Juan Soto appears to already love being a member of the New York Yankees, and he has quickly struck up a relationship with the club’s captain and best player, Aaron Judge.
Soto, who was dealt to the Yankees in a seven-player trade in December, made his spring training debut against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, powering New York to a 12—6 victory with a three-run home run in the fourth inning.
But it was Soto’s comment about Judge after the game that drew almost as much attention as his mammoth, 428-foot home run off the scoreboard at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
Soto said that getting to know Judge is “even better than he expected,” per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
“I knew he was a great guy, but I didn’t know he was that good,” Soto said of Judge, per Hoch. “Everything, his vibe, everything is good. He’s just thinking positive and he’s just trying to win as much as he can.”
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Judge responded in kind by saying he wants to make Soto’s year with the Yankees “his best,” indicating that Soto at the top of his game brings New York that much closer to a championship.
“He’s a New York Yankee. His first year here, I wanted to make it a good one. I want it to be his best year,” Judge said of Soto, per Hoch. “If he’s feeling right and he’s doing his thing, that’s only going to take us one step closer to a World Series.”
Soto, batting second in front of Judge, went 1-for-2 with a home run, a walk and three RBIs on Sunday. Meanwhile, Judge went 2-for-2 with an RBI.
Soto, who inked a record arbitration deal in January, isn't expected to sign a contract extension with the Yankees before he hits free agency at the end of the season.
