What is known is it took one game for Soto to make his impact felt and give the Yankees a good first step in erasing the stench of going 82-80 last season, the same record Soto endured in his only full season with the San Diego Padres.
Soto did not make an impact with the powerful bat that has 160 homers in 780 regular-season games. He saw 25 pitches and notched an RBI single but it was what he did after fielding a pitch thrown by Clay Holmes to preserve a win in Houston, the same place where the Yankees constantly struggle, though they swept a low-pressure three-game series there last year after falling out of the race.
Fielding a ground ball single to right field by Kyle Tucker that seemingly had a strong chance at tying the game and sending the Yankees to a frustrating walk-off loss, Soto calmly fielded the ball. He then executed a strong one-hop throw to the plate in time for Jose Trevino to tag out Mauricio Dubon without worrying about blocking the plate.
Houston Astros’ Mauricio Dubon is tagged out at the plate by New York Yankees catcher Jose Trevino … [+] during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, March 28, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
“His process and work ethic and care factor about not just hitting, he takes a lot of pride in his defense,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters. “He wants to be great on defense. He wants to be really good on the bases. And he made a big-time winning play today on defense.”
It was the kind of play that left the Yankee clubhouse buzzing when they spoke to reporters in Houston after Boone echoed similar sentiments about Soto’s 24th career outfield assist and ninth as a right fielder, echoing the same awestruck tones from spring training.
“What an amazing throw,” Nestor Cortes told reporters.
“I’m just prepared before that even happens,” Soto told reporters. “My mindset was just try to make a great throw to the plate and let [Trevino] do what he wants to do.”
And once the Yankees got the final out, they could really savior being in the right place and right time to use the right package to acquire Soto for the purpose of a power-hitting left-handed bat who showed he can mix in some game-saving defense.
“I think the most important thing is getting the ball,” Aaron Judge told reporters. “A lot of people skip that step, and that’s where it kind of causes a lot of issues. But he was nice and easy, got the ball, and then from there, it’s trust it and let it rip.”
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the play was Soto is covering some rare ground for him since being traded by the Nationals All of his 154 games in the field last season were as a left fielder and Soto is being slotted into right field because of Judge moving to center field and Alex Verdugo in left field.
Soto’s next contract will dominate some segments of conversation just like it will for other prominent players such as Pete Alonso or Alex Bregman, who also are due for free agency.
In the meantime the Yankees will savoir the first game of the Soto era, whose previous chapters in full seasons have seen play over 150 games, including all 162 last season on one of baseball’s most disappointing teams.
“That was a Yankee Classic right there: Juan’s Debut,” Judge told reporters. “That was pretty special out of him. That just speaks volumes to the type of player he is and the type of presence he has.”
And perhaps it is the kind of presence the Yankees needed to eventually overcome a nemesis who handed them an embarrassing sweep in the ALCS in 2022, setting the stage for a difficult year of offensive futility.
“It’s just a great feeling,” Soto told reporters. “It tells you I’m going the right way, what I’ve been doing, and I’m more excited to keep going.”
And based on the initial returns, the Yankees are excited Soto is on their side for at least one season.
