"He's the best hitter I've ever faced" - Yankees pitcher Marcus Stroman heaps high praise on new teammate Juan Soto

New York Yankees Pitcher Marcus Stroman & Slugger Juan Soto
New York Yankees Pitcher Marcus Stroman & Slugger Juan Soto

This offseason has been busy for the New York Yankees, who most notably acquired Marcus Stroman and Juan Soto. The pair should boost the team's roster for an important 2024 season.

Stroman had his introductory press conference on Thursday via Zoom. He spoke to media members and expressed his excitement about joining the Bronx Bombers and the talent on the roster.

Stroman is especially excited to team up with Soto, who he holds in high regard. He believes the All-Star outfielder is an absolute threat with a bat in his hand.

"I've already talked openly about Soto in the past before. I think he's the best hitter in baseball. I think him and [Aaron] Judge are one, two, top three, four, five guys in baseball," stated Stroman.

Stroman thinks Juan Soto, alongside Aaron Judge, will be a problem for the rest of the league. That is two of the league's top hitters in the same lineup for the Yankees.

"I've faced some good hitters, man, but I always tell everyone that Soto is the best hitter that I've ever faced" said Stroman.

That is quite the compliment coming from a veteran pitcher who has spent nine years in the big leagues. Stroman has faced plenty of Hall of Fame-worthy hitters but points to Soto as the best he has ever faced.


The Yankees are a much better team with the acquisitions of Marcus Stroman and Juan Soto

The Yankees have done a solid job filling the holes they had coming into the offseason. They needed outfield help with Jasson Dominguez, who will likely miss the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Juan Soto is a great replacement. He is coming off a season with the San Diego Padres, where he appeared in all 162 regular season games. During that time, he hit .275/.410/.519 with a career-high 35 home runs.

On the pitching side, the Yankees desperately needed another arm. Starting pitching was an area that hurt the team last season, while pitchers were plagued with injuries and lackluster performances.

Marcus Stroman is a perfect pitcher to pair behind Gerrit Cole, who is coming off a Cy Young season. Stroman is a groundball pitcher, which should work well at Yankee Stadium.

This team has the talent to be contenders this season as long as the injury bug does not bite them.

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