Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, two of the world’s biggest baseball superstars, will be teaming up for the New York Yankees this MLB season. Soto joined forces with Bronx this year via a blockbuster trade deal with the San Diego Padres. Thus, the Yankee fans have set high expectations for the superstar duo.
However, to produce fireworks on the plate, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto should get along as teammates in the first place. While the duo is yet to meet in person as teammates, the Yankees captain’s recent comments have flared up a huge controversy. Where does Judge and Soto’s relationship stand now?
Aaron Judge’s Ideal Hitting Lineup Stirs Up Huge Controversy
Aaron Judge, the captain of the New York Yankees, is the glue that holds the franchise together. He calls the shot within the team and the front office as well. Hal Steinbrenner has given that authority to the Judge to interfere in the franchise’s personal matters as one of the most respected personnel of the organization. Thus, when the slugger listed out his preferred hitting lineup for the 2024 season, it came out more of a decision than a suggestion. Judge hosted a charity dinner for his All Rise foundation last week. During the Q & A session, a fan asked Judge to reveal his preferred hitting order. He said he wants to see DJ LeMahieu as the leadoff, Juan Soto in the second, and he would like to come out at number three.
Having said that, Juan Soto has batted at number 3 for the most half of his career. He has achieved enormous success in the said position. Not only that, his agent, Scott Broas, instructed his previous organization, the San Diego Padres, to let Soto bat at number 3. However, Aaron Judge stands firm on his ground. But will the Yankees captain’s strong stand sour his relationship with Juan Soto? It’s important to note that Soto is on a one-year guarantee deal with the Bronx Bombers. If he gets off on the wrong foot with the team’s captain, the free agency dynamics would drastically change. Besides, a lot is at stake with respect to Soto’s effectiveness and on-plate contributions in the 2024 season. Thus, Aaron Judge perhaps should refrain from putting out statements like this before the opening day commences.
What Aaron Boone Thinks About Yankees Ideal Hitting Order?
Regardless of what Aaron Judge thinks, ultimately, manager Aaron Boone is responsible for taking a final call on roster matters. He will be the one who decides where Juan Soto bats. Interestingly, the Yankees skipper was quizzed about the same during a Foul Territory podcast. Boone refused to let out specific details.
Aaron Boone said he is still in the early stages of planning the hitting order. Due to the extended depth of left-handers, the Yankees manager has taken the liberty to play around with the lineup. Thus, as of now, Boone is still contemplating and will perhaps reach a conclusion after a month-long spring training.
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