“It's going to be two walks, or two gappers" - Juan Soto affirms opponents' dilemma in facing Aaron Judge and Dominican slugger back-to-back

Juan Soto arrived in Tampa to join his new team the New York Yankees for Spring Training. He is expected to make his debut for the Yanks in their first game against the Detroit Tigers on February 24th.

The Yankees made their first big move soon after the offseason began by striking a blockbuster deal with the San Diego Padres to acquire Juan Soto, who has been one of the franchise's faces for years.

For the Padres, who reportedly aimed to lower their payroll, the deal seemed like a perfect fit. In exchange for Soto and Trent Grisham, they received veterans Michael King and Kyle Higashioka, along with three young arms as part of the package.

Soto has been dominating the NL for the past six seasons, winning three All-Star nods and four Silver Slugger awards. The former World Series Champion could be the key to ending the Yankees’ World Series drought.

In a recent interview with Yes Network, Soto shared his game plans for 2024, which include working alongside Yankees captain Aaron Judge.

Expand Tweet

“I think it's going to be two walks or it's going to be two gappers, but it's going to be fun. I think it's going to be great. Definitely,” said Soto. “If I'm hitting in front of him, I'm going to try to be as much as I can on the bases so he [Aaron Judge] can do his job and he can drop the hammer to the ball.”

Juan Soto will help New York in any way possible

Juan Soto expressed his willingness to learn from former AL MVP Judge and is prepared to offer his services in any way possible to support the team.

“Definitely. He's just a power guy. He's been doing this thing for a long time. I can pick it up, a couple of things,” said Soto.

“I definitely can help him out with anything that he needs. I don't think he needs much, but anything that he wants to know, I can help you out with, I'll be there for him.”

The Yankees will have Juan Soto at the plate for $31 million for the 2024 season. Whether the outfielder will deliver is yet to be seen.

About the author

Sayan has been a Major League Baseball journalist at Sportskeeda since 2023. A geography graduate, Sayan discovered America's favorite pastime through anime during his high school days. The excitement of every home run and strikeout ignited a passion within him for the diamond, and he started playing the MLB's Android games, further enhancing his interest.

While the New York Yankees were the first MLB team Sayan was introduced to, it's the LA Dodgers that hold a special place in his heart. They were the first team he saw lift the World Series (2020) when he began following the sport. Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw are some of Sayan's favorite MLB players, while Dusty Baker is his favorite manager.

Sayan's main strength is in-depth analysis of stats and reporting from a neutral point of view. To ensure accuracy in his articles, he only refers to MLB insiders and experts for information.

When not watching baseball, Sayan likes to relax by watching anime. He also loves following the NBA, NFL and international Chess events during his free time, and is always eager to discuss sports with like-minded enthusiasts.

Know More

Edited by Nicolaas Ackermann