The New York Yankees will field one of the most dangerous hitting duos this upcoming season. Juan Soto and Aaron Judge will be donning the pinstripes this year. To those unversed, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are regarded as two of the most formidable hitters in the major league.
While Aaron Judge is a former AL-MVP, Juan Soto has three all-star appearances at the age of 25. Both hitters’ numbers on the plate are staggering. However, a big question mark still lies on the ideal hitting order to accommodate the two feared sluggers. Amid this, rumors have it that Soto could undergo a change in order.
Juan Soto To Bat Second This Season For The Yankees?
New York Yankees announcer Michael Kay dropped a bombshell update on his recent appearance on the Foul Territory podcast. He says Aaron Boone has slated Juan Soto second in the batting order and Aaron Judge at third. Not only that, apparently, Soto is also on board with the idea. However, Kay begs to disagree with the apparent plan. He claimed Soto’s agent, Scott Boras, had instructed his previous team, the San Diego Padres, to let the slugger bat at third. However, the Bronx Bombers have seemingly ignored Boras’ instructions. Having said that, Michael Kay firmly believes pushing Aaron Judge down the third will be a mistake. Judge is the home run-hitting guy and deserves as many at-bats to play as possible.
“I’d rather give Judge the protection since he’s the home run guy,” said Michael Kay. Earlier, New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge said at an event that he envisioned DJ LeMahieu, Juan Soto, and him in the hitting order. Thus, it seems Aaron Boone has given it at the captain’s request. Regardless, the initial plan is tentative. Things will drastically change once spring training commences in two weeks. Skipper Aaron Boone is expected to play out every scenario to figure out the ideal lineup. Also, during the season, Boone will likely play around as he has a wide depth of left-handers at his helm. Overall, the hitting order is the least of Judge and Soto’s concerns at this stage. The formidable hitters must focus on getting the preparations right and stay healthy to last throughout the 162-game stretch.
What Aaron Judge Said About His Ideal Hitting Order?
While the whole world is worried about Aaron Judge’s protection, the Yankees captain is himself not concerned. He hosted a charity gala event for his All-Rise foundation earlier this week and answered a fan’s query related to the team’s hitting order. Judge said as long as LeMahieu steps out as a leadoff hitter, followed by Juan Soto and him, he won’t complain.
Having said that, Aaron Judge has played without protection all his life. He smashed 62 home runs in 2022 while hitting without security. Thus, Juan Soto’s addition won’t make a difference in the Yankees captain’s impact on the plate. Overall, the Bombers’ hitting woes should come to an end in the 2024 season as Judge and Soto are expected to gain big.
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