Juan Soto
Juan Soto Source: NBC Sports

The New York Yankees have been looking for redemption throughout the offseason. It really hit the Yankees hard when the captain stayed out for a couple of months with a toe injury. On top of that, Aaron Judge was their only superstar in the outfield. It was a risk, as it proved to be in the last season. That’s the reason why the Bronx Bombers sought after the top sluggers available in the market in the offseason. Moreover, the Yankees went after Juan Soto of the San Diego Padres. Albeit he was not a free agent, the SD Padres were just giving him away to slash their payroll.

On top of that, Brian Cashman knew that he needed to sign a player who could improve their offense. For that, the Dominican slugger is the best choice. As his agent Scott Boras puts it, “Juan Soto is an offense in itself.” Clearly, the Yankees didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to land the childish Bambino. And they did not. So far, the offense has been fruitful for the Yankees because they got Soto. Recently, legendary broadcaster Bob Costas talked about how Soto can help the NY side for a year. 

   

As Per Costas, How Will Juan Soto Help The Yankees?

Juan Soto
Juan Soto Source: Deadspin

Recently, in an interview with the New York Post, Bob Costas said the first question is if he can hit 40 home runs this 2024 season. Moreover, Costas know that the lineup including Juan Soto and Aaron Judge looks stunning. However, the legendary Hall of Famer broadcaster mentioned if the Yankees build a lineup to protect the sluggers they might let the Dominican hitter bat ahead of the captain. After all, the former Padres star gets on base a lot.

Moreover, Bob Costas feel it will help Aaron Judge a lot if Soto walks at the rate he generally walks. It will be a deadly combination to let the opponents know that the captain is waiting behind Juan Soto. In the process, it will help the Dominican slugger as well. Moreover, many can agree with Costas because the Yankee Stadium is just perfect for the childish Bambino. It is because the stadium helps lefty sluggers a lot. As a result, the home run record of the Dominican slugger should see an upward trajectory. 

Why The 2023 Season Was A Wake-Up Call For The Bronx Bombers?

Yankees Anthony Rizzo Aaron Judge
Yankees Anthony Rizzo Aaron Judge Source: Bleacher Report

It was a tremendous shame for the fans to see the franchise failing to make the postseason. Moreover, they ended the season with an 82-80 record. As a result, the Bronx Bombers finished the 2023 season, making it the worst in the last thirty years. The last time they did not make the postseason was back in 2016.

However, they had a little better record with 84-78. But 2023 saw the NY side suffer because of a lot of injuries and a lack of star power in the outfield. Throughout the 2023 season, key players stayed on the Injured List for the most part, like Anthony Rizzo and Aaron Judge. Besides these veterans, the young guns like Jasson Dominguez and others also sustained severe injuries.