What has caught Aaron Boone’s attention the most in Juan José Soto’s first month and a half with the Yankees is not his .333 batting average, nor his .438 on-base percentage (leading the American League) and OPS. of 1,023 (second in the circuit), nor the Dominican’s ability to hit the right hit or how he accumulates more walks than strikeouts.
Above all that, what the Yankees manager understands now is this: There is nothing in baseball that compares to watching a Soto at-bat.
«It’s how much he struggles. How much war. Every pitch,” Boone said Wednesday, just before Soto went 3 for 5 with five RBIs against the rival Astros and hit his ninth home run of the season. «And then how theatrical it is. I mean, it’s a spectacle.
Soto, who added two more walks in New York’s win over Houston on Thursday, has been crafting at-bats like these his entire career. Thus he led the Nationals to a World Series title over the Astros in 2019.
But it’s one thing to know how Soto approaches the art of hitting and see it from afar. It’s another to be front row for the Soto Show from the Yankees dugout every night.
“Obviously, there’s his quality and how disciplined he is in his craft,” Boone said. “But it’s also the relentless nature of his at-bats. I’ve heard all my life [sobre diferentes jugadores] over the years, ‘This guy never gives up an at-bat.’ Juan embodies that. He doesn’t give away a pitch. It’s every pitch. You almost hold your breath a little bit.
At Yankee Stadium, the effect is magnified. Every “Soto Shuffle” after a close pitch, every sharp swing that can send a line drive to any part of the field, captivates the Bronx audience.
“You can feel the energy in the crowd,” Boone said, before proceeding to recreate how Yankees fans follow each Soto at-bat from start to finish, listening and admiring while wondering how it will play out. «Literally every release is theater. “It’s been fun to witness.”
Soto is only 25 years old, but by now he has a long-standing and well-deserved reputation as one of, if not the hardest hitter to get out in baseball. The way he competes every time he steps into the batter’s box inspires the Yankees… and ideally, strikes fear into the opposing team.
“There’s just an intensity to it,” Boone said. «And I think it highlights the importance of each release. Not just in his at-bats, but in all of them. You’re like, ‘Man, we want to have that kind of intensity and focused nature on every pitch.’ And you want your opponent to feel it too.
Boone said the Yankees’ desire to approach his at-bats like Soto does precedes the Yankee’s arrival in the Bronx. But how could having Soto himself in the thick part of the team’s offensive order not influence?
“I think before Juan came along, that’s what we’ve always wanted to be as an offense,” Boone said. «He definitely embodies that. And I think there has been at least a subtle improvement due to the presence of him.
The more you can inspire your lineup to be like Soto, the better.
“I mean, you’d love for everyone to be like Juan Soto, teach that and bottle it,” Boone said with a laugh, probably realizing that there could never be nine versions of Juan Soto.
But New York will continue to enjoy what the one and only Juan Soto brings to this Yankees team.
«If you are present, it is a spectacle. It’s like, ‘Man, this can’t be lost,'” Boone said. «I think it’s great when you have different personalities that bring a certain energy, emotion, spectacle. “I think that’s good for the sport.”
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2024-05-10 22:49:26
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