New York Yankees heart fielder Aaron Choose (99) and proper fielder Juan Soto (22) stroll in the direction of the dugout earlier than the beginning of the fourth inning towards the Oakland Athletics on the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Necessary Credit score: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Pictures NEW YORK — Earlier than the Yankees swing into the postseason within the American League Division Sequence, New York supervisor Aaron Boone downplayed the magnitude of the second in entrance of slugger Juan Soto.
The sidekick to Aaron Choose, Soto is on the precipice of free company on the ripe age of 25 and coming off of a 41-homer, 109-RBI season with the Yankees.
“I am not pondering of the free company a part of it. I do not assume he’s,” Boone mentioned Friday throughout crew exercises at Yankee Stadium, ultimate preparation for the opening sport of the ALDS towards the Kansas Metropolis Royals on Saturday. “I feel he is loving being right here and being a part of this crew and figuring out what’s at stake and what he has a possibility to do. He is been in playoff baseball earlier than. He is gained a championship earlier than. He clearly is aware of what it takes.
“I feel that is the place his thoughts is. Speak about being current; I feel he is very current with the place he’s, and clearly he is coming off an incredible common season. Clearly a man we depend on closely in our lineup, however I feel he is in an incredible place.”
Win or lose on this sequence, Soto would seem like undeniably in an incredible place. Choose is 2 years right into a $360 million contract he signed in 2023. Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani signed for $70 million per season because the free company headliner final winter. Soto’s worth has been projected someplace in between and is central to him being traded from the Washington Nationals to the Padres after which touchdown with the Yankees earlier than signing a long-term contract.
“I do not assume he ever will get forward of himself like that. I feel that’ll be for — when that point comes, they’re going to deal with that,” Boone mentioned. “However proper now, I feel he is fully targeted on going on the market and acting on a giant stage within the playoffs.”
Soto hit 41 complete homers in 214 video games with the Padres and has 208 in his profession together with 5 in 17 playoff video games with the Nationals on the best way to the World Sequence in 2019. He added a pair within the playoffs with the Padres in 2022.
Boone mentioned he senses Soto loves being with the Yankees. From the supervisor all the way down to the twenty fifth man on the roster, teammates are loving having Soto, too.
“I would in all probability take pleasure in my time, too, if I walked out with that ability set daily,” Boone mentioned. “However to see how he — watching him work together along with his teammates and simply watch his ease with which he strikes by means of the room. And in my opinion the comfortability he has in our room, that is what tells me that.”
Even opposing gamers praised Soto Friday when speaking to reporters at Yankee Stadium. Proper-handed pitcher Michael Wacha – who is about to begin Sport 1 for the Royals and performed with Soto on the Padres final season — referred to as Soto “unbelievable expertise.”
“He swings at strikes, lays off of balls out of the zone, and at any time when he does swing, he makes actually good contact with the ball and hits the ball onerous and finds lots of holes,” Wacha mentioned. “He hits for common, hits for energy, drives guys in. He is an unbelievable expertise, like I mentioned. He is any individual that you have to sport plan for for certain.”
–Subject Stage Media