From David Adler:
Soto. Judge. Stanton. Finally.
This is what the Yankees have been waiting for since Juan Soto joined Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in pinstripes: On Wednesday, the Bronx Bombers’ three superstar sluggers all homered in the same game for the first time.
Soto, Judge and Stanton’s light-tower power display led New York to its fifth consecutive win and second straight rout of the rival Astros, a 9-4 victory at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees are 6-0 against Houston this year and will go for the season-series sweep on Thursday
But just as important: The Yankees want this to be the first of many big games this season from the fearsome trio in the heart of their order.
“I hope,” Judge said. “It means good things are happening and the Yankees are winning.”
Suzyn Waldman is obviously quite prone to over-reactions, but when she talks about how Soto is one of the most intelligent hitters that she has ever seen, I think she’s probably correct. It is crazy how much he just “gets it,” and it makes me sort of marvel at the fact that so few other hitters DO “get it” like him. Just don’t swing at bad pitches. It sounds so simple, and yet so few players can pull it off.
In any event, this was a great game, and a very nice bounceback by Carlos Rodon. I’m a BIT worried about Ian Hamilton (did they overuse him early?), but in general, this team is flying high right now. Baseball Reference might give them a 50/50 shot at making the playoffs (I kid, as they actually have the Yankees up to about a 68% chance of making the playoffs).
Rodon could have received the featured image, but Soto had FIVE ribbies, so I had to give it to him.
I’m pretty sure I remember the first time Stanton, judge and Sanchez all hit HRs in the same game in 2018 and people writing about the awesomeness..,sadly it was also the last time. (I think) In 2017 that trio combined for 140+ HRs. Alas…
Yeah, I think next year Mike Axisa’s bold prediction was that it would the first(?) Yankee team with three 40 HR hitters in one season.
I don’t think it’s a matter of just “getting it.” Alex Rodriguez was as smart a baseball player as you’d find, but he was often guessing and his OBP was never elite. Jason Giambi didn’t seem to have the same baseball IQ, but he could recognize pitches immediately out of the pitcher’s hand.
It’s a rare bird that can recognize pitches quickly and to then be a real thinking person’s ball player on top of that is just asking for a lot.
Outside of a James Bond movie, you almost never see an actual genius-scientist supermodel. Every time Soto takes off his glasses and lab coat and shakes out his long hair I have to catch my breath.
Speaking for the genius-scientist supermodel community, we decry our constant portrayal in those Bond movies as evil.
Our lairs are tastefully appointed and our henchmen are handsomely compensated.
Hank Scorpio was good boss too. Just saying.
Yeah, fair enough. It’s funny how I never really fully appreciated Soto until I got to see him everyday, as it’s just CRAZY how good of a hitter this guy is. Juiced ball DJ was a bit like this, but really, we’re talking peak Mattingly in terms of his control of the strike zone, but with greater power, and even a little bit of speed (that infield hit he beat out was outstanding).
Yeah, the hustle really impressed me. That was awesome.
Sic, tell them about the benefits. The BENEFITS, man!
Dental, unlimited PTO* AND matching 401(k).
* anyone requesting PTO will be thrown off the piranha yacht. You do NOT want to find out why it’s called the piranha yacht.
Will we still be rooting for him when he’s in Flushing because Hal can’t afford him?
Fortunately/unfortunately, Witt is probably the odds on favorite for an MVP this season unless Soto goes OFF to make up the positional gap. Sooo maybe Soto will cost a few million less.
He’s going to get a lot of money. The Yankees can absolutely afford it and should do so. $45m/15 years = $675m with the same tricks that LAD used.
They can afford to pay him $33 million this year, so we’re talking an extra $17 million a year. Gleyber’s $10 million is going to be gone, and Hicks’ expires after 2025. I don’t think it would be hard at all for them to give him $50 million a year to keep him here.
Minus the gambling translator.
I’m loving some Soto this season as well, he is more composed in the box than anyone else we’ve seen in quite some time.
I don’t see any Bobby Abreu comparisons being made, but that’s who he reminds me of. Abreu would get to two strikes and then the at bat would start in earnest. Bobby was the best kind of pain in the ass as a hitter, and was a big part of why those games took forever to play. I’d like to say Soto was similar to Boggs as well, but Abreu was my guy.
Soto seems to have more confidence when in the batters box with an 0-2 count than I have at any point in my life.
Loved Bobby Abreu. I’ve only watched parts of a couple games this year, I’ll have to watch more to see if I get the comparison.
I don’t think he stays unless he loves the mystique of being a Yankee, appreciates following Ruth, Joe D, Mantle and Judge. And incidentally if he thinks there’s money to be made as a Yankee (or a Dodger or Met.)
What kind of a start time is 5PM???