Juan Soto Shares Excitement About All-Star Game with Aaron Judge
Juan Soto of the New York Yankees will make his debut as a starter in the Midsummer Classic. Despite the Yankees’ recent 14-15 record since June, Soto and Aaron Judge, both named 2024 All-Star Game starters, continue to shine.
Soto expressed his joy about his first All-Star start, highlighting the hard work he’s put in. He stated, “It means a lot. It’s a lot of hard work that I’ve been putting in and everything. I’ve been grinding a lot. Finally got my first start, so it’s pretty cool.” Soto, who has previously won the NL batting title in 2020, four Silver Sluggers, and two All-MLB first team placements, is thrilled to share the All-Star experience with Judge.
Praising Judge, Soto said, “It’s great, I mean, he’s an All-Star. He’s just an amazing baseball player. More than happy to share the field every day with him, and now in the All-Star Game, it’s gonna be even better.” Judge is having a stellar season with a .318 batting average, leading the league in home runs (32), RBIs (83), and OPS (1.149), and has a chance to break his own AL single-season home run record of 62.
"More than happy to share the field every day with him. Now in the All-Star Game, it's gonna be even better."
Juan Soto talks about starting in the All-Star Game with Aaron Judge: pic.twitter.com/h1EmDMcpG4
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) July 4, 2024
Soto also boasts impressive stats, hitting .300 with 20 home runs, 61 RBIs, and a .997 OPS, ranking third. Additionally, he leads the league with 74 walks, followed by Judge with 62. Regardless of his future with the Yankees, Soto has already made a significant impact on the team.
Soto’s discipline at the plate, rarely chasing pitches outside the zone, has earned high praise from Yankees manager Aaron Boone. Boone described Soto as a “generational hitter” and emphasized the quality of his at-bats. He noted, “His level of at-bat day in and day out [stands out]. And then when you pair it with him and Aaron back-to-back, that’s something that I don’t think many of us have ever seen.”
With Soto’s .437 OBP trailing just behind Judge’s .438, both players demonstrate remarkable consistency despite the Yankees’ struggles since Giancarlo Stanton’s injury. Boone continued, “It’s just as quality of an at-bat as you’re going to face anywhere at any time, and just his understanding of who he is in the batter’s box is pretty impressive.”
As the Yankees consider bolstering their offensive depth before the trade deadline, Judge and Soto’s performances will remain crucial in keeping the team competitive.
