Juan Soto, the MLB generational star’s transition to New York Yankees comes at a pivotal moment of his career when he is set to hit monumental free agency in 2025. The impending free agency will decide how Soto’s future shapes up in the next decade or so.
Naturally, Juan Soto is leaving no stone unturned to not only enjoy his time at the Yankees but also up his stakes in the upcoming free-agent market. That being said, in a monumental moment of the season, Soto scripted a unique league history to equal legend Mickey Mantle’s record of most walks in the league.
Juan Soto Ties Mickey Mantle’s Most Walks Record In MLB
Generational star Juan Soto’s ability to draw walks has long been recognized as one of his most impressive skills. The 25-year-old led the National League in walks with 145 in 2021, 135 in 2022, and 132 in 2023. And currently, as a Yankee, he is leading the American League with 28 walks. That being said, his walking ability helped him fetch a historic MLB record last week. In the recently concluded series against Houston Astros, Soto was walked twice as Astros made hard attempts to escape Soto’s onslaught. And with that, his career walk tally advanced to 668 walks, which is the joint most in MLB. Soto is the only player after Mickey Mantle to draw 668 walks before the age of 26.
Moreover, Juan Soto isn’t turning 26 until October this year. Hence, the generational star will have all the time he needs to surpass Mantle’s all-time high league record. Drawing two walks in a single game may seem like a modest accomplishment. But for Soto, it represented another milestone in what has already been a remarkable career. By joining Mickey Mantle in the history books, Soto solidified his status as one of the game’s premier hitters and cemented his place among the pantheon of Yankees legends. And for the Bronx Bombers, having Soto in the lineup is nothing of a privilege. He has single-handedly managed to overshadow Aaron Judge to lead the league in offensive numbers. As the season progresses, Juan Soto will continue to play a key role in Yanks’ dominant campaign.
Soto Wasn’t Happy Being Walked Vs Astros
Interestingly, Juan Soto didn’t enjoy those two walks against Houston Astros that helped him script MLB history. Soto was pumped in front of a packed Yankee Stadium and hence wanted to contribute with the bat. However, the Astros pitcher were avoiding the strike zone against him and happily awarded deliberate walks twice which frustrated the left handed slugger.
Juan Soto hit back at Astros catcher for playing dirty games and intentionally awarding him walks to keep him out of the game. And the Astros catcher, who was indeed guilty of doing exactly what Soto accused him out, chose to no indulge in the heated conversation. Regardless, the walks were a blessing in disguise for Soto as he scripted unique MLB history.
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